# Connect with Redis client API libraries ```json metadata { "title": "Connect with Redis client API libraries", "description": "Connect your application to a Redis database and try an example", "categories": ["docs","develop","stack","oss","rs","rc","oss","kubernetes","clients"], "tableOfContents": {"sections":[{"id":"community-supported-clients","title":"Community-supported clients"},{"id":"requirements","title":"Requirements"},{"children":[{"id":"python","title":"Python"},{"id":"javascript","title":"JavaScript"},{"id":"java","title":"Java"},{"id":"c","title":"C#"},{"id":"php","title":"PHP"},{"id":"client-library-decision-tree","title":"Client library decision tree"}],"id":"choose-a-client-library-for-your-language","title":"Choose a client library for your language"}]} , "codeExamples": [] } ``` Use the Redis client libraries to connect to Redis servers from your own code. We document the following client libraries for nine main languages: | Language | Client name | Docs | Supported | | :-- | :-- | :-- | :-- | | [Python](https://www.python.org/) | [`redis-py`](https://github.com/redis/redis-py) |[`redis-py` guide](https://redis.io/docs/latest/develop/clients/redis-py) | Yes | | [Python](https://www.python.org/) | [`RedisVL`](https://github.com/redis/redis-vl-python) |[RedisVL guide](https://redis.io/docs/latest/develop/ai/redisvl) | Yes | [C#/.NET](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/csharp/) | [`StackExchange.Redis`](https://github.com/StackExchange/StackExchange.Redis) |[`StackExchange.Redis` guide](https://redis.io/docs/latest/develop/clients/dotnet) | Yes | | [C#/.NET](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/csharp/) | [`NRedisStack`](https://github.com/redis/NRedisStack) |[`NRedisStack` guide](https://redis.io/docs/latest/develop/clients/dotnet/nredisstack) | Yes | | [JavaScript](https://nodejs.org/en) | [`node-redis`](https://github.com/redis/node-redis) | [`node-redis` guide](https://redis.io/docs/latest/develop/clients/nodejs) | Yes | | [JavaScript](https://nodejs.org/en) | [`ioredis`](https://github.com/redis/ioredis) | [`ioredis` guide](https://redis.io/docs/latest/develop/clients/ioredis) | Yes | | [Java](https://www.java.com/en/) | [`Jedis`](https://github.com/redis/jedis) | [`Jedis` guide](https://redis.io/docs/latest/develop/clients/jedis) | Yes | | [Java](https://www.java.com/en/) | [`Lettuce`](https://github.com/redis/lettuce) | [`Lettuce` guide](https://redis.io/docs/latest/develop/clients/lettuce) | Yes | | [Go](https://go.dev/) | [`go-redis`](https://github.com/redis/go-redis) | [`go-redis` guide](https://redis.io/docs/latest/develop/clients/go) | Yes | | [PHP](https://www.php.net/)| [`Predis`](https://github.com/predis/predis) | [`Predis` guide](https://redis.io/docs/latest/develop/clients/php) | Best effort [*](#best-effort) | | [C](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C_(programming_language)) | [`hiredis`](https://github.com/redis/hiredis) | [`hiredis` guide](https://redis.io/docs/latest/develop/clients/hiredis) | Yes | | [Rust](https://www.rust-lang.org/) | [`redis-rs`](https://github.com/redis-rs/redis-rs) | [`redis-rs` guide](https://redis.io/docs/latest/develop/clients/rust) | Best effort [*](#best-effort) | | [Ruby](https://www.ruby-lang.org/en/) | [`redis-rb`](https://github.com/redis/redis-rb) | [`redis-rb` guide](https://redis.io/docs/latest/develop/clients/ruby) | Yes | * Redis does not provide official support for third-party client libraries. However, we contribute new features, offer guidance, and collaborate with the community on a best-effort basis to help ensure these libraries remain reliable and up-to-date. We also provide several higher-level [object mapping (OM)](https://redis.io/docs/latest/develop/clients/om-clients) libraries for [Python](https://redis.io/docs/latest/integrate/redisom-for-python), [C#/.NET](https://redis.io/docs/latest/integrate/redisom-for-net), [Node.js](https://redis.io/docs/latest/integrate/redisom-for-node-js), and [Java/Spring](https://redis.io/docs/latest/integrate/redisom-for-java). ## Community-supported clients The table below shows some popular third-party client libraries. Note that Redis does not develop or contribute to these libraries directly. | Language | Client name | Github | Docs | | :-- | :-- | :-- | :-- | | [C++](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C%2B%2B) | Boost.Redis | https://github.com/boostorg/redis | https://www.boost.org/doc/libs/develop/libs/redis/doc/html/index.html | | [Dart](https://dart.dev/) | redis_dart_link | https://github.com/toolsetlink/redis_dart_link | https://github.com/toolsetlink/redis_dart_link | | [PHP](https://www.php.net/) | PhpRedis extension | https://github.com/phpredis/phpredis | https://github.com/phpredis/phpredis/blob/develop/README.md | | [Python](https://www.python.org/) | coredis | https://github.com/alisaifee/coredis | https://coredis.readthedocs.io | ## Requirements You will need access to a Redis server to use these libraries. You can experiment with a local installation of Redis Open Source (see [Install Redis Open Source](https://redis.io/docs/latest/operate/oss_and_stack/install/install-stack/)) or with a free trial of [Redis Cloud](https://redis.io/docs/latest/operate/rc). To interact with a Redis server without writing code, use the [Redis CLI](https://redis.io/docs/latest/develop/tools/cli) and [Redis Insight](https://redis.io/docs/latest/develop/tools/insight) tools. ## Choose a client library for your language For some languages, we only recommend one client library, but Python, JavaScript, Java, C#, and PHP have multiple options. The sections below summarize the differences between the options for each language. ### Python - [`redis-py`](https://github.com/redis/redis-py) is the recommended Python client library for most use cases. - [`RedisVL`](https://github.com/redis/redis-vl-python) is specialized for handling high-dimensional vector data and is a good choice for AI/ML workflows. - [RedisOM for Python](https://github.com/redis/redis-om-python) is an object mapping library that provides a high-level API for working with Redis data structures. ### JavaScript - [`node-redis`](https://github.com/redis/node-redis) is the recommended JavaScript client library for most use cases. - [`ioredis`](https://github.com/redis/ioredis) is an older library that is still supported, but lacks some of the newer features and performance optimizations of `node-redis`. Note that there is a migration guide available if you are interested in converting your `ioredis` project to `node-redis` (see [Migrate from ioredis](https://redis.io/docs/latest/develop/clients/nodejs/migration)). - [RedisOM for Node.js](https://github.com/redis/redis-om-node) is an object mapping library that provides a high-level API for working with Redis data structures. ### Java - [`Jedis`](https://github.com/redis/jedis) supports the full feature set of Redis and has a straightforward API, but is limited to synchronous operations. - [`Lettuce`](https://github.com/redis/lettuce) supports synchronous, asynchronous, and reactive operations. However, it has a more complex API than Jedis and doesn't currently support all Redis features (notably time series and probabilistic data structures). - [RedisOM for Java](https://github.com/redis/redis-om-java) is an object mapping library that provides a high-level API for working with Redis data structures. ### C# - [`StackExchange.Redis`](https://github.com/StackExchange/StackExchange.Redis) is the recommended C# client library for using the core Redis data types and commands. - [`NRedisStack`](https://github.com/redis/NRedisStack) builds upon `StackExchange.Redis` with support for an extended set of data types and features, such as [JSON](https://redis.io/docs/latest/develop/data-types/json), [Redis search](https://redis.io/docs/latest/develop/ai/search-and-query), and [Time series](https://redis.io/docs/latest/develop/data-types/timeseries). - [RedisOM for .NET](https://github.com/redis/redis-om-dotnet) is an object mapping library that provides a high-level API for working with Redis data structures. ### PHP - [`Predis`](https://github.com/predis/predis) is the recommended PHP client library for most use cases. It has "best effort" support from the Redis team (it's a third-party library but the Redis team contributes to it and helps with issues) and has good coverage in the [Redis documentation](https://redis.io/docs/latest/develop/clients/php). However, it is implemented in PHP, which limits its performance compared to [phpredis](https://github.com/phpredis/phpredis), which