Consistency Models
Consistency models are formal guarantees that define how and when updates to shared data become visible to different processes or nodes in a distributed system. They specify the ordering and visibility rules for read and write operations, balancing trade-offs between performance, availability, and correctness. Common models range from strong consistency (e.g., linearizability) to eventual consistency, each with different implications for system behavior.
Developers should learn consistency models when designing or working with distributed systems, databases, or caches to ensure data integrity and predictable behavior. They are crucial for applications requiring high availability (e.g., web services) or strict correctness (e.g., financial systems), as they help choose the right model to meet specific requirements like low latency or fault tolerance.