# Voldemort

> distributed data store

**Wikidata**: [Q1029086](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1029086)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voldemort_(distributed_data_store))  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/voldemort

## Summary
Voldemort is an open-source distributed key-value data store designed for high scalability and fault tolerance. Developed by LinkedIn Corporation in 2009, it supports distributed data storage across multiple platforms and is licensed under Apache Software License 2.0.

## Key Facts
- **Founded**: 2009 by LinkedIn Corporation.
- **License**: Apache Software License 2.0.
- **Programming Language**: Java.
- **Operating System**: Cross-platform.
- **Stable Versions**: Latest is 1.10.25 (released 2017-07-27); prior versions include 1.10.24 (2017-07-21), 1.9.0 (2014-09-23), and 1.8.14 (2014-08-27).
- **Instance Of**: Free software and key-value database.
- **Source Code**: Hosted at https://github.com/voldemort/voldemort.
- **Community Support**: IRC channel at irc://irc.oftc.net/#voldemort.
- **Website**: http://project-voldemort.com.

## FAQs
### Q: Why is it named "Voldemort"?  
A: It was named after Lord Voldemort from Harry Potter due to its decentralized, fault-tolerant architecture, where data is split across multiple nodes to survive outages, similar to Voldemort's Horcruxes (as explained in the LinkedIn blog, 2009).

### Q: What does Voldemort store?  
A: It stores data as key-value pairs in a distributed system, optimized for high scalability, low latency, and automatic data replication to handle node failures.

### Q: Who developed Voldemort?  
A: LinkedIn Corporation developed it internally before releasing it as open-source in 2009.

### Q: Is Voldemort still maintained?  
A: As of the latest reference (2017), stable version 1.10.25 was released, but ongoing maintenance status isn't specified in the source material.

## Why It Matters
Voldemort addresses critical challenges in distributed systems by providing a highly available, scalable key-value store that automatically replicates data across nodes to prevent single points of failure. Its Java-based cross-platform design enables flexible deployment, while its open-source nature fostered innovation in NoSQL data management. It exemplifies practical solutions for large-scale data storage needs, influencing subsequent database systems by prioritizing fault tolerance and simplicity in complex, distributed environments.

## Notable For
- **Decentralized Resilience**: Survives node failures via automatic data replication across multiple nodes.
- **Scalability**: Designed to handle massive datasets across horizontally scalable clusters.
- **Simplicity**: Avoids complex features like query languages or transactions, focusing on raw key-value operations.
- **Open-Source Contribution**: Released by LinkedIn as free software under Apache License, enabling community-driven development.
- **Cross-Platform Compatibility**: Operates seamlessly across diverse computing environments.

## Body
### Overview
Voldemort is an open-source distributed key-value data store created by LinkedIn Corporation in 2009. It prioritizes high scalability, fault tolerance, and automatic data replication across multiple nodes, ensuring system reliability even when individual nodes fail. The project is hosted on GitHub under the username "voldemort" and follows the Apache Software License 2.0.

### Technical Specifications
- **Architecture**: Decentralized with data partitioned and replicated across nodes to eliminate single points of failure.
- **Data Model**: Stores data exclusively as key-value pairs, optimized for read/write efficiency without support for SQL or transactions.
- **Languages**: Implemented entirely in Java, leveraging object-oriented design for cross-platform compatibility (Windows, Linux, macOS).
- **Versions**: Multiple stable releases include 1.10.25 (2017-07-27), 1.10.24 (2017-07-21), 1.9.0 (2014-09-23), and 1.8.14 (2014-08-27), with version control managed via GitHub.

### Licensing and Deployment
- **License**: Apache Software License 2.0 allows free use, modification, and distribution.
- **Installation**: Available as a Homebrew formula named "voldemort" and listed in the Repology project database.
- **Community Support**: Users can access technical assistance through the IRC channel #voldemort on irc.oftc.net.

### Development and Documentation
- **Maintainer**: LinkedIn Corporation initiated development; GitHub repository remains the primary source.
- **Documentation**: Official resources include the project website (http://project-voldemort.com) and Wikidata entries (Q328 for free software).
- **Reach**: Translations available in Bulgarian, German, English, and French Wikipedia, with 4 sitelinks as of the reference period.

## References

1. [Source](https://blog.linkedin.com/2009/04/01/project-voldemort-part-ii-how-it-works)
2. [The voldemort Open Source Project on Open Hub: Languages Page. Open Hub](https://www.openhub.net/p/voldemort/analyses/latest/languages_summary)
3. [Release 1.9.0. 2014](https://github.com/voldemort/voldemort/releases/tag/release-1.9.0-cutoff)
4. [Release 1.8.14. 2014](https://github.com/voldemort/voldemort/releases/tag/release-1.8.14-cutoff)
5. [Release 1.3.0. 2014](https://github.com/voldemort/voldemort/releases/tag/release-1.3.0-cutoff)
6. [Release 1.6.6. 2014](https://github.com/voldemort/voldemort/releases/tag/release-1.6.6-cutoff)
7. [Release 1.6.4. 2014](https://github.com/voldemort/voldemort/releases/tag/release-1.6.4-cutoff)
8. [Release 1.6.3. 2014](https://github.com/voldemort/voldemort/releases/tag/release-1.6.3-cutoff)
9. [Release 1.6.0. 2013](https://github.com/voldemort/voldemort/releases/tag/release-1.6.0-cutoff)
10. [Release 1.5.9. 2013](https://github.com/voldemort/voldemort/releases/tag/release-1.5.9-cutoff)
11. [Release 1.10.24. 2017](https://github.com/voldemort/voldemort/releases/tag/release-1.10.24-cutoff)
12. [Release 1.10.25. 2017](https://github.com/voldemort/voldemort/releases/tag/release-1.10.25-cutoff)
13. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
14. [Source](https://api.github.com/repos/voldemort/voldemort)