In this episode, we dive into the critical role of load balancers in web applications, explaining how they distribute incoming traffic across multiple servers to ensure smooth and efficient performance. We explore different algorithms that determine which server should handle a request, including round robin, weighted round robin, and more advanced methods that take into account factors like server load, response time, and geographic location.

We also examine the differences between stateless and stateful applications, discussing the scalability benefits of stateless designs and the challenges posed by stateful ones. For stateful applications, we cover persistence strategies such as using user IP addresses, session IDs, and SSL session IDs to ensure consistent routing. Tune in to learn how load balancers enhance the scalability and reliability of web applications!