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Honker: SQLite Extension for NOTIFY/LISTEN and Durable Streams

other · 2026-04-24

Simon Willison released honker, a Rust SQLite extension implementing Postgres NOTIFY/LISTEN semantics for SQLite, along with language bindings. It enables Python queue code and Kafka-style durable streams, adding 20+ custom SQL functions. The extension requires WAL mode and polls the .db-wal file with a stat call every 1ms for near-real-time performance without full SQL queries. Honker implements the transactional outbox pattern, ensuring items are queued only on successful transaction commits, as explained in Brandur Leach's Transactionally Staged Job Drains in Postgres. Willison posted about honker on 24th April 2026.

Key facts

  • Honker is a Rust SQLite extension for NOTIFY/LISTEN semantics.
  • It provides language bindings for Python and other languages.
  • The extension adds over 20 custom SQL functions.
  • It requires WAL mode for operation.
  • Workers poll the .db-wal file with a stat call every 1ms.
  • Honker implements the transactional outbox pattern.
  • The pattern ensures items are queued only on successful transaction commits.
  • Simon Willison posted about honker on 24th April 2026.

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