Database Replication
Database replication is a technique for copying and distributing data from one database (the primary or source) to one or more other databases (the replicas or targets) to ensure consistency and availability. It involves synchronizing data across multiple database instances, often in real-time or near-real-time, to support features like high availability, disaster recovery, and load balancing. This process can be implemented at various levels, such as logical replication for specific data changes or physical replication for entire database copies.
Developers should learn and use database replication when building systems that require high availability, fault tolerance, or improved read performance, such as in e-commerce platforms, financial services, or global applications. It is essential for scenarios where data must be accessible even during server failures, for distributing read queries across multiple nodes to reduce load on the primary database, and for creating backups in different geographic locations to mitigate disasters. Understanding replication helps in designing scalable and resilient data architectures.