Redis 8.0, released on May 1, 2025, introduces a major license shift to AGPLv3, eight new native data structures—including vector sets, JSON, and time‑series—alongside a rebuilt query engine that delivers up to 16‑fold performance gains, enhanced security, and cloud‑native capabilities.
Redis 8 has been released under the OSI‑approved AGPLv3 license, reversing its 2024 SSPL shift, and brings up to 87% faster command execution, double the throughput, and integrated modules like JSON, TimeSeries, and the new Vector Sets data type, sparking community debate and competition with Valkey.
Redis 8.0 GA introduces a suite of new data structures, AGPLv3 licensing, multithreaded query execution, horizontal scaling, and significant performance gains, positioning Redis as a more powerful in‑memory database for big‑data, AI, and real‑time applications.
Redis, after a year of closed‑source experiments, reopens its source code with version 8 under AGPLv3, offering developers a choice of three licenses, detailing the CEO's regrets, community backlash, emerging forks, and new performance‑focused features that reshape its future.
