Redis Abandons Open Source License, Community Responds with Valkey Fork
Redis switched from BSD to dual SSPL/RSALv2 licensing, prompting the Linux Foundation to announce Valkey, a community-maintained fork backed by AWS and Google.
Redis Ltd. announced a significant licensing change in March 2024, abandoning the BSD license that made Redis a cornerstone of open source infrastructure. The move to dual SSPL/RSALv2 licensing prompted immediate community response, including the Linux Foundation's announcement of Valkey, a community-maintained fork.
The License Change
Redis switched from the permissive BSD 3-Clause license to a dual license model:
- Server Side Public License (SSPL): Requires companies offering Redis as a service to open source their entire stack
- Redis Source Available License v2 (RSALv2): Prohibits using Redis to compete with Redis Ltd.'s commercial offerings
Neither license qualifies as "open source" under the Open Source Initiative's definition.
Valkey Fork Announced
The Linux Foundation quickly announced Valkey, a community fork of Redis 7.2.4 (the last BSD-licensed version). Major backers include:
- AWS: Committed engineering resources and ElastiCache integration
- Google Cloud: Supporting Valkey in Memorystore
- Oracle: Contributing to development
- Alibaba Cloud: Participating in governance
Community Response
The Redis license change follows similar moves by MongoDB (SSPL), Elastic (SSPL), and HashiCorp (BSL). Each change sparked forks: OpenSearch for Elasticsearch, OpenTofu for Terraform, and now Valkey for Redis.
Technical Implications
Valkey maintains full compatibility with Redis protocols and commands. Applications using Redis clients can switch to Valkey without code changes. The fork aims to continue development with community governance rather than single-company control.
Choosing Between Redis and Valkey
Organizations must now decide between Redis (with its license restrictions) and Valkey (community-maintained but newer). Cloud providers have largely committed to Valkey for their managed services, while Redis Ltd. continues developing proprietary features.
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