A developer ran a local stress test comparing SQLite3 performance against Valkey (an open-source Redis alternative) as a cache layer. The experiment used a Python Flask webservice for URL shortening, measuring read speeds for previously shortened links. The goal was to see if a key-value store could significantly improve query times over a standard SQL database.

The test setup deliberately disabled SQLite's internal page cache to isolate the effect of an external cache. Results from a 100-task, 30-thread load test showed SQLite responding faster on its own, with a mean response time of 664ms versus 784ms when using Valkey. This suggests that on a single, local server, SQLite's inherent efficiency can outperform the network overhead of a separate caching service.

These findings highlight SQLite's surprising speed for lightweight, single-machine applications. While Valkey and Redis are essential for distributed systems and scaling, this test underscores that choosing the right tool depends on the environment. Developers should not automatically assume an external cache is needed for local or low-concurrency scenarios where SQLite's built-in file system caching is sufficient.