What are the benefits of sequential consistency in distributed systems?

What are the benefits of sequential consistency in distributed systems?

Sequential consistency ensures that operations appear to be executed in a specific order, which simplifies reasoning about program behavior.

Can you give me an example of where this is useful?

Sure! In a banking application, sequential consistency helps ensure that transactions are processed in the order they were initiated, preventing issues like double spending.

Are there any downsides to using sequential consistency?

Yes, while it simplifies reasoning, it can lead to performance bottlenecks since it may restrict parallelism in operations.

How does it compare to eventual consistency?

Eventual consistency allows for more flexibility and higher performance but can lead to temporary inconsistencies, while sequential consistency guarantees a strict order.

What systems typically use sequential consistency?

Distributed databases and certain cloud services often implement sequential consistency to maintain data integrity and simplify client interactions.