Brewer's theorem

proper noun

A theorem stating that it is impossible for a distributed data store to simultaneously provide more than two of three guarantees: consistency (every read receives the most recent write or an error), availability (every request receives a non-error response, without the guarantee that it contains the most recent write), and partition tolerance (the system continues to operate despite an arbitrary number of messages being dropped or delayed between nodes).

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Meanings

proper noun
  1. computingA theorem stating that it is impossible for a distributed data store to simultaneously provide more than two of three guarantees: consistency (every read receives the most recent write or an error), availability (every request receives a non-error response, without the guarantee that it contains the most recent write), and partition tolerance (the system continues to operate despite an arbitrary number of messages being dropped or delayed between nodes).

Origin

Named after computer scientist Eric Brewer.

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Cite this entry
APA

Brewer's theorem. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Brewer's%20theorem

MLA

“Brewer's theorem.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Brewer's%20theorem. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Brewer's theorem,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Brewer's%20theorem.

Source: Brewer's theorem on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.