Raft
Raft is a consensus algorithm designed for managing a replicated log in distributed systems, ensuring fault tolerance and consistency across multiple servers. It simplifies the understanding and implementation of consensus compared to earlier algorithms like Paxos by separating key components such as leader election, log replication, and safety. Raft is widely used in distributed databases, key-value stores, and other systems requiring reliable state machine replication.
Developers should learn Raft when building or working with distributed systems that require high availability and consistency, such as in cloud-native applications, distributed databases (e.g., etcd, Consul), or blockchain networks. It provides a practical, understandable approach to consensus, making it easier to debug and implement compared to more complex alternatives, especially in scenarios where leader-based coordination is acceptable.