Valkey is a fork of Redis that appeared in 2024 after Redis Inc. moved to a less permissive license. The community picked it up under the Linux Foundation, backed by Amazon, Google and others. For most users Valkey is the same Redis: the same commands, the same protocol, but with an open BSD license and active development. Let's look at how it differs, how to install it on a VPS and how to migrate painlessly.
Valkey is protocol- and command-compatible with Redis — most apps switch with no code changes. Migration is mostly moving the dump.rdb file. For production you need a VPS with NVMe and enough RAM for your dataset.
Why Valkey appeared and who needs it
In 2024 Redis switched to the SSPL/RSAL licenses, which restrict commercial use. In response the community created Valkey — a fully open BSD fork compatible with Redis 7.x. If a free license, no vendor lock-in, or staying on open source without legal risk matters to you, Valkey is the direct route.
- Open BSD license with no commercial restrictions
- Compatible with Redis 7.x: commands, the RESP protocol, RDB/AOF
- Backed by major players (AWS, Google) and the Linux Foundation
- Active development: new features and memory optimizations
What you need to install it
- A Linux VPS (Ubuntu 22.04/24.04 is the easiest)
- Root or sudo access
- Enough RAM for your dataset (Redis/Valkey keeps data in memory)
- Preferably an NVMe disk for fast RDB/AOF snapshots
Installing Valkey on Ubuntu — step by step
- Update packages: sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade
- Install Valkey from the repo: sudo apt install valkey-server (on recent Ubuntu) or build from source at github.com/valkey-io/valkey
- Enable autostart: sudo systemctl enable --now valkey-server
- Check: valkey-cli ping → should reply PONG
- Lock down access: in valkey.conf set bind 127.0.0.1, requirepass <password> and don't expose port 6379 publicly unless needed
The most common mistake is an open port 6379 with no password. That's a direct invitation for bots. Keep Valkey on localhost or a private network, set requirepass and a firewall (ufw).
Migrating from Redis to Valkey
- Stop Redis: sudo systemctl stop redis
- Copy the data file dump.rdb (usually /var/lib/redis/) into Valkey's data directory
- Check file permissions for the valkey user
- Start Valkey — it loads the data from RDB
- Point your app at the new port/host (if changed) — no client code changes needed
Valkey was designed as a drop-in replacement: in 9 cases out of 10, moving dump.rdb and restarting the service is enough. Complexity only grows with clusters and custom modules.
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Where to host Valkey
Valkey keeps data in RAM, so what matters is memory and a fast disk for snapshots. For most use cases an NVMe VPS is enough: Vultr, Serverspace or 1Gbits offer configs with 2–16 GB RAM, root access and hourly billing so you can scale to your dataset size. You can't run Valkey on shared hosting — you need root and control over the service.
Bottom line
Valkey is a safe choice if you need Redis without license restrictions: the same functionality, an open BSD license and a strong community. Install and migration take minutes, and your app code stays the same. All that's left is to pick a VPS with enough RAM — Vultr, Serverspace or 1Gbits from our ranking are good for a start.
