What is Redis? Features and Functions

Redis is an open-source database system designed to store data in memory, thereby making it very fast to access and manipulate data.

In this article, we will explain in detail what redis is, its features, and how to install it on Ubuntu 20.04. Here’s more information.

Definition of Redis

Redis stands for Remote Dictionary Server, which is a data storage system in memory that is used as a database, cache, and massage broker. Redis is one of the most populer NoSQL Open Source (BSD licensed) databases and is designed to provide high performance, scalability, and flexibility in storing or accessing data.

Redis is based on a key-value store with data structures such as strings, sets, hashes (dictionaries), lists, and sorted sets (sorted data). Redis can respond to queries in under a millisecond allowing millions of requests per second for various real-time applications.

Redis can be used for a variety of needs, such as data caching, real-time computations, handling user sessions, and much more.

Redis features

Here are some of the features you can use in Redis :

Redis allows users to store and access structured data in JSON form using Hash types.

Redis supports various types of data structures such as strings, sorted sets, hashes, lists, sets, and bitmaps. Each data type will be optimized to be used for high performance.

Redis can be used for atomic operations, i.e. operations that involve multiple data structures. This method is carried out so that the operation is carried out as a whole and cannot be separated, thereby maintaining data consistency (not changing).

Redis supports master-slave database replication in order to have multiple database servers with consistent data content (as database backups).

Redis has a publish/subscribe feature that allows applications to send and receive messages in real-time mode. This feature is especially useful in systems that require inter-process communication.

We can run Redis in clustering mode, where data can be distributed across multiple nodes. It is intended that Redis can handle large workloads by spreading data across Redis clusters.

Functions and Uses of Redis

Because of its very high speed, Redis is usually used for caching data needs in web applications. In addition, redis is also often used to support RDBMS performance on special key data storage.

For more details, here are some other functions of redis that you need to know:

1. Smart caching scheme

Redis is usually used as a cache system for storing data that is frequently accessed in memory. The goal is that the application can be more responsive to the user.

Redis can enable a series of intelligent caching patterns that will control how long data you want to keep and which data you want to output first.

This intelligent caching by redis has a very positive impact on the user experience of a website and will ultimately have a great impact on sales conversions for business websites.

2. For chat optimization

Redis is supported by pub/sub with pattern matching as well as various data structures.

For example, sorted sets, lists, and hashes, so redis is very suitable to be used to support application performance in the form of chat rooms, social media, real time comment streams, and communication between servers.

Redis’ proprietary data structure can ease queuing implementations. Lists provide atomic operations and blocking capabilities, making them more suitable for applications that need more reliable message brokers or circular lists.

3. Game leaderboard

In addition to chat optimization, redis can also function as a game leaderboard. As a result, redis is perfect for those of you who want to work as a developer and want to create a real time leaderboard.

You only need to use the redis sorted set data structure to be able to uniquely provide elements while maintaining a list that has been sorted by users’ scores. You can compile a ranking list in real time fairly easily, then update users’ scores whenever changes are made.

4. Session storage

Redis is able to store data in a memory that can be retrieved very quickly, so it can support the use of streaming or live broadcasts.

Redis can provide scale, latency, and resilience under one millisecond to process session data such as credentials, user profiles, session status, to specific user personalization.

5. Geospatial

The next function of redis is that it can be used as an operator to manage geospatial data. This function is usually chosen because it can present data structures in a memory that are created in real time with speed and scale.

Commands such as geodist, georadius by member, and geodad to process, store and analyze geospatial data in real time.

Apart from that, you can also use redis to add location-based features, such as mileage features, driving time features, and points of interest to the applications you manage.

6. Machine learning

Machine learning applications require technology such as redis that can process data quickly, process large volumes of data, data of various types to automate decision making.

Apart from the 6 functions above, Redis also has other functions, namely as a microservice or message broker. It can also be used to speed up the loading of images, files or pages of a website, optimize applications that require communication between servers, stream comments or chat in real time.