Overview
Clustron Zaris is a distributed key-value and coordination platform. This article introduces what you can do with Zaris, explains that every deployment shares one API, and helps you pick the environment to start in.
Zaris stores data as key-value pairs and coordinates work across application instances. You can embed it directly in a .NET app with no infrastructure, or run it as a real cluster in Docker, Kubernetes, or on a Windows host — the client API is identical in every case.
What you can do with Zaris
Zaris combines data storage with coordination primitives, so a single client handles both. You can:
- Store and retrieve data with key-value operations.
- Expire data automatically with a time to live (TTL).
- Coordinate concurrent access with distributed locks.
- Maintain counters that are shared across instances.
- React to data changes in real time with watchers.
- Run multi-step operations atomically with transactions.
The same API in every mode
Whichever environment you choose, your application talks to Zaris through the same client API and the same connection string. An in-process store is zaris://inproc/demo; a cluster is zaris://host:port/demo. Moving from an embedded store to a full cluster is a configuration change, not a code change.
Keep the mental model "in-process today, distributed tomorrow." Build and test in-process, then point the same code at a cluster when you need availability or scale.
Pick your environment
Choose the quickstart that matches how you want to run Zaris first. Each one is self-contained: prerequisites, install or run, and connect. They all end at the same First operations page.
| Environment | Use this if… | Quickstart |
|---|---|---|
| In-process (.NET) | You want to embed Zaris in your app with no infrastructure to install. | Run in-process |
| Docker Compose | You want a real 3-node cluster on your laptop in one command. | Run with Docker Compose |
| Kubernetes (Helm) | You are deploying Zaris to a cluster. | Run on Kubernetes |
| Windows installer | You want the Management Service, Web Console, and PowerShell modules on a Windows host. | Windows quickstart |
Supporting articles
Once a cluster is running, these articles go deeper on operating and configuring it:
- Create your first store creates and starts a store from the PowerShell admin cmdlets.
- Run distributed explains single-machine and multi-machine clusters.
- Configuration covers the client connection string in detail.
Where every path leads
No matter which environment you pick, you finish in the same place:
- First operations covers the put, get, and delete calls you will use most.