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Software Architecture

CAP Theorem

/kæp ˈθɪərəm/

Definition

A theorem stating distributed systems can guarantee at most two of three properties: Consistency, Availability, Partition tolerance.

Example in context

"We chose AP for the shopping cart — it stays available during a partition, accepting eventual consistency."

Related terms

  • ACID — Four properties guaranteeing reliable database transactions: Atomicity, Consistency, Isolation, and Durability.
  • Eventual consistency — A property where distributed data replicas will become consistent over time in the absence of new updates.

Practice this term

Master CAP Theorem in context by working through exercises in the Software Architecture module. You'll see the term used in real engineering scenarios with multiple-choice, fill-in-the-blank, and matching drills.

Practice in exercises → Browse all words

Frequently Asked Questions

What does "CAP Theorem" mean?

A theorem stating distributed systems can guarantee at most two of three properties: Consistency, Availability, Partition tolerance.

How do you pronounce "CAP Theorem"?

"CAP Theorem" is pronounced /kæp ˈθɪərəm/.

Can you use "CAP Theorem" in a sentence?

"We chose AP for the shopping cart — it stays available during a partition, accepting eventual consistency."