Valkey® and Redis® look almost the same from the outside: the same kind of commands, and the same client libraries in your code. So what’s the difference between Valkey and Redis? It comes down to the license, who runs each project, and how far each one has moved on since they split in 2024.
This post compares them using each project’s own documentation. It’s part of the Valkey Tutorial, a free, hands-on course for beginners.
The Short Answer
Valkey is an open-source fork of Redis OSS 7.2.4, run as a Linux Foundation project under the BSD 3-Clause license. Redis is developed by Redis Ltd., and its newer versions use different licenses. If you used Redis OSS 7.2 or earlier, Valkey works the same way: Valkey’s migration guide calls moving to it “effectively an upgrade”.
Valkey vs Redis at a Glance
| Valkey | Redis | |
|---|---|---|
| Origin | A fork of Redis OSS 7.2.4, announced by the Linux Foundation on 28 March 2024 | The original project, developed by Redis Ltd. |
| License | BSD 3-Clause, an open source license | 7.2 and earlier: BSD 3-Clause. 7.4 to 7.8: RSALv2 or SSPLv1. 8.0 and later: your choice of RSALv2, SSPLv1 or AGPLv3 |
| Who runs it | A Technical Steering Committee of maintainers; no single organization may hold more than a third of the seats | Redis Ltd. |
| Programs | valkey-server and valkey-cli | redis-server and redis-cli |
| Data files | Reads and writes RDB and AOF files compatible with Redis OSS 7.2 | Files from Redis Community Edition 7.4 and later aren’t compatible with Valkey |
The Biggest Difference: the License
Valkey uses the BSD 3-Clause license, a short, permissive open source license. You can use Valkey, change it, sell products built on it and offer it as a service, as long as you keep its copyright notice and license text with copies you share.
Redis took a different path. According to Redis’s licensing page, versions up to 7.2 stay under BSD 3-Clause. In March 2024, Redis moved to a choice of two source-available licenses, RSALv2 and SSPLv1, starting with Redis Community Edition 7.4; the same page says neither is an open source license. From Redis 8, AGPLv3 was added as a third choice. AGPLv3 is an OSI-approved open source license, but it requires derivative works to be released under AGPLv3 too.
So the version you run decides which terms apply. With Valkey, every version has the same BSD 3-Clause terms.
Who Runs Each Project
Valkey is run by its maintainers through a Technical Steering Committee, under the Linux Foundation. Its governance rules say no more than one third of the committee may come from the same organization. Its first backers included Amazon Web Services, Google Cloud, Oracle, Ericsson and Snap Inc.
Redis is developed by Redis Ltd., which also owns the Redis trademark.
What’s the Same
Valkey’s migration guide lists what carries over from Redis OSS 7.2 and earlier:
- Existing Redis client libraries connect to Valkey without code changes.
- Both use the same protocol, RESP, in its RESP2 and RESP3 forms.
- Lua scripts that use the
redisnamespace keep working. - Modules written for the
RedisModule_API work in Valkey. - Data files (RDB and AOF) from Redis OSS 7.2 and earlier load in Valkey.
What’s Different
- The program names. Valkey’s server and command-line tool are
valkey-serverandvalkey-cli. On Ubuntu, an optionalvalkey-redis-compatpackage adds theredis-names too. - New features since 2024. Each project now adds its own. For example, Valkey 9.0 added atomic slot migration and multiple databases in cluster mode, and Valkey 9.1 added database-level permissions. A command added to one server may not exist in the other, so check the command reference for the server you run.
- Data files from newer Redis versions. Valkey’s guide says files from Redis Community Edition 7.4 and later aren’t compatible with Valkey.
- Extra features as modules. Valkey adds JSON documents, Bloom filters and search through separate modules, which its Valkey Bundle container image includes.
Which Should You Choose?
- Choose Valkey if you want a server with an open source BSD license, run by a community project rather than one company, or if you’re moving off Redis OSS 7.2 or earlier.
- Choose Redis if you need features or support that only Redis Ltd. offers, and the license of the version you’d run fits how you use it.
The Valkey Tutorial uses Valkey from start to finish.
Can You Switch from Redis to Valkey?
From Redis OSS 7.2 or earlier, yes. Valkey’s migration guide describes three ways: copy the data file to Valkey, make Valkey a replica of Redis and then promote it, or move chosen keys with the MIGRATE command. Data files from Redis Community Edition 7.4 and later aren’t compatible with Valkey, and the guide doesn’t cover them. Part 43 of the Valkey Tutorial walks through a migration step by step.
Common Mistakes
| Mistake | What happens | Do this instead |
|---|---|---|
| Assuming every new Redis command also exists in Valkey, or the other way round | The command fails on the server that doesn’t have it | Check the command reference for the server and version you run |
| Loading a data file from Redis Community Edition 7.4 or later into Valkey | Valkey’s migration guide says these files aren’t compatible | Plan the move another way; the guide covers Redis OSS 7.2 and earlier |
| Treating all Redis versions as having the same license | Versions 7.4 and later come with conditions BSD 3-Clause doesn’t have | Read the license of the exact version you run |
FAQ
Is Valkey a drop-in replacement for Redis?
For Redis OSS 7.2 and earlier, Valkey’s documentation says moving to Valkey is effectively an upgrade, and existing client libraries connect without code changes. For Redis Community Edition 7.4 and later, the data files aren’t compatible, so moving takes more planning.
Can I use my Redis client library with Valkey?
Yes. Valkey’s migration guide says existing Redis client libraries connect without code changes. Valkey also has its own official clients, called Valkey GLIDE.
Is Redis still open source?
It depends on the version. Redis’s licensing page says versions up to 7.2 are under BSD 3-Clause, 7.4 to 7.8 are under RSALv2 or SSPLv1, which aren’t open source licenses, and Redis 8 and later can also be used under AGPLv3, an open source license.
Who owns Valkey?
Valkey is a Linux Foundation project, and the Valkey trademark belongs to LF Projects, LLC. The copyright in its code belongs to the Valkey contributors and, for the older Redis code it still includes, to Redis Ltd. All of it is licensed under BSD 3-Clause.
Conclusion
Valkey and Redis share their history up to Redis OSS 7.2.4, so commands, client libraries and older data files carry over. The difference is in the license, who runs each project and the features each has added since 2024. Valkey keeps the BSD 3-Clause license for every version and is run by a community committee, while Redis is developed by Redis Ltd. under newer licenses.
Related
- Valkey Tutorial — Part 1: What Is Valkey? The In-Memory Key-Value Store Explained
- Is Valkey Free for Commercial Use? The Valkey License Explained
Additional Resources
- Migration from Redis to Valkey, in the Valkey documentation
- Valkey releases and supported versions
- Valkey project governance
- Linux Foundation Launches Open Source Valkey Community
- Valkey client libraries
- Redis licenses, on redis.io
- The BSD 3-Clause License, at the Open Source Initiative
Valkey® is a registered trademark of LF Projects, LLC. Redis® is a registered trademark of Redis Ltd. Any rights therein are reserved to Redis Ltd. Other names mentioned are trademarks of their respective owners. JD Bots isn’t affiliated with the Valkey project, LF Projects or Redis Ltd., and isn’t endorsed, supported or certified by them.
