Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Redis โ„ข VS LokiJS

Compare Redis VS LokiJS and see what are their differences

Redis logo Redis

Redis is an open source in-memory data structure project implementing a distributed, in-memory key-value database with optional durability.

LokiJS logo LokiJS

In-memory JavaScript Datastore with Persistence
  • Redis Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-10-19

Redis is an open source (BSD licensed), in-memory data structure store, used as a database, cache and message broker. It supports data structures such as strings, hashes, lists, sets, sorted sets with range queries, bitmaps, hyperloglogs, geospatial indexes with radius queries and streams. Redis has built-in replication, Lua scripting, LRU eviction, transactions and different levels of on-disk persistence, and provides high availability via Redis Sentinel and automatic partitioning with Redis Cluster.

  • LokiJS Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-09-29

Redis features and specs

  • Performance
    Redis is an in-memory data store, which allows it to provide extremely fast read and write operations. This makes it ideal for applications requiring real-time interactions.
  • Data Structures
    Redis offers a variety of data structures, such as strings, hashes, lists, sets, and sorted sets. This flexibility helps developers manage data more efficiently in different scenarios.
  • Scalability
    Redis supports horizontal scalability with features like clustering and partitioning, allowing for easy scaling as your application grows.
  • Persistence
    Though primarily an in-memory store, Redis provides options for data persistence, such as RDB snapshots and AOF logs, enabling data durability across reboots.
  • Pub/Sub Messaging
    Redis includes a built-in publish/subscribe messaging system, which can be used to implement real-time messaging and notifications.
  • Simple API
    Redis has a simple and intuitive API, which can speed up development time and make it easier to integrate Redis into various application stacks.
  • Atomic Operations
    Redis supports atomic operations on data structures, reducing the complexity of concurrent programming and making it easier to maintain data consistency.

Possible disadvantages of Redis

  • Memory Usage
    Being an in-memory data store, Redis can become expensive in terms of memory usage, especially when working with large datasets.
  • Data Persistence Limitations
    While Redis offers data persistence, it is not as robust as traditional databases. There can be data loss in certain configurations, such as when using asynchronous persistence methods.
  • Complexity in Scaling
    Although Redis supports clustering, setting up and managing a Redis cluster can be complex and may require significant DevOps expertise.
  • Single-threaded Nature
    Redis operates on a single-threaded event loop, which can become a bottleneck for certain workloads that could benefit from multi-threading.
  • Limited Query Capabilities
    Compared to traditional relational databases, Redis offers limited querying capabilities. Complex queries and joins are not supported natively.
  • License
    As of Redis 6 and higher, the Redis modules are under the Server Side Public License (SSPL), which may be restrictive for some use cases compared to more permissive open-source licenses.

LokiJS features and specs

  • In-Memory Storage
    LokiJS operates primarily in-memory, providing very fast read and write operations, which makes it ideal for lightweight applications or use as a caching mechanism.
  • Lightweight
    The library is small and easy to integrate, without requiring an external database server. It's a great fit for client-side applications or desktop software where resources are limited.
  • NoSQL Document Store
    LokiJS stores data as documents, which facilitates flexible and schema-less data management, similar to popular NoSQL databases like MongoDB.
  • Persistence Options
    Offers options for data persistence including serializing data to JSON or using adapters to store data in various backends, maintaining state even after application restarts.
  • JavaScript Ecosystem
    It is written in JavaScript and works seamlessly within Node.js and browser environments, allowing for consistent data handling and manipulation across stacks.

Possible disadvantages of LokiJS

  • Memory Usage
    Since LokiJS is an in-memory database, it can consume a significant amount of memory for large data sets, which can be a limitation for memory-constrained environments.
  • Single-User Focus
    Designed for applications with a single user or client, LokiJS doesn't natively support concurrent access patterns or multi-user data synchronization like more comprehensive database systems.
  • Limited Query Features
    Though it provides basic indexing and querying capabilities, LokiJS lacks the advanced query features seen in larger databases, which might be necessary for complex data manipulation.
  • Maturity and Community
    While actively developed, LokiJS has a smaller community and ecosystem compared to more established databases, which might limit access to third-party tools, extensions, or community support.
  • Scalability Concerns
    Built for small to moderate scale applications, itโ€™s not designed for high-scale scenarios that require distributed data handling or massive parallel processing.

Analysis of LokiJS

Overall verdict

  • LokiJS is a solid option for developers seeking an in-memory database solution with minimal setup. It offers performance benefits in situations where high-speed operations are critical, and the data does not require frequent persistence. However, it may not be suitable for applications needing robust ACID compliance or for those handling large-scale production-level datasets.

Why this product is good

  • LokiJS is a fast and lightweight in-memory database that is particularly suited for applications where performance in data retrieval is important and data is stored locally. It's JavaScript-based, making it easy to integrate into Node.js or browser environments. LokiJS is a good choice for scenarios needing speed and efficiency without the overhead of a full-fledged database management system. It is schema-less and allows for rapid prototyping.

