OrbitDB is a serverless, distributed, peer-to-peer database for developers who want their applications to store and share data without relying on a central server. It uses IPFS as its storage layer, so records live across a network of peers rather than on a single machine. Its MIT license and JavaScript and TypeScript codebase make it a natural fit for web projects.
This page explains what the program does, how to install it on Windows, and where it fits among other decentralized storage tools. OrbitDB is a developer library rather than a point-and-click desktop app, so the sections below focus on setup and practical use. Its latest release, v4.0.0, received a code update in May 2026, which means the project is recently updated.
What Is OrbitDB?
OrbitDB is a database library that runs inside your application instead of on a separate database server. Each peer holds a copy of the databases it cares about, and changes travel between peers so everyone converges on the same data. The project describes itself as serverless, which means no single machine has to stay online to act as the authority.
The library can be loaded in the browser with a distributed JavaScript file added through a script tag. Once loaded, its functions are available under the OrbitDB global namespace. This makes it practical for browser-based apps that need to store data locally and sync it with other users.
The documentation mentions Windows alongside macOS, Linux and web environments. In practice, that means you can use OrbitDB in a Windows development environment, whether you run it in a browser page or inside a project that calls it from code.
Who Is OrbitDB For?
OrbitDB is aimed at developers and small teams who are building decentralized or peer-to-peer applications. If your goal is to avoid a central backend for certain data, it offers a practical starting point. It is less suited to people who want a ready-made app with menus and buttons.
Consider a small collaborative notes tool. Each user keeps a local copy of the notes database, and changes sync through IPFS when peers are connected. The documents store can hold each note as a JSON record with an identifier, which keeps lookups straightforward.
Another scenario is an event feed. A team could use the append-only events store to record updates in order and show the latest entries to anyone who joins. Because the log is immutable, earlier entries stay where they were, which is useful when you want a reliable record of what happened and when.
Key Terms: Peer-to-Peer Databases, IPFS and Pubsub
A peer-to-peer database has no single host. Every participating node can read and write data, and updates are exchanged directly between nodes. This model removes a single point of failure, but it also means your application must handle data arriving in different orders from different peers.
IPFS, the InterPlanetary File System, stores content by its cryptographic hash rather than by a server location. OrbitDB uses IPFS as its storage layer, so the same content is identified the same way on every node. This content addressing is what allows peers to verify they are looking at identical data.
IPFS Pubsub is a publish-and-subscribe messaging mechanism. OrbitDB uses it to announce changes so that connected peers can update their copies automatically. Understanding these three pieces, peers, content addressing and Pubsub, makes the rest of the OrbitDB documentation much easier to follow.
Key features
Append-Only Event Log
Indexed Document Store
Key-Value Database
Level-Backed Indexed Storage
How to install Orbit DB on Windows
- 1
Get the Release from the Official Source
Open the OrbitDB repository on GitHub and go to the Releases page to find v4.0.0. Download only from the official website or its GitHub Releases page, not from mirrors or third-party download sites. Taking this step first keeps the rest of the setup on solid ground.
- 2
Verify the File
Check the SHA-256 checksum or signature if the release provides one, and compare it with the value shown on the release page. If the values do not match, discard the file and download it again from the official source. Verification takes only a minute and protects you from tampered copies.
-
Set Up the Library
Follow the Getting Started guide in the project documentation. For a browser page, add the distributed JavaScript file with a script tag and call OrbitDB through its global namespace. For a project, add the library to your codebase and follow the same guide for creating your first database.
How to use Orbit DB
OrbitDB works as a library, so using it means writing a small amount of code. The steps below outline the general workflow from the Getting Started guide, which is the best place to find exact syntax for your version.
- Load OrbitDB into your browser page or project.
- Create or open a database and choose its type: events, documents, keyvalue or keyvalue-indexed.
- Write entries, JSON documents or key-value pairs to the database.
- Read the data back by traversing the event log, querying documents by key or looking up a key-value pair.
- Connect the database to other peers so that updates are shared through IPFS Pubsub.
- Test the setup by running two instances, such as two browser windows, and confirming that a change made in one appears in the other.
Start with a single database type and a simple data structure. Once the sync works reliably, you can add more databases or switch models as your application grows.