is implemented in C. - [phpredis](https://github.com/phpredis/phpredis) is a popular and well-maintained PHP client library that is implemented using C extensions to PHP for better performance. However, it is not actively supported or documented by the Redis team. ### Client library decision tree Use the decision tree below to help you choose the right client library for your needs, based on the recommendations in the previous sections. Note that you should regard the conclusions as a guideline for your research, not as a definitive answer. ```decision-tree {id="client-recommendation"} id: client-recommendation scope: clients indentWidth: 28 rootQuestion: singleClientLanguageQuestion questions: singleClientLanguageQuestion: text: | Are you using Go, Rust, C, C++, Dart, or Ruby? whyAsk: | These languages have only one recommended client library, so the choice is straightforward answers: yes: value: "Yes" outcome: label: | These languages only have one recommended client library. Use the client library for your language listed in the table above. id: singleClientLanguageOutcome no: value: "No" nextQuestion: multiClientLanguageQuestion multiClientLanguageQuestion: text: | Are you using Python, JavaScript, Java, or C#/.NET and require object mapping (ORM-like) functionality? whyAsk: | RedisOM provides a high-level API for these languages. If you don't need OM, we'll help you choose the best low-level client answers: yes: value: "Yes" outcome: label: | Use RedisOM for your language (available for Python, JavaScript, Java, and C#/.NET) id: redisOMOutcome no: value: "No" nextQuestion: lowLevelClientQuestion lowLevelClientQuestion: text: Which language are you using? whyAsk: | Different languages have different low-level client libraries optimized for their ecosystems answers: python: value: Py nextQuestion: pythonLowLevelQuestion javascript: value: JS nextQuestion: javascriptLowLevelQuestion java: value: Java nextQuestion: javaLowLevelQuestion php: value: PHP nextQuestion: phpLowLevelQuestion dotnet: value: "C#" nextQuestion: dotnetLowLevelQuestion dotnetLowLevelQuestion: text: | Do you need Redis Stack features such as JSON, Search, vector search, or Time series? whyAsk: | StackExchange.Redis is the recommended client for core Redis commands, while NRedisStack extends it with support for Redis Stack data types and features answers: yes: value: "Yes" outcome: label: Use NRedisStack id: nRedisStackOutcome no: value: "No" outcome: label: Use StackExchange.Redis id: stackExchangeRedisOutcome pythonLowLevelQuestion: text: | Are you building an AI/ML application mainly based around high-dimensional vector operations? whyAsk: | RedisVL is specialized for AI/ML workflows with vector data, while redis-py is better for general-purpose use answers: yes: value: "Yes" outcome: label: Use RedisVL id: redisVLOutcome No: value: "No" outcome: label: Use redis-py id: redisPyOutcome javaLowLevelQuestion: text: Do you need async or reactive operations? whyAsk: | Jedis supports only synchronous operations with a simpler API, while Lettuce supports async and reactive patterns answers: yes: value: "Yes" outcome: label: Use Lettuce id: lettuceOutcome no: value: "No" outcome: label: Use Jedis id: jedisOutcome javascriptLowLevelQuestion: text: Do you have an existing codebase using ioredis? whyAsk: | If you're already using ioredis, you can continue with it. For new projects, node-redis is the recommended choice answers: yes: value: "Yes" nextQuestion: ioredisAdvancedFeaturesQuestion no: value: "No" outcome: label: Use node-redis id: nodeRedisOutcome ioredisAdvancedFeaturesQuestion: text: Do you want to use advanced Redis features such as search, vector database, and JSON? answers: yes: value: "Yes" outcome: label: Migrate to node-redis using our migration guide id: migrateToNodeRedisOutcome no: value: "No" outcome: label: Continue using ioredis id: continueIoredisOutcome phpLowLevelQuestion: text: | Is maximum performance a higher priority than full support and documentation? whyAsk: | PhpRedis is a C extension with better performance, while Predis is a pure PHP implementation that is better supported and documented answers: yes: value: "Yes" outcome: label: Use PhpRedis id: phpredisOutcome no: value: "No" outcome: label: Use Predis id: predisOutcome ```