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What does "failover" mean in programming?

failover is one of the most common terms in software development. This guide explains what it means, how it is used in practice, and why it matters, with real examples from the developer world.

Definition

The automatic or manual process of switching to a backup system, server, or component when the primary one fails. Failover is a key mechanism for achieving high availability and minimizing downtime.

Example

"The primary database went down, but automatic failover switched traffic to the replica within 30 seconds."

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