Single-User Geodatabases
The single-user geodatabase is for individual GIS work in a desktop environment. It is available as either the file geodatabase or the Microsoft Access personal geodatabase. Both are available with all license levels of ArcGIS for Desktop.
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File
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Personal
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Storage Technology
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Uses local file structure | Microsoft Access (Jet Engine) |
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Licensing
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ArcGIS for Desktop Basic, Standard, and Advanced |
ArcGIS for Desktop Basic, Standard, and Advanced |
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Differentiating Characteristics
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No versioning support
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1 TB per table size limit (default)
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No versioning support
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Max. of 2 GB of data
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File Geodatabase
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Stored in a file system
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Has no theoretical size limit (A table can store up to 256 TB of data using a configuration keyword.)
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Can have more than one concurrent editor (provided they are editing in different tables, feature classes, or feature datasets)
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Can function as a child geodatabase in both one-way and checkout/check-in geodatabase replication
Read The Top Nine Reasons to Use a File Geodatabase [PDF].
Microsoft Access Personal Geodatabase
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Stored in a single Microsoft Access .mdb file
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Has a 2 GB size limit
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Supports only one editor at a time; no concurrent editing
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Can function as a child geodatabase in both one-way and checkout/check-in geodatabase replication
Multiuser geodatabases provide additional functionality that is not available in single-user geodatabases.