Go · Apache-2.0 · Redis Alternative · In-Memory Database

Ultra-fast in-memory database alternative to Redis.

Tellstone is a cloud-native in-memory database written in Go — a RESP2-compatible alternative to Redis with a zero-copy binary protocol and a shared-nothing architecture that eliminates scaling bottlenecks by utilizing every core on every machine. Currently supports GET/SET/DEL/PING over RESP2, with more commands on the roadmap. Best suited as an in-cluster cache or accelerator in front of a durable database.

sudo apt install tellstone

Get Started View on GitHub

Shared Nothing

thread-per-core for near-linear scaling. Higher throughput on a smaller infra footprint.

Zero-Copy

binary protocol avoids text parsing and Protobuf overhead

Redis-Compatible

DropIn replacement for Redis which makes the migration less complex and increases performance directly.

One Goroutine Per Shard, Not One-Size-Fits-All

Every shard runs its own goroutine with an independent lock-free map — no contention, no cross-shard coordination, just parallel execution.

No shared state. Each shard runs its own goroutine with an independent map and RWMutex. FNV-1a hashing pins every key to exactly one shard — zero cross-shard coordination, linear scaling with every core you add.

Designed for Modern Applications

Tellstone is built to accelerate cloud-native applications by providing high-performance in-memory storage with flexible deployment options.

High-Performance Protocols

Zero-copy binary protocol for maximum throughput, plus Redis-compatible RESP2 for seamless integration with existing Redis tools and clients. Supports GET/SET/DEL/PING today.

Sharded, Lock-Free Engine

N shards (default GOMAXPROCS, configurable) each with its own goroutine and RWMutex. FNV-1a hash routing, no cross-shard coordination — near-linear scaling as you add cores.

Zero-GC Hot Path

GC is disabled by default (TSD_GC_PERCENT=-1). Zero-allocation code paths with reusable scratch buffers mean zero stop-the-world pauses during normal operation.

Flexible Protocol Support

Choose the protocol that best fits your needs: ultra-fast zero-copy binary protocol for maximum performance, or Redis-compatible RESP2 for seamless integration with existing tools.

# task run:resp
redis-cli -p 6379 PING
-> PONG
redis-cli -p 6379 SET k v EX 60
-> OK
redis-cli -p 6379 GET k
-> "v"

import "github.com/Saxy/Tellstone/client"

c, _ := client.Dial("127.0.0.1:9988", 2*time.Second)
defer c.Close()

scratch := make([]byte, 4096)
c.Set([]byte("hello"), []byte("world"), 0, scratch)
val, _ := c.Get([]byte("hello"), scratch)

Easy Setup & Deployment

Install via APT, Homebrew, or pre-built binaries. Build from source if you prefer.

# Add the Tellstone repository
curl -fsSL https://saxy.github.io/tellstone-apt/key.gpg \
  | sudo gpg --dearmor -o /usr/share/keyrings/tellstone.gpg

echo "deb [signed-by=/usr/share/keyrings/tellstone.gpg] https://saxy.github.io/tellstone-apt stable main" \
  | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/tellstone.list

sudo apt update && sudo apt install tellstone

brew tap Saxy/tellstone-tap
brew install --cask Saxy/tellstone-tap/tellstone

# Download from GitHub Releases
curl -fsSL https://github.com/Saxy/Tellstone/releases/latest/download/tellstone_1.0.0_linux_amd64.tar.gz \
  | tar xz
sudo mv tellstone /usr/local/bin/

git clone https://github.com/Saxy/Tellstone
cd Tellstone
task build   # -> ./bin/tellstone

Join the Open Source Community

Tellstone is open source under the Apache-2.0 license. Contribute to the codebase, documentation, or help shape the future of this high-performance in-memory database.

Contribute on GitHub Get Started