etcd vs Consul KV
etcd: Raft-based, strongly consistent key-value store that holds Kubernetes' cluster state. Consul KV: The key-value store built into HashiCorp Consul for service config, locks and discovery.
key differences
- Licensing: etcd is open source (permissive) (Apache License 2.0); Consul KV is source-available (Business Source License 1.1).
- Transactions: etcd offers full ACID; Consul KV offers limited.
- Only etcd has ttl / expiry, time travel.
choose etcd for
- +Kubernetes and control-plane state
- +Service discovery and dynamic configuration
- +Distributed locks and leader election
- +Feature flags and small metadata for infrastructure
best at · Coordination, Metadata, Pub/Sub
choose hashicorp-consul-kv for
- +Dynamic configuration for services in a Consul mesh
- +Feature flags rendered via consul-template
- +Distributed locks and leader election
best at · Coordination, Metadata
etcd vs Consul KV: FAQ
What is the difference between etcd and Consul KV?
etcd: Raft-based, strongly consistent key-value store that holds Kubernetes' cluster state. Consul KV: The key-value store built into HashiCorp Consul for service config, locks and discovery. Licensing: etcd is open source (permissive) (Apache License 2.0); Consul KV is source-available (Business Source License 1.1). Transactions: etcd offers full ACID; Consul KV offers limited. Only etcd has ttl / expiry, time travel.
When should I choose etcd over Consul KV?
Choose etcd for kubernetes and control-plane state; service discovery and dynamic configuration; and distributed locks and leader election. Choose Consul KV for dynamic configuration for services in a Consul mesh; feature flags rendered via consul-template; and distributed locks and leader election.
Is etcd or Consul KV more popular?
Consul KV ranks #49 on the WhichDB Score (39.0/100) and etcd ranks #71 (32.4/100). Popularity is not fit: check the requirements that matter for your project.
Are etcd and Consul KV open source?
Yes. etcd is open source. License: Apache License 2.0. Not in the OSI sense. Consul KV is source-available: you can read the code, but the license restricts some uses, typically offering it as a competing managed service. License: Business Source License 1.1.