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Distributed

Saga

A sequence of local transactions, each with a compensating action, replacing a distributed transaction.

Why interviewers ask about it

You give up isolation: intermediate states are visible. Order irreversible steps last, and remember compensations are not true inverses - a refund is not an un-charge.

Related terms

Transactional Outbox

Write the event as a row in the same transaction as the state change; a relay publishes it afterwards.

This term is part of the free System Design interview preparation module - browse the full glossary for every definition.