What is the difference between eventual consistency and strong consistency?

What is the difference between eventual consistency and strong consistency?

Eventual consistency means that, given enough time, all updates will propagate through the system, while strong consistency ensures that all reads return the most recent write.

Can you give me an example of where eventual consistency is used?

Sure! Eventual consistency is commonly used in systems like Amazon DynamoDB and Cassandra, where high availability is prioritized.

What are the trade-offs of using strong consistency?

Using strong consistency can lead to lower availability and higher latency, as it requires coordination among nodes to ensure all reads are up-to-date.

Which one is better for real-time applications?

For real-time applications, strong consistency is often preferred to ensure users see the most current data, but it depends on the specific use case.

How do I choose between the two for my application?

Consider your application's requirements for data accuracy, availability, and latency. If you need immediate consistency, go for strong consistency; if you can tolerate some delay, eventual consistency might be suitable.