# On Redis master-slave terminology

DevFeed: [On Redis master-slave terminology](<https://devfeed.tech/articles/on-redis-master-slave-terminology-20613.md>)

Original publisher: [Read original article](<http://antirez.com/news/122>)

Published: 2018-09-06T21:04:56Z

Content type: opinion

Language: en

Sources: [Antirez](<https://devfeed.tech/sources/antirez.md>)

Topics: [Redis](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/redis.md>), [Replication](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/replication.md>), [MySQL](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/mysql.md>), [changelog](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/changelog.md>), [Databases](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/databases.md>)

Tags: [api](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/api.md>), [databases](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/databases.md>), [documentation](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/documentation.md>), [mysql](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/mysql.md>), [redis](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/redis.md>), [replication](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/replication.md>), [slave](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/slave.md>)

## AI overview

The author discusses criticism of Redis's continued use of "master" and "slave" terminology for replication roles. He argues that the terms are not offensive when used in a database context and that changing Redis documentation, APIs, and INFO fields solely in response to that criticism would not make sense to him. The supplied text also gives political and personal context for his position.

## Source excerpt

Today it happened again. A developer, that we'll call Mark to avoid exposing his real name, read the Redis 5.0 RC5 change log, and was disappointed to see that Redis still uses the "master" and "slave" terminology in order to identify different roles in Redis replication. I said that I was sorry he was disappointed about that, but at the same time, I don't believe that terminology out of context is offensive, so if I use master-slave in the context of databases, and I'm not referring in any way to slavery. I originally copied the terms from MySQL, and now they are the way we call things in Redis, and since I do not believe in this battle (I'll tell you later why), to change the documentation, deprecate the API and add a new one, change the INFO fields, just to make a subset of people that care about those things more happy, do not make sense to me. After it was clear that I was not interested in his argument, Mark accused me of being fascist. Now I'm Italian, and incidentally my grand grand father was put in jail for years by fascists because he was communist and was against the regime. He was released to die in a couple of months at home. The father of my mother instead went in the north of Italy for II World War, and was able to escape from the Nazis for a miracle. Stayed 5 years as a refugee, and eventually returned home to become the father of my mother. Mark do not care about the terminology he uses against other people, if the matter at hand is to make sure people that may potentially feel offended will not. Now, it's time for you to know my political orientation, so that you can put in context my refuse to change terminology. I want my government to be more open to immigration, including economical immigration, I do not accept any racism and I was strongly in favor of "ius soli" law here in Italy. I do not just accept conceptually same-sex marriage, but I really love the beauty that there is in two men or women kissing, making sex, adopting a child. Every day