Leader-Follower Architecture
Leader-Follower Architecture is a design pattern used in distributed systems where one node (the leader) coordinates tasks and manages state, while other nodes (followers) replicate the leader's state and handle requests as directed. It ensures consistency and fault tolerance by having followers take over if the leader fails, often through an election process. This pattern is fundamental for building reliable, scalable systems like databases, message queues, and consensus protocols.
Developers should learn this architecture when building systems requiring high availability, consistency, and fault tolerance, such as distributed databases (e.g., for data replication) or real-time applications (e.g., for load balancing). It's essential for scenarios where single points of failure must be avoided, as it enables automatic failover and ensures service continuity during node outages.