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Valkey
Valkey · founded 2024
What it is
Valkey is a free, open-source key/value datastore for caching, message queues, and use as a primary database. It supports strings, numbers, hashes, lists, sets, sorted sets, bitmaps, hyperloglogs, and other data types. It can run as a standalone daemon or in a cluster, with replication and high-availability options. Lua scripting and module plugins can add commands and data types. Described uses include caching database or API results, session tokens, rendered HTML, reports, leaderboards, matchmaking, and AI or ML inference outputs. Installation options include source, Docker, macOS package managers, and Linux or BSD package managers. Windows is not officially supported, though the guide describes WSL installation for development. The project is backed by the Linux Foundation and says it will remain open source. It lists client libraries for several programming languages and managed or compatible service offerings from multiple providers. The security guide warns that Valkey binds to all interfaces without authentication by default and recommends restricting access and configuring protections such as authentication and TLS as appropriate.
For and against
For
- Free, open-source datastore
- Standalone and clustered deployment options
- Replication and high-availability options
- Lua scripting and module plugins extend commands and types
Against
- Not officially supported on Windows
- Binds to all interfaces without authentication by default
The verdict
Valkey offers multiple data structures and deployment choices for cache, queue, and database use. Windows users should note that support is unofficial and the guide calls for securing the default network configuration.
Who it suits
Valkey suits teams building caching, messaging, or database workloads that want a self-hosted key/value datastore. It is also relevant to developers using its listed client libraries or integrations.
Plans and prices
Valkey
Open source BSD datastore · self-hosted software
Read 7 Oct 2026 · valkey.io
On the record
- Backing
- The project is backed by the Linux Foundation, and its website says it will remain open source forever.valkey.io · read 7 Oct 2026
- Client libraries
- The project lists recommended clients for Python, Node.js, Java, Go, PHP, Swift, C#, and Ruby.valkey.io · read 7 Oct 2026
- Data structures
- Valkey supports strings, numbers, hashes, lists, sets, sorted sets, bitmaps, hyperloglogs, and other data types.valkey.io · read 7 Oct 2026
- Deployment
- Valkey can run as a standalone daemon or in a cluster, with replication and high availability options.valkey.io · read 7 Oct 2026
- Extensibility
- Valkey includes Lua scripting support and module plugins that can add commands and data types.valkey.io · read 7 Oct 2026
- Installation
- The installation guide describes installation from source, Docker containers, Homebrew and MacPorts on macOS, and package managers for Linux and BSD distributions.valkey.io · read 7 Oct 2026
- Integrations
- The Valkey site lists managed or compatible offerings from Amazon ElastiCache, Google Cloud Memorystore, Oracle Cloud Infrastructure Cache, UpCloud, DigitalOcean, and others.valkey.io · read 7 Oct 2026
- Security
- Valkey recommends restricting network access to trusted clients and provides ACL-based authentication and optional TLS for client connections, replication links, and the cluster bus.valkey.io · read 7 Oct 2026
- Security limitation
- The installation guide warns that Valkey binds to all interfaces without authentication by default and recommends firewalling the port, configuring bind, authentication, and TLS as appropriate.valkey.io · read 7 Oct 2026
- Support
- The Valkey site lists Percona as offering operational support and project-based consulting for Valkey databases.valkey.io · read 7 Oct 2026
- Use cases
- The quick start guide describes caching database or API results, session tokens, rendered HTML, reports, leaderboards, matchmaking, and AI or ML inference outputs.valkey.io · read 7 Oct 2026
- What it does
- Valkey is an open source, high-performance key/value datastore for caching, message queues, and use as a primary database.valkey.io · read 7 Oct 2026
- Windows support
- Valkey is not officially supported on Windows, but the guide says it can be installed on Windows for development using WSL.valkey.io · read 7 Oct 2026
