What are the differences between Paxos and Raft?

What are the differences between Paxos and Raft?

Paxos and Raft are both consensus algorithms used in distributed systems, but they have different approaches. Paxos is more complex and can be harder to understand, while Raft was designed to be more understandable and easier to implement. Would you like a deeper comparison?

Yes, please explain how they handle leader election.

In Paxos, leader election is implicit and can happen at any time, which can lead to complexities. In contrast, Raft has a more explicit leader election process where a candidate must receive votes from a majority of nodes to become the leader. This makes Raft's leader election more straightforward.

How do they ensure data consistency?

Both algorithms ensure data consistency through a majority voting mechanism. In Paxos, a majority of nodes must agree on a value before it is committed, while Raft uses a similar approach but organizes the process into terms, ensuring that all nodes are synchronized with the leader's log.

Which one is more widely used in practice?

Raft has gained popularity in recent years due to its simplicity and ease of understanding, making it a common choice in many modern distributed systems. Paxos, while still used, is often seen as more theoretical and complex.