Exponential Backoff With Jitter Fixes SQLite Locked-Database Errors Under Concurrent Load

A developer building a SQLite-based failure-logging library encountered persistent 'database is locked' errors when multiple agents attempted simultaneous writes. SQLite's default 5-second lock timeout proved insufficient under heavy concurrent load, causing agents to time out before locks were released. The solution combined a retry wrapper using exponential backoff with random jitter, a connection pool to limit simultaneous connections, and SQLite's Write-Ahead Logging mode to allow concurrent reads during writes. Key parameters include a 30-second connection timeout, up to five retry attempts starting at 100ms and doubling each time, and up to 50ms of random jitter to prevent thundering-herd retries. The developer notes that relying solely on SQLite's built-in timeout is insufficient and recommends pairing it with an explicit retry strategy for robust concurrent write handling.