This content originally appeared on DEV Community and was authored by AJAYI OBANIJESU TOLUWANIMI
🧪 ACID in Databases: What It Really Means (Using Real-Life Bank Scenarios in the USA & Germany)
When developers hear “ACID compliance” in databases, it can sound like something reserved for DB admins or engineers dealing with banking systems. But understanding ACID is essential. Whether you're building fintech apps, online stores, or backend APIs.
So let’s strip away the jargon and see what ACID really means through real-world bank scenarios in the USA and Germany, and how you can build compliant systems using GoLang.
👨💼 Real-World Scenario
You’re in a New York or Berlin bank. You're sending $1,000 / €1,000 to your friend. Everything seems smooth, until the system crashes halfway. 😳
- Now ask yourself: > “Will the money leave my account and never reach theirs?”
If your database is ACID-compliant, the answer is NONO. And here’s why.
🧱 What Is ACID?
ACID stands for:
| A | Atomicity | All or nothing |
| C | Consistency | Rules must be obeyed |
| I | Isolation | Don’t mix transactions |
| D | Durability | What’s done is done |
🔍 Now Let’s Break It Down (USA + Germany Bank)
✅ A — Atomicity ("All or Nothing")
🇺🇸 USA Example:
You use Bank of America to send $1,000. If the bank debits you but can’t credit your friend’s Wells Fargo account (due to network issues), atomicity ensures it reverses the debit.
🇩🇪 Germany Example:
At Deutsche Bank, if a SEPA transfer fails after removing €1,000 from your account, the system must rollback so it looks like nothing happened.
🧠 Takeaway: A transaction must complete fully or not at all.
✅ C — Consistency ("Rules Are Rules")
Let’s say there’s a rule: “No account should go below €0.”
- You only have €500, but try to send €1,000.
- A consistent system will reject the transaction.
🧠 Takeaway: Your database must always stay in a valid state, respecting all constraints.
✅ I — Isolation ("One At A Time, Please")
Let’s say two people are booking the last concert ticket in Berlin.
- Without isolation, both might be charged.
- With proper isolation, only one gets the ticket, the other sees “sold out.”
🧠 Takeaway: Transactions don’t interfere with each other.
✅ D — Durability ("What’s Done Is Done")
You're in New York. You transfer $1,000. The teller says “Done.”
Then the system crashes.
If the system is durable, the transaction is safe — it’s permanently written, even if a crash happens.
🧠 Takeaway: Once a transaction is committed, it stays committed, no matter what.
🛠️ Can You Build ACID-Compliant Systems with GoLang?
Absolutely. Go is perfect for writing transactional logic, and it integrates well with ACID-compliant databases.
✅ Common Go Stacks for ACID:
- 🐘 PostgreSQL (full ACID)
- 🪵 CockroachDB (distributed ACID, built in the USA)
- 🧱 FoundationDB (NoSQL with ACID)
- 💾 SQLite (embedded ACID)
Sample Go Transaction (PostgreSQL)
go
tx, err := db.Begin()
if err != nil {
log.Fatal(err)
}
_, err = tx.Exec("UPDATE accounts SET balance = balance - $1 WHERE id = $2", 1000, senderID)
// other queries...
if err != nil {
tx.Rollback()
} else {
tx.Commit()
}
This content originally appeared on DEV Community and was authored by AJAYI OBANIJESU TOLUWANIMI
AJAYI OBANIJESU TOLUWANIMI | Sciencx (2025-06-25T18:19:18+00:00) ACID in Databases: What It Really Means (with Real-Life Bank Scenarios in the USA & Germany). Retrieved from https://www.scien.cx/2025/06/25/acid-in-databases-what-it-really-means-with-real-life-bank-scenarios-in-the-usa-germany/
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