Apache ZooKeeper vs FoundationDB
Apache ZooKeeper: The original coordination service: hierarchical znodes, watches and ephemeral nodes for clusters. FoundationDB: Apple's ordered, strictly serializable distributed key-value store, built to have layers on top.
key differences
- Apache ZooKeeper is primarily a hierarchical database; FoundationDB is key-value.
- FoundationDB is built for larger datasets (≤ 1 PB) than Apache ZooKeeper (≤ 100 GB).
- Horizontal scaling is none in Apache ZooKeeper and native in FoundationDB.
- Transactions: Apache ZooKeeper offers limited ACID; FoundationDB offers full.
- Only Apache ZooKeeper has ttl / expiry, in-memory, role-based access.
- Only FoundationDB has encryption at rest.
choose apache-zookeeper for
- +Coordination for HBase, Solr, Pulsar and legacy Kafka
- +Leader election and distributed locks for JVM services
- +Cluster membership and small shared configuration
best at · Coordination, Metadata
choose foundationdb for
- +Metadata stores for larger systems (catalogs, object stores)
- +Foundation for custom databases and layers
- +Multi-tenant app backends via the Record Layer
- +Transactional queues and job systems
best at · OLTP, Metadata, Queue
Apache ZooKeeper vs FoundationDB: FAQ
What is the difference between Apache ZooKeeper and FoundationDB?
Apache ZooKeeper: The original coordination service: hierarchical znodes, watches and ephemeral nodes for clusters. FoundationDB: Apple's ordered, strictly serializable distributed key-value store, built to have layers on top. Apache ZooKeeper is primarily a hierarchical database; FoundationDB is key-value. FoundationDB is built for larger datasets (≤ 1 PB) than Apache ZooKeeper (≤ 100 GB). Horizontal scaling is none in Apache ZooKeeper and native in FoundationDB.
When should I choose Apache ZooKeeper over FoundationDB?
Choose Apache ZooKeeper for coordination for HBase, Solr, Pulsar and legacy Kafka; leader election and distributed locks for JVM services; and cluster membership and small shared configuration. Choose FoundationDB for metadata stores for larger systems (catalogs, object stores); foundation for custom databases and layers; and multi-tenant app backends via the Record Layer.
Is Apache ZooKeeper or FoundationDB more popular?
Apache ZooKeeper ranks #45 on the WhichDB Score (39.9/100) and FoundationDB ranks #54 (36.8/100). Popularity is not fit: check the requirements that matter for your project.
Are Apache ZooKeeper and FoundationDB open source?
Yes. Apache ZooKeeper is open source. License: Apache License 2.0. Yes. FoundationDB is open source. License: Apache License 2.0.