Decentralized Databases
Decentralized databases are distributed data storage systems that operate without a central authority, using peer-to-peer networks and consensus mechanisms to manage data across multiple nodes. They enable tamper-resistant, censorship-resistant storage with high availability and fault tolerance, often leveraging blockchain or distributed ledger technologies. These systems prioritize data sovereignty, transparency, and resilience against single points of failure.
Developers should learn decentralized databases for applications requiring immutable audit trails, such as supply chain tracking, financial ledgers, or voting systems, where trust and transparency are critical. They are also essential for building decentralized applications (dApps) on platforms like Ethereum or IPFS, where data needs to be stored in a resilient, peer-to-peer manner without reliance on centralized servers. Use cases include secure identity management, decentralized file storage, and scenarios where data integrity must be verifiable by multiple parties.