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What does "quorum" mean in programming?
quorum 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 minimum number of nodes in a distributed system that must agree on an operation for it to be considered valid. A majority quorum (e.g., 3 of 5 nodes) prevents split-brain scenarios during network partitions.
Example
"With 5 nodes, a quorum of 3 must acknowledge a write before it commits — this ensures the data survives two node failures."
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