TiKV

B tier on Key-Value DatabasesScore 7.0 · #8 of 32

Android app: Not listed
Free plan: Yes
Runs on: api, Linux, Mac, self-hosted, Windows

tikv.org

Summary

TiKV is an open-source distributed transactional key-value database intended to provide a unified storage layer across nodes. It offers a raw key-value API and a transactional API with ACID semantics, but the two cannot both be used on the same keyspace. The project describes deployments reaching petabyte scale across trillions of rows. Raft groups replicate data among nodes for fault tolerance, while horizontal scaling and rebalancing support changes in deployment size. RawKV includes time-to-live expiration and compare-and-swap operations. Documentation lists Java, Go, Rust, Python, and C++ clients; Java and Go are marked stable, with the others marked unstable. TiKV is Apache 2.0 licensed and self-hosted, with listed support for Linux, macOS, Windows, and API use. Supported protocols include gRPC, RawKV API, and TxnKV API. Documentation describes TLS for network connections and configurable encryption at rest, including AES methods. TiKV is a Cloud Native Computing Foundation graduate project and was originally created by PingCAP. It is free open-source software.

Who it is for

TiKV is suited to developers and infrastructure teams building distributed storage for transactional or raw key-value workloads. Its self-hosted model and API choices are relevant to teams that manage their own deployment.

What is good

Offers raw and ACID transactional key-value APIs.
Raft replication supports fault tolerance across nodes.
Supports horizontal scaling and rebalancing.
Free under the Apache 2.0 license.

What to know first

The two APIs cannot share the same keyspace.
Rust, Python, and C++ clients are marked unstable.
Deployment is self-hosted.

Verdict

TiKV provides distributed key-value storage with replication, scaling, and two distinct access APIs. Plan for separate keyspaces when combining its raw and transactional interfaces.

TiKV plans and pricing

All plans

TiKV open-source software Free Apache 2.0 licensed; self-hosted distributed key-value store tikv.org · 4 Oct 2026

Compared on key-value databases

Deployment model: self_hostedtikv.org
Persistence modes: disktikv.org
TTL support: Yestikv.org
Clustering support: Yestikv.org
Multi-region support: Yestikv.org
Supported protocols: gRPC, RawKV API, TxnKV APItikv.org

Facts

What it does: TiKV is a distributed transactional key-value database designed to serve as a unified distributed storage layer.tikv.org · 4 Oct 2026
APIs: TiKV offers a raw key-value API and a transactional key-value API with ACID semantics.tikv.org · 4 Oct 2026
API limitation: The raw and transactional APIs cannot both be used on the same keyspace.tikv.org · 4 Oct 2026
Scale: The maker says TiKV supports petabyte-scale deployments spanning trillions of rows.tikv.org · 4 Oct 2026
Replication: TiKV uses Raft groups to replicate data across nodes for fault tolerance and supports horizontal scaling and rebalancing.tikv.org · 4 Oct 2026
RawKV features: RawKV supports time-to-live expiration and compare-and-swap operations.tikv.org · 4 Oct 2026
Clients: The documentation lists Java, Go, Rust, Python, and C++ clients; it marks Java and Go stable and Rust, Python, and C++ unstable.tikv.org · 4 Oct 2026
Integrations: The maker lists TiDB, Zetta, Tidis, Titan, and JuiceFS among systems built with or using TiKV.tikv.org · 4 Oct 2026
Security: TiKV documentation describes TLS for network connections and configurable encryption at rest, including AES methods.tikv.org · 4 Oct 2026
Support channel: The community page recommends Slack for general communication and provides a dedicated mailing list for reporting security vulnerabilities.tikv.org · 4 Oct 2026
License and governance: TiKV is Apache 2.0 licensed and is a Cloud Native Computing Foundation graduate project.tikv.org · 4 Oct 2026
Maker: The project page says TiKV was originally created by PingCAP; it does not state a headquarters or founding year for the maker.tikv.org · 4 Oct 2026