Apache Derby (previously distributed as IBM Cloudscape) is a relational database management system (RDBMS) developed by the Apache Software Foundation that can be embedded in Java programs and used for online transaction processing.

[3] Apache Derby originated at Cloudscape Inc, an Oakland, California, start-up founded in 1996 by Nat Wyatt and Howard Torf to develop Java database technology.

In March 2007, IBM announced that they would withdraw marketing and support for the Cloudscape product, but would continue to contribute to the Apache Derby project.

[7] The Java DB database is Oracle's supported distribution of Apache Derby.

[8] The core of the technology, Derby's database engine, is a full-functioned relational embedded database-engine, supporting JDBC and SQL as programming APIs.