What is the difference between consistency and availability in distributed systems?

What is the difference between consistency and availability in distributed systems?

In distributed systems, consistency ensures that all nodes see the same data at the same time, while availability guarantees that every request receives a response, even if it's not the most recent data.

Can you give me an example of a system that prioritizes consistency?

Sure! A classic example is a banking system where it's crucial that all transactions are consistent across all branches to prevent issues like double spending.

And what about an example of a system that prioritizes availability?

An example of a system that prioritizes availability is a social media platform, where users can post updates even if some data might not be immediately consistent across all servers.

How do these concepts relate to the CAP theorem?

The CAP theorem states that in a distributed system, you can only achieve two out of the three guarantees: Consistency, Availability, and Partition Tolerance. This means you have to make trade-offs based on your system's requirements.