Abstract diagram of an LSM-tree with sorted runs cascading across levels.

Architecting RocksDB Storage Engines: Selecting Between Tiered and Leveled Compaction for Production Workloads

Compaction strategy is the single most consequential knob in a RocksDB deployment. This post walks through how tiered (universal) and leveled compaction actually work, what they cost at write and read time, and how to pick one based on your workload shape.

September 3, 2026 · 11 min · 2196 words · martinuke0
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