Phil Eaton • 7/1/2024

A write-ahead log is not a universal part of durability

This technical article argues that a write-ahead log (WAL) is not strictly required for database durability, though it is standard practice. It explains durability concepts, contrasts an in-memory database with a basic disk-persisted version, and discusses crash safety and fsync to build foundational understanding of why WALs are critical in modern database design.

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#database #storage #Persistence