Apache ZooKeeper
Apache ZooKeeper is a centralized service for maintaining configuration information, naming, providing distributed synchronization, and providing group services in distributed systems. It acts as a coordination and management layer that helps distributed applications run reliably by offering a simple interface to manage shared data and coordinate processes across clusters.
Developers should learn and use Apache ZooKeeper when building or managing distributed systems that require reliable coordination, such as microservices architectures, big data platforms (e.g., Apache Kafka, Apache Hadoop), or cloud-based applications. It is essential for scenarios like leader election, configuration management, and service discovery, where maintaining consistency and avoiding conflicts in a distributed environment is critical.