Redis has reverted to an AGPLv3 license with the release of Redis 8, seeking to strengthen its market position against competing forks from AWS and Google. CEO Rowan Trollope asserts this license shift has leveled competition, enabling Redis to focus on product innovation without distractions from forks. This change has also birthed new features such as vector sets, showcasing the advantages of having the original creators leading product development. Forks like Valkey indicate that competition can drive improvements beneficial for all stakeholders, including customers.
Redis' license change "achieved our goal," writes Redis CEO Rowan Trollope. "AWS and Google now maintain their own forks." How is this a good thing? Because, Trollope told me in an interview, "We're on a level playing field now; we get to compete on product." With AWS and Google focused on developing the Valkey fork of Redis (Microsoft has partnered with Redis), Redis can focus on shipping the best possible product.
Trollope is enthusiastic about the prospect: "Who's going to ship the best stuff? We have the creator [Salvatore Sanfilippo] of Redis behind us, alongside the team who built it. We're already seeing that pay off in things like vector sets, a new native data type for Redis that Salvatore developed. I'll bet on that team any time."
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