---
title: "Installing Spatialite"
version: 1.8
locale: en
source: https://docs.djangoproject.com/en/1.8/ref/contrib/gis/install/spatialite/
canonical: https://djangodocs.dev/en/1.8/ref/contrib/gis/install/spatialite/
---
# Installing Spatialite

[SpatiaLite](https://www.gaia-gis.it/fossil/libspatialite) adds spatial support to SQLite, turning it into a full-featured
spatial database.

Check first if you can install Spatialite from system packages or binaries. For
example, on Debian-based distributions, try to install the `spatialite-bin`
package. For Mac OS X, follow the
[specific instructions below](#spatialite-macosx). For Windows, you may
find binaries on [Gaia-SINS](http://www.gaia-gis.it/gaia-sins/) home page. In any case, you should always
be able to [install from source](#spatialite-source).

When you are done with the installation process, skip to [Creating a spatial database for SpatiaLite](#create-spatialite-db).

## Installing from source

[GEOS and PROJ.4](/en/1.8/ref/contrib/gis/install/geolibs/) should be installed
prior to building SpatiaLite.

### SQLite

Check first if SQLite is compiled with the [R\*Tree module](http://www.sqlite.org/rtree.html). Run the sqlite3
command line interface and enter the following query:

```
sqlite> CREATE VIRTUAL TABLE testrtree USING rtree(id,minX,maxX,minY,maxY);
```

If you obtain an error, you will have to recompile SQLite from source. Otherwise,
just skip this section.

To install from sources, download the latest amalgamation source archive from
the [SQLite download page](http://www.sqlite.org/download.html), and extract:

```
$ wget http://sqlite.org/sqlite-amalgamation-3.6.23.1.tar.gz
$ tar xzf sqlite-amalgamation-3.6.23.1.tar.gz
$ cd sqlite-3.6.23.1
```

Next, run the `configure` script – however the `CFLAGS` environment variable
needs to be customized so that SQLite knows to build the R\*Tree module:

```
$ CFLAGS="-DSQLITE_ENABLE_RTREE=1" ./configure
$ make
$ sudo make install
$ cd ..
```

### SpatiaLite library (`libspatialite`)

Get the latest SpatiaLite library source bundle from the
[download page](http://www.gaia-gis.it/gaia-sins/libspatialite-sources/):

```
$ wget http://www.gaia-gis.it/gaia-sins/libspatialite-sources/libspatialite-4.1.0.tar.gz
$ tar xaf libspatialite-4.1.0.tar.gz
$ cd libspatialite-4.1.0
$ ./configure
$ make
$ sudo make install
```

> **Note**
>
> For Mac OS X users building from source, the SpatiaLite library *and* tools
> need to have their `target` configured:
>
> ```
> $ ./configure --target=macosx
> ```

### pysqlite2

If you’ve decided to use a [newer version of pysqlite2](/en/1.8/ref/databases/#using-newer-versions-of-pysqlite) instead of the `sqlite3` Python stdlib
module, then you need to make sure it can load external extensions (i.e. the
required `enable_load_extension` method is available so `SpatiaLite` can be
loaded).

This might involve building it yourself. For this, download pysqlite2 2.6, and
untar:

```
$ wget https://pypi.python.org/packages/source/p/pysqlite/pysqlite-2.6.3.tar.gz
$ tar xzf pysqlite-2.6.3.tar.gz
$ cd pysqlite-2.6.3
```

Next, use a text editor to edit the `setup.cfg` file to look like the
following:

```ini
[build_ext]
#define=
include_dirs=/usr/local/include
library_dirs=/usr/local/lib
libraries=sqlite3
#define=SQLITE_OMIT_LOAD_EXTENSION
```

or if you are on Mac OS X:

```ini
[build_ext]
#define=
include_dirs=/Library/Frameworks/SQLite3.framework/unix/include
library_dirs=/Library/Frameworks/SQLite3.framework/unix/lib
libraries=sqlite3
#define=SQLITE_OMIT_LOAD_EXTENSION
```

> **Note**
>
> The important thing here is to make sure you comment out the
> `define=SQLITE_OMIT_LOAD_EXTENSION` flag and that the `include_dirs`
> and `library_dirs` settings are uncommented and set to the appropriate
> path if the SQLite header files and libraries are not in `/usr/include`
> and `/usr/lib`, respectively.

After modifying `setup.cfg` appropriately, then run the `setup.py` script
to build and install:

```
$ python setup.py install
```

## Mac OS X-specific instructions

To install the SpatiaLite library and tools, Mac OS X users can choose between
[KyngChaos](#kyngchaos) and [Homebrew](http://brew.sh/).

### KyngChaos

First, follow the instructions in the [KyngChaos](#kyngchaos) section.

When [Creating a spatial database for SpatiaLite](#create-spatialite-db), the `spatialite` program is required.
However, instead of attempting to compile the SpatiaLite tools from source,
download the [SpatiaLite Binaries](http://www.gaia-gis.it/spatialite-2.3.1/binaries.html) for OS X, and install `spatialite` in a
location available in your `PATH`.  For example:

```
$ curl -O http://www.gaia-gis.it/spatialite/spatialite-tools-osx-x86-2.3.1.tar.gz
$ tar xzf spatialite-tools-osx-x86-2.3.1.tar.gz
$ cd spatialite-tools-osx-x86-2.3.1/bin
$ sudo cp spatialite /Library/Frameworks/SQLite3.framework/Programs
```

Finally, for GeoDjango to be able to find the KyngChaos SpatiaLite library,
add the following to your `settings.py`:

```
SPATIALITE_LIBRARY_PATH='/Library/Frameworks/SQLite3.framework/SQLite3'
```

### Homebrew

[Homebrew](http://brew.sh/) handles all the SpatiaLite related packages on your behalf,
including SQLite3, SpatiaLite, PROJ, and GEOS. Install them like this:

```
$ brew update
$ brew install spatialite-tools
$ brew install gdal
```

Finally, for GeoDjango to be able to find the SpatiaLite library, add the
following to your `settings.py`:

```
SPATIALITE_LIBRARY_PATH='/usr/local/lib/mod_spatialite.dylib'
```

## Creating a spatial database for SpatiaLite

When running `manage.py migrate` with a SQLite or SpatiaLite database, the
database file will be automatically created if it doesn’t exist. Django will
also ensure that the spatial metadata are initialized in the database.

> **Changed in Django 1.8**
>
> Prior to Django 1.8, you had to initialize spatial metadata tables yourself
> by manually running the “SELECT InitSpatialMetaData();” query.