Pros & cons
- Free and open source under the MIT license
- Four data models: event log, documents, key-value and indexed key-value
- Serverless design with no central database server to run
- Built on IPFS and Pubsub for peer synchronization
- Can be loaded in a browser with a single distributed JavaScript file
- It is a developer library with no graphical interface for end users
- Windows is mentioned in the documentation, but you should test your own setup before relying on it
- Using it requires working knowledge of JavaScript or TypeScript
- Synchronization depends on peers and IPFS, so behavior can differ from a centralized database
Is Orbit DB safe?
OrbitDB is an open-source library under the MIT license, and its code is public on GitHub, which makes the source easy to review. Use the official repository or its Releases page as your only download source, and verify the SHA-256 checksum or signature whenever the release includes one. Because OrbitDB is a library, most of the risk lies in the code you build around it. Validate data received from peers, avoid storing secrets in replicated databases, and review your dependencies before deploying. The latest code update is dated 2026-05-14, but check the latest version on the official website before you start, since releases change over time.
- Official source only. Download from github.com/orbitdb/orbit-db. Ignore ads and lookalike domains.
- Check the SHA-256. Compare the installer hash with the value the developer publishes before running it.
- Never share your seed phrase. No developer, support agent or website — including CryptApps — will ever ask for it.
Alternatives
OrbitDB operates at the data layer: it stores and synchronizes records for your application. Most tools in this category focus on other parts of the stack. Kubo and IPFS Desktop are IPFS nodes that store and serve content, and OrbitDB can use IPFS underneath. Peergos focuses on end-to-end encrypted file storage and sharing for people, while Storj operates a decentralized cloud storage network. ZeroNet hosts decentralized websites, and Pinner CLI handles pinning content from the command line. If you need a database API for an application, OrbitDB is the closest match. If you need files, a node or a storage network, the others are a better fit.
Specifications
- Price
- Free
- Type
- Open source
- License
- MIT
- Latest version
- v4.0.0
- Last update
- 14 May 2026
- Windows support
- Unverified (Windows mentioned in docs)
- Source code
- github.com/orbitdb/orbit-db
Frequently asked questions
No, OrbitDB is a JavaScript and TypeScript library for developers rather than a desktop application with its own window. Its documentation mentions Windows, but you use it by adding it to a project or loading it in a browser page. Most people who need OrbitDB will write code that calls it. For an end-user tool with a visual interface, look at the alternatives listed on this page.
Yes, OrbitDB is free and released under the MIT license, which allows use, modification and redistribution as long as the license notice is included. Its source code is public on GitHub. Because it is a library, there is no separate purchase or subscription for the software itself. Hosting or infrastructure costs depend entirely on your own project.
OrbitDB is open source and recently updated, with its latest code change dated May 14, 2026. Safety depends mostly on how you obtain the library and how your application handles data. Get the release from the official GitHub source, verify the checksum or signature, and review the code you build on top of it. Treat data from other peers as untrusted input.
No, OrbitDB is designed to be serverless, so you do not need to run a central database server. Peers replicate data among themselves using IPFS for storage and IPFS Pubsub for announcing changes. Your application still needs network connectivity to sync with other peers, so plan how your app behaves when a connection drops.
IPFS is a network for storing and retrieving content, while OrbitDB is a database layer built on top of it. OrbitDB uses IPFS as its storage and IPFS Pubsub to keep databases in sync with peers. If you only need to store and share files, IPFS by itself may be enough. If you need structured records with queries, OrbitDB adds that layer.
Choose the events store for append-only logs and message queues, documents for JSON records you want to index, keyvalue for simple lookups, and keyvalue-indexed when key-value records need a Level-based index. Start with the simplest model that fits your data. You can change your design as the application grows, so there is no need to decide everything at once.
Verdict
OrbitDB suits developers who are building serverless, peer-to-peer applications and want a database layer on top of IPFS. It is free, MIT-licensed and recently updated, which are strong points for a project that may need to be reviewed or adapted over time. It is a library, though, so it takes coding work to use and is not a plug-and-play tool for end users. If you are comparing decentralized storage options for a web or browser project, it is worth testing with a small prototype before committing.