Distributed Transactions
A distributed transaction is a transaction that spans multiple, physically or logically separate databases or systems. Unlike a traditional transaction confined to a single system, a distributed transaction ensures that a set of operations across different systems either all succeed (commit) or all fail (rollback), maintaining data consistency.
Imagine you’re at a busy restaurant that uses separate systems for orders, payments, and kitchen operations. A distributed transaction would ensure that when a customer places an order, the order is recorded, the payment is processed, and the kitchen is notified—all together.
If one part fails (say, the payment system), the entire transaction is canceled, preventing a scenario where the order is taken but payment isn’t processed.