The '''Indexed Database API''' (commonly referred to as '''IndexedDB''') is a [[JavaScript]] [[application programming interface]] (API) provided by [[web browser]]s for managing a [[NoSQL]] [[database]] of [[JSON]] objects. It is a standard maintained by the [[World Wide Web Consortium]] (W3C).<ref>{{cite web|url = http://www.w3.org/TR/IndexedDB/|title = IndexedDB API|publisher = W3.org|date = |accessdate = 2015-12-04}}</ref>
As an alternative to the [[Web storage]] standard, IndexedDB can provide more storage capacity. Web storage has [[Web_storage#Storage_size|fixed limits]] per [[website]], but IndexedDB limits are "usually quite large, if they exist at all".<ref>{{cite web |title=Working with IndexedDB |url=https://developers.google.com/web/ilt/pwa/working-with-indexeddb |publisher=Google |accessdate=19 January 2019}}</ref>
storage.
[[Use case]]s for IndexedDB include caching [[web application]] data for [[offline]] availability.<ref>{{cite web |title=Using IndexedDB |url=https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/API/IndexedDB_API/Using_IndexedDB |website=MDN |publisher=Mozilla |accessdate=19 January 2019}}</ref> Some browser modules, such as [[Web development tools|devtools]] or [[browser extension|extensions]], may also use it for storage.
==History==
Support for IndexedDB was added to [[Firefox]] version 4,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://developer.mozilla.org/en/IndexedDB |title=IndexedDB - MDC Doc Center |publisher=Developer.mozilla.org |date= |accessdate=2011-02-18}}</ref> [[Google Chrome]] version 11,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.chromium.org/developers/web-platform-status#TOC-Indexed-Database-API- |title=Web Platform Status |publisher=The Chromium Projects |date=2012-05-21 |accessdate=2012-05-24}}</ref> and [[Internet Explorer]] version 10.<ref>{{citation |url=http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ie/hh673548(v=vs.85).aspx |title=IndexedDB |publisher=MSDN |date=2012-03-14 |accessdate=2012-05-24}}</ref> [[Safari (web browser)|Safari]] eventually added support in version 8.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://developer.apple.com/library/content/releasenotes/MacOSX/WhatsNewInOSX/Articles/MacOSX10_10.html#//apple_ref/doc/uid/TP40014484-SW1|title=What's New in macOS |publisher=Apple |date= |accessdate=2017-07-09}}</ref>
[[Web SQL Database]] was a prior API developed by [[Apple Inc.|Apple]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Shankland |first=Stephen |url=http://news.cnet.com/8301-30685_3-20000376-264.html |title=Consensus emerges for key Web app standard | Deep Tech - CNET News |publisher=News.cnet.com |date=2010-03-12 |accessdate=2011-02-18}}</ref> But Firefox refused to add support for it and argued against it becoming a standard because it would codify the quirks of [[SQLite]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://weblogs.mozillazine.org/roc/archives/2010/06/not_implementin.html |title=Well, I'm Back: Not Implementing Features Is Hard |publisher=Weblogs.mozillazine.org |date= |accessdate=2011-02-18}}</ref><ref>[https://hacks.mozilla.org/2010/06/beyond-html5-database-apis-and-the-road-to-indexeddb/ Beyond HTML5: Database APIs and the Road to IndexedDB]</ref> It was thus [[deprecation|deprecated]] in favor of IndexedDB.<ref>https://softwareengineering.stackexchange.com/questions/220254/why-is-web-sql-database-deprecated</ref>
==References==
{{Reflist}}
==External links==
* [https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/API/IndexedDB_API IndexedDB API] on [[MDN Web Docs]]
