Choosing Between Consensus Protocols and Simpler Coordination in Distributed Systems

https://thedistributedstack.cloudhinter.com/posts/choosing-between-consensus-protocols-and-simpler-coordination-in-distributed-systems

In distributed systems, consensus protocols like Paxos and Raft ensure all nodes agree on a single value despite failures, but they introduce latency and complexity. Simpler coordination, such as using a centralized coordinator or CRDTs, may suffice when consistency is not critical. The choice depends on the system's tolerance for inconsistency versus the overhead of achieving strong guarantees.