The Nugget
- Wafris shifted from Redis to SQLite to simplify deployment and enhance performance for their application firewall, resulting in a 3x speed improvement over Redis in their specific use case.
Make it stick
- 🚀 SQLite is faster than Redis due to eliminating network latency, essential for Wafris's middleware.
- 🔄 Wafris v2 achieves improved onboarding—users just need to add a gem, streamlining setup.
- 🏗️ SQLite's design offers near-infinite horizontal scaling, ideal for high-demand web apps.
- 📉 The new architecture decouples reads (fast rule checks) from writes (slower reporting), optimizing performance.
Key insights
The Need for Change
- The initial v1 client relied on a user-managed Redis datastore, leading to deployment difficulties for users.
- At RailsWorld 2023, there was notable negativity around the idea of requiring a Redis server alongside applications.
- Wafris's goal: make web app protection easy, highlighting the burden of having users act as Redis admins.
Performance Considerations
- Redis, while performant, introduced network latency issues, negatively affecting application speed.
- SQLite is touted as competing with file access rather than traditional databases, leading to significant speed benefits in specific contexts.
- Benchmark testing showed SQLite providing better speeds for Wafris's critical IP collection queries.
Architectural Evolution
- Wafris's model shifted focus to local database instances (SQLite) that eliminate network calls for rule evaluation.
- The architecture was redesigned to separate read (filters) and write (reporting) processes, significantly improving efficiency.
- The ability to sync SQLite databases to multiple application instances addresses common load challenges faced under heavy traffic.
Write Operation Management
- Writes are handled asynchronously, with batch processing designed to keep the SQLite DB lightweight.
- This method ensures users don’t face the burdens of direct database writes, aligning with Wafris's mission for simplicity and speed.
Key quotes
- "We shouldn't casually make you a Redis database admin in the process."
- "SQLite does not compete with client/server databases. SQLite competes with fopen()."
- "SQLite beat Redis like an overhyped UFC fighter doing a jump off the fence to land a kick punch."
- "Making Wafris easy to deploy... flows from that."
- "We're exceedingly happy with our v2 architecture, which uses SQLite."
This summary contains AI-generated information and may be misleading or incorrect.