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InfrastructureIntermediate

What is Horizontal Scaling?

Adding more servers to handle increased load

Why It Matters

Horizontal scaling can handle almost unlimited growth by adding more machines

Real-World Example

Adding 10 more web servers when traffic increases during a sale

“Understanding terms like Horizontal Scaling matters because it helps you have better conversations with developers and make smarter decisions about your software. You do not need to be technical. You just need to know enough to ask the right questions.”

Callum Holt, Founder, 13Labs

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Related Terms

Glossary

Load Balancer

A system that distributes incoming traffic across multiple servers to prevent any one from being overwhelmed

Glossary

Scalability

Your application's ability to handle growth in users, data, or traffic

Glossary

Vertical Scaling

Upgrading a server to be more powerful with more CPU, memory, or storage

Glossary

Server

A computer that runs continuously to handle requests, store data, and serve your application to users

Glossary

Serverless

A way to run code without managing your own servers, where the cloud provider handles everything

Glossary

Edge Functions

Code that runs on servers close to your users around the world, rather than in one central location