**Note**: The `master` branch may be in an *unstable or even broken state* during development. Please use [releases][github-release] instead of the `master` branch in order to get stable binaries.
*the etcd v2 [documentation](Documentation/v2/README.md) has moved*
* *Secure*: automatic TLS with optional client cert authentication
* *Fast*: benchmarked 10,000 writes/sec
* *Reliable*: properly distributed using Raft
etcd is written in Go and uses the [Raft][raft] consensus algorithm to manage a highly-available replicated log.
etcd is used [in production by many companies](./Documentation/production-users.md), and the development team stands behind it in critical deployment scenarios, where etcd is frequently teamed with applications such as [Kubernetes][k8s], [fleet][fleet], [locksmith][locksmith], [vulcand][vulcand], [Doorman][doorman], and many others. Reliability is further ensured by rigorous [testing][etcd-tests].
See [etcdctl][etcdctl] for a simple command line client.
etcd contributors and maintainers have bi-weekly meetings at 11:00 AM (USA Pacific) on Tuesdays. There is an [iCalendar][rfc5545] format for the meetings [here](meeting.ics). Anyone is welcome to join via [Zoom][zoom] or audio-only: +1 669 900 6833. An initial agenda will be posted to the [shared Google docs][shared-meeting-notes] a day before each meeting, and everyone is welcome to suggest additional topics or other agendas.
The easiest way to get etcd is to use one of the pre-built release binaries which are available for OSX, Linux, Windows, [rkt][rkt], and Docker. Instructions for using these binaries are on the [GitHub releases page][github-release].
For those wanting to try the very latest version, [build the latest version of etcd][dl-build] from the `master` branch. This first needs [*Go*](https://golang.org/) installed (version 1.9+ is required). All development occurs on `master`, including new features and bug fixes. Bug fixes are first targeted at `master` and subsequently ported to release branches, as described in the [branch management][branch-management] guide.