Side by side
Cayley vs Eclipse RDF4J
Both stand on graph databases. Which one you can start free with, which one lets you read the code, and what each costs once you pay.
Free plan APILinuxMac+2
Choose Cayley if you need an open-source graph database with multiple query languages, linked data support and a choice of storage backends. Look elsewhere if the workload needs persistence but cannot use a persistent backend such as Bolt.
Visit Cayley Free plan Open source APILinuxMac+3
RDF4J brings RDF storage, querying and reasoning tools together in a Java framework, with several storage options and a broad format list. Check its Java requirement and dataset guidance against your project before choosing it.
Visit Eclipse RDF4JThe facts
| Cayley | Eclipse RDF4J | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | Not published | Yes |
| Runs on | API, Linux, Mac, Self-hosted, Web | API, Linux, Mac, Self-hosted, Web, Windows |
| Lowest paid plan | Free or on request | Free or on request |
| Plans published | 1 | 1 |
| Maker | Not published | Not published |
| Website | cayley.io | rdf4j.org |
| On graph databases | #6 of 39 | #2 of 39 |
Cayley: what it does well
- Supports RDF, NQuads and JSON-LD linked data formats.
- Offers Gizmo, MQL and a GraphQL dialect for queries.
- Works with SQL, NoSQL and key-value storage backends.
- Includes a query editor, REPL and graph visualizer.
- Apache 2.0 licensed and free to use in any project.
What to know first
- The default in-memory store suits only datasets that fit in machine memory.
- Persistent workloads call for a different backend, with Bolt recommended for them.
- Self-hosted deployment requires following installation instructions or building from source.
Eclipse RDF4J: what it does well
- SPARQL 1.1 query and update support.
- Reads and writes a range of RDF formats.
- Offers transactional in-memory and Native Store options.
- Extensions add reasoning, validation and geospatial queries.
- Workbench includes a web-based SPARQL editor.
What to know first
- Latest stable release requires Java 25 or newer.
- Core databases target small to medium-sized datasets.
Alternatives to Cayley Alternatives to Eclipse RDF4J The whole list