Distributed databases, which operate across multiple interconnected servers or nodes, have become a mainstream solution offering several advantages over traditional single-instance databases. They enhance resilience by replicating data across instances, ensuring continued operation even if one instance fails, and allow for easier scalability by adding nodes as needed. These databases can improve performance by distributing workloads and, when geographically spread, reduce latency for end-users. Two primary types are NoSQL and distributed SQL databases, with the former being more flexible and the latter maintaining strict data consistency. Configurations like active-passive, active-active, and multi-active each have their pros and cons in terms of availability and consistency. Although distributed databases can be more complex to manage, they offer substantial benefits for mission-critical workloads, making them an attractive option for many organizations, especially in cloud-based or hybrid environments.