Imagine you’ve been using a powerful tool for years to help you build apps faster. Yeah its Redis, a super fast database that helps apps remember things temporarily, like logins or shopping cart items. It was free, open, and loved by developers.

But one day, the team behind Redis changed the rules. They said

“You can still use Redis, but if you’re a big cloud company (like Amazon or Google) offering it to others as a service, you need to play by our special rules or pay us.”

This change upset many in the tech world. Why?

Because open-source means freedom you can use it, improve it, and even share it with others. Redis’s new license in 2024 took away some of that freedom. It wasn’t completely closed, but it wasn’t truly open either. It hurts AWS, Microsoft more.

What Happened Next?

Developers and tech companies didn’t like the new rules. So they said,

“Fine, we’ll make our own open version of Redis.”

That’s how a new project called Valkey was born, a fork (copy) of Redis that stayed truly open-source.

Fast forward to May 2025 — Redis listened. They said

“We’re bringing back the open-source spirit. Redis version 8.0 will be under a proper open-source license again: AGPLv3.”

What’s AGPLv3?

It’s a type of license that says:

• You can use, change, and share Redis freely.
• If you run a modified Redis on a website or cloud service, you must also share your changes with the world. (still hurts AWS and Azure)

This keeps things fair: no more companies secretly benefiting from Redis without giving back.

What Did Redis Say?

Rowan Trollope, Redis’s CEO, explained why they had changed the license in the first place:

“Big cloud companies were making money off Redis but not helping us or the open-source community.”

But now, by switching to AGPLv3, Redis is balancing two things:

• Protecting their work from being misused
• And staying truly open-source

Why This Is Good News

• Developers can continue using Redis freely.
• The community can contribute and improve Redis.
• Fair rules apply to everyone, even giant tech companies.

Redis has come full circle. After a detour into more restricted territory, it’s back where it belongs in the hands of everyone. This shows the power of the developer community, and why open-source isn’t just about code, it’s about collaboration, fairness, and freedom.

Checkout this blog from Redis https://redis.io/blog/agplv3/