Recommended for

    Ideal for small to medium-sized applications, single-page applications (SPAs), development and prototyping phases, or scenarios where a lightweight storage solution is preferred over a traditional database system. It's especially beneficial for Node.js developers and those building client-side applications that require fast access to in-memory data.

Redis videos

Improve your Redis developer experience with RedisInsight, Redis Labs

More videos:

  • Review - What is Redis? | Why and When to use Redis? | Tech Primers
  • Review - Redis Enterprise Overview with Yiftach Shoolman - Redis Labs
  • Review - Redis Labs "Why NoSQL is a Safe Bet"
  • Review - Redis system design | Distributed cache System design
  • Review - What is Redis and What Does It Do?
  • Review - Redis Sorted Sets Explained

LokiJS videos

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Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Redis and LokiJS)
Databases
97 97%
3% 3
NoSQL Databases
97 97%
3% 3
Key-Value Database
100 100%
0% 0
Developer Tools
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Redis and LokiJS

Redis Reviews

Redis Alternative for App Performance | Gigaspaces
Redis offers a RESTful API for accessing data stored within its in-memory technology data structures. This API provides a simple and efficient way to interact with Redis, enabling developers to leverage its capabilities seamlessly in their applications. Developers also need to manage the Redis cached data lifecycle, itโ€™s the application responsibility to store the data &...
Are Free, Open-Source Message Queues Right For You?
A notable challenge with Redis Streams is that it doesn't natively support distributed, horizontal scaling. Also, while Redis is famous for its speed and simplicity, managing and scaling a Redis installation may be complex for some users, particularly for persistent data workloads.
Source: blog.iron.io
Redis vs. KeyDB vs. Dragonfly vs. Skytable | Hacker News
1. Redis: I'll start with Redis which I'd like to call the "original" key/value store (after memcached) because it is the oldest and most widely used of all. Being a long-time follower of Redis, I do know it's single-threaded (and uses io-threads since 6.0) and hence it achieves lesser throughput than the other stores listed above which are multi-threaded, at least to some...
Memcached vs Redis - More Different Than You Would Expect
Remember when I wrote about how Redis was using malloc to assign memory? I lied. While Redis did use malloc at some point, these days Redis actually uses jemalloc. The reason for this is that jemalloc, while having lower peak performance has lower memory fragmentation helping to solve the framented memory issues that Redis experiences.
Top 15 Kafka Alternatives Popular In 2021
Redis is a known, open-source, in-memory data structure store that offers different data structures like lists, strings, hashes, sets, bitmaps, streams, geospatial indexes, etc. It is best utilized as a cache, memory broker, and cache. It has optional durability and inbuilt replication potential. It offers a great deal of availability through Redis Sentinel and Redis Cluster.

LokiJS Reviews

We have no reviews of LokiJS yet.
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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Redis seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 226 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Redis mentions (226)

  • Hacktoberfest 2025 with Ghostfolio
    The software is fully written in TypeScript and organized as an Nx workspace, utilizing the latest framework releases. The backend is based on NestJS in combination with PostgreSQL as a database together with Prisma and Redis for caching. The frontend is developed with Angular. - Source: dev.to / 6 days ago
  • Redis Explained: What It Is, Why You Need It, and How to Install It the Easy Way
    Hereโ€™s the thing: sometimes itโ€™s not your databaseโ€™s fault. Whatโ€™s missing is a speed booster in your architecture: Redis. - Source: dev.to / 30 days ago
  • Real-Time Sync Alternatives: Vaultrice vs. localStorage, DIY, Firebase, Pusher
    This is the path of ultimate control. You spin up a Node.js server, add the socket.io library for WebSocket communication, and use a Redis instance to manage connection state and pub/sub messaging across multiple server instances. - Source: dev.to / about 1 month ago
  • Is Your Fraud Screening Process Ignoring Local Patterns?
    Your Database: This is your system's memory. It can be a fast in-memory store like Redis for temporary data (perfect for velocity checks) or a persistent relational database like PostgreSQL for long-term data (like blacklists). - Source: dev.to / about 1 month ago
  • Redis vs. Memcached: How to Choose Your NoSQL Champion
    Redis is also an in-memory system with exceptional performance. But unlike Memcached, Redis is known as a "data structure server." It doesn't just support simple key-value pairs; it offers a rich variety of complex data structures like Lists, Hashes, Sets, and Sorted Sets. - Source: dev.to / about 2 months ago
View more

LokiJS mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of LokiJS yet. Tracking of LokiJS recommendations started around Mar 2021.

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Redis and LokiJS, you can also consider the following products

MongoDB - MongoDB (from "humongous") is a scalable, high-performance NoSQL database.

IndexedDB - IndexedDB is a low-levelย API for client-side storage of significant amounts of structured data, including files/blobs.

Apache Cassandra - The Apache Cassandra database is the right choice when you need scalability and high availability without compromising performance.

SignalDB - SignalDB is a reactive, local-first JavaScript database designed for modern web applications. It combines signal-based reactivity with powerful local data management and real-time synchronization capabilities.

ArangoDB - A distributed open-source database with a flexible data model for documents, graphs, and key-values.

PouchDB - Open-source JavaScript database inspired by Apache CouchDB that's designed to run well within the browser