8 load balancing algorithms you should know

Mike's Notes

I found this via Neo Kim's SubStack. Very useful.

Resources

• https://substack.com/@petarivanovv9/note/c-152627110

References

• Reference

Repository

• Home > Ajabbi Research > Library >
• Home > Handbook > 

Last Updated

08/10/2025

8 load balancing algorithms you should know

By: Petar Ivanov

The T-shaped Dev: 05/09/2025

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1. Round Robin:

• It sends each new request to the next server in a rotating order.
• Useful when all servers have similar capabilities and you want to spread the load evenly.

2. Least Connections:

• It directs traffic to the server with the fewest active connections.
• Useful when servers have different workloads, balancing them more efficiently.

3. Weighted Round Robin:

• It gives more requests to servers with higher weights or capacities.
• Useful when some servers are more powerful and can handle more traffic.

4. Weighted Least Connections:

• It considers both server capacity and current connections to assign requests.
• Useful when servers differ in performance, ensuring a fair distribution.

5. IP Hash:

• It uses the client's IP address to decide which server will handle the request.
• Useful to keep a client connected to the same server, which is important for session consistency.

6. Least Response Time:

• It sends requests to the server with the quickest response and fewest connections.
• Useful to reduce delays and improve the user experience.

7. Random:

• It picks a server at random for each new request.
• Useful when you don't need to consider server load or differences in server capacity.

8. Least Bandwidth:

• It directs traffic to the server using the least network bandwidth at the moment.
• Useful when managing network usage is important to prevent congestion.

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