---
title: Direct
description: Use the Graft SQLite extension anywhere you can use SQLite
sidebar:
  order: 999
---

import { Tabs, TabItem } from "@astrojs/starlight/components";
import { Code } from "@astrojs/starlight/components";

The Graft SQLite extension can be downloaded and used with SQLite anywhere you can use SQLite.[^1]

[^1]: As long as SQLite is running on a supported platform and is compiled with support for loading extensions.

## Manual download

The Graft SQLite extension, is released using [GitHub Releases] for most platforms. You can access the latest release using the links below:

| Platform | Architecture | Download Link                       |
| -------- | ------------ | ----------------------------------- |
| Linux    | x86_64       | [libgraft-ext-linux-x86_64.tar.gz]  |
| Linux    | aarch64      | [libgraft-ext-linux-aarch64.tar.gz] |
| Windows  | x86_64       | [libgraft-ext-windows-x86_64.zip]   |
| Windows  | aarch64      | [libgraft-ext-windows-aarch64.zip]  |
| macOS    | aarch64      | [libgraft-ext-macos-aarch64.tar.gz] |

After downloading the file for your system's platform and architecture, decompress the file to access the extension, which is named `libgraft_ext.[dll,dylib,so]`.

[libgraft-ext-linux-x86_64.tar.gz]: https://github.com/orbitinghail/graft/releases/latest/download/libgraft-ext-linux-x86_64.tar.gz
[libgraft-ext-linux-aarch64.tar.gz]: https://github.com/orbitinghail/graft/releases/latest/download/libgraft-ext-linux-aarch64.tar.gz
[libgraft-ext-windows-x86_64.zip]: https://github.com/orbitinghail/graft/releases/latest/download/libgraft-ext-windows-x86_64.zip
[libgraft-ext-windows-aarch64.zip]: https://github.com/orbitinghail/graft/releases/latest/download/libgraft-ext-windows-aarch64.zip
[libgraft-ext-macos-aarch64.tar.gz]: https://github.com/orbitinghail/graft/releases/latest/download/libgraft-ext-macos-aarch64.tar.gz
[install-sqlite-ext]: https://antonz.org/install-sqlite-extension/
[GitHub Releases]: https://github.com/orbitinghail/graft/releases/latest

## sqlpkg

[sqlpkg] is a third-party command line extension manager for SQLite.

<Tabs syncKey="platform">
  <TabItem label="Linux/macOS">
    <Code lang="bash" code="sqlpkg install orbitinghail/graft" />
  </TabItem>
  <TabItem label="Windows">
    <Code lang="powershell" code="sqlpkg.exe install orbitinghail/graft" />
  </TabItem>
</Tabs>

Once installed, you can find the path to `libgraft_ext` using the `which` subcommand:

<Tabs syncKey="platform">
  <TabItem label="Linux/macOS">
    <Code lang="bash" code="sqlpkg which orbitinghail/graft" />
  </TabItem>
  <TabItem label="Windows">
    <Code lang="powershell" code="sqlpkg.exe which orbitinghail/graft" />
  </TabItem>
</Tabs>

The author of `sqlpkg`, [Anton Zhiyanov][anton], published a comprehensive guide to SQLite extensions on their blog [which is available here][sqlpkg-guide]. I highly recommend reading that post for more ways to install and use SQLite extensions.

[anton]: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nalgeon/
[sqlpkg]: https://github.com/nalgeon/sqlpkg-cli
[sqlpkg-guide]: https://antonz.org/install-sqlite-extension/

## Usage with the SQLite CLI

When installed using your system package manager or via another binary distribution, SQLite ships with a command-line interface (CLI) usually called `sqlite3` (`sqlite3.exe` on Windows).

After starting the SQLite shell you can load the Graft extension with the `.load` command:

```sql
.load PATH_TO_LIBGRAFT
```

Here is an example of loading `libgraft_ext` on linux, opening a Volume, and checking `pragma graft_status` to make sure it all works:

```console
➜ sqlite3
SQLite version 3.49.1 2025-02-18 13:38:58
Enter ".help" for usage hints.
Connected to a transient in-memory database.
Use ".open FILENAME" to reopen on a persistent database.

sqlite> # load the Graft extension
sqlite> .load ./libgraft_ext.so

sqlite> # open a Graft Volume as a database
sqlite> .open 'file:main?vfs=graft'

sqlite> # verify Graft is working using pragma
sqlite> pragma graft_status;
+--------------------------------------------------+
|                   On tag main                    |
+--------------------------------------------------+
| On tag main                                      |
| Local Log 74ggc1pWvh-3nSd2hKxw7rt7 is grafted to |
| remote Log 74ggc1pWvh-3CGcHFP9HBTEK.             |
|                                                  |
| The Volume is up to date with the remote.        |
+--------------------------------------------------+
```