Updated March 30, 2023
Introduction to Redis Version
Redis version facilitates fetching of the data from its storage areas in the memory at lightning speed, allows data values to be stored along with its key to the extent of 1 GB size for a single record, enables automatic refreshing of the copy of the data base kept in the + either in synchronous or asynchronous mode, ensures resilient replication of data to backup servers even if there is a failure in the backup servers, uses its own hashing and support all the programming languages used by developers currently.
What is Redis?
Redis is a datastore that has all its data stored in memory with sufficient backup in the disk and other media as a fallback. This data store can be a full-fledged non-sql database or just a cache memory for storing the frequently accessed data in the memory or message broker that stores the transit data between sender and receiver.
Redis allows many atomic operations like Pushing data elements into an existing list, augmenting value in the hash, adding to string, union/ intersection of a set, and picking the highest value in a given set. Lua scripting, replication, on-disk persistence are the other features of Redis that make it unique from others.
Versioning System Followed in Redis
Version system followed by Redis is unique, and it provides stable release cycles, even if it takes time and ensures that users are subjected to the least difficulty.
1. Stability Level of Version
A version at any given point of time will be at a different level of stability viz.
- Unstable
- Release Candidate
- Stable
a. Unstable: It is a pre-alpha and alpha site where modules listed in this sector are under development; they are unstable and not production use. It is provided to users to have a feel of the new features and seek early feedback to strengthen the modules during the development stage.
b. Release Candidate: It is the beta site. The version is moved to the RC version once most of the development is complete, and it can be released to the users for testing. Bugs, if anything is found during this phase, will be fixed, and any feedback from the users will get incorporated before it is moved to the next phase. New versions in the Release Candidate category are released once in three weeks, and development activities that may take up more than 3 weeks are pushed to future releases.
c. Stable: Once all the development is completed and there is no bug from the users who have used the beta version for development, the version will be moved to the stable category with patch level ‘0’.
2. Version Structure
The structure of the version in this phase is Version no. Minor version release. Patch release. Minority versions deal with functionality changes, new data types, and commands that may have an impact on the operations. Patch releases within a minor version of a version deal with bug fixes, and it seldom creates any changes in operations. Minor releases and sub releases in a version will not have any major application-level changes. Every new version will have major changes in the application, and in a normal course, a new version is released once in a year.
Different Versions in Redis
Given below are the different versions in Redis:
1. Version 4
This version was released in Jul 2017, and it had improvements in caching methodologies & memory handling and introduction of modules API concept, many bug fixing, and minor changes.
- Modules API: This concept enabled developers to introduce new functionalities in Redis, new data types like JSON, a new set of operations on the current data types, new processes like Neural network or Search operation. It enabled developers to build extensions which were not possible through Lua and achieve the performance level as if it is done inside the core.
- Caching Methodologies: Redis followed an innovative method of removing the least frequently used data from memory when it reaches the brim, and this has scored over last in first out methods in clearing memory space.
- Memory Management: Version 4 enabled continuous memory monitoring by users to optimize the usage and defragmentation of memory to improve performance.
2. Version 5
Major improvements in this version are:
a. Streaming
- It allows data elements to be added/removed from the stack as the need be.
- Provides lookup facility using identifiers.
- Consumer groups can be formed while using the data from the stack.
- It uses a radix-free library called Rax.
b. Popping out Data
- Redis allows removing data elements from the beginning of the end from the sorted list as per the specific requirement.
- The highest value or lowest value can be pooped out from the list as the case may be.
c. Others
- A new module cluster message bus abstraction to manage distributed system is introduced in this version.
- The timer is another new feature to manage time-specific processes.
- Effective memory defragmentation, efficient replication.
3. Version 6
Features of this version are:
- It allowed usage of threading that doubled the database’s operations handling capacity and increasing the performance level by many times.
- Several security features were introduced in this version. User authentication at the command/key pattern level is made available here.
- SSL support is another security aspect to mask Redis from public exposure.
- Opening up Redis to third-party developers brought in many changes in API, like storing arbitrary data in data files.
- It has the compatibility for Version 5.
- Allowed pilot exercises in new areas like caching at the client-side, replication between memories without making use of the disk.
Conclusion – Redis Version
There are several use cases where Redis can be readily deployed, and benefits can be reaped. Some use cases are geospatial data management, session store, media streaming, gaming, chats, messaging, machine learning, and powerful data analytics.
Recommended Articles
This is a guide to Redis Version. Here we discuss the introduction, versioning system followed in Redis and different versions, respectively. You may also have a look at the following articles to learn more –
