How to Get All Keys in Redis 2025: The Complete Guide

The Redis database has the potential to expand significantly over time. Occasionally, it may be necessary to be aware of all the database records in order to recall certain elements or comprehend the logic. This is not an issue in Redis. Nevertheless, prior to providing you with a pre-made command, I will provide you with an overview of Redis and its commands.

What is Redis?

NoSQL databases have been in existence in the IT industry for an extended period. Initially, their efficiency in small undertakings captivated users, despite their initial curiosity. However, we now observe these mature solutions on a daily basis in large undertakings where efficiency is the primary concern.

Redis is an extremely efficient key-value database that stores data in RAM. Nevertheless, the volatility of data, which is sometimes intolerable, lies beneath the efficacy. Redis enables the periodic configuration of the database and the dumping of data to a file on the disk. It has certain consequences, and in this case, the performance will be reduced.

For a more comprehensive understanding of the fundamentals of Redis, stick to our article on the topic.

Application of Redis

Redis has a wide range of applications, including:

• Redis as Cache is the most frequently employed method due to its exceptional efficiency.
• Support for queries: this solution is slightly less prevalent, but it is exceptional for a straightforward queuing system.
• An alternative solution to files or a database: storing user sessions.

An environment is required to investigate REDIS. I recommend that you utilize Linux or Docker. Installing Docker or Linux on a virtual machine is an option for Windows users. I won’t focus on REDIS installation and variants because there are many Linux distributions.

The installation process is simple and involves the execution of the following command.

sudo apt-get install redis-server

If the installation completes without displaying an error message, install and initiate REDIS.

We can establish a connection to REDIS using the standard port 6379. Many libraries are available to us, contingent upon the programming language. The REDIS server comes with a client application that you can use for experimentation. Depending on the selected server installation mode, the client will launch in a slightly different manner.

Given that you have already acquired a server and an application that enable you to interact with REDIS, it is now time to acquire the fundamental commands.

Basic commands

SET key

The command assigns a value to the specified key. SET hosting “TechSouls” generates the hosting key with the “TechSouls” value, for example. The database successfully saves the data after executing the command.

GET key

The command reads the value under the specified key. The command will return the value associated with the specified key (e.g., “hosting”). If you reference a non-existent key, it will generate an error (nil).

DEL key

The command eliminates the key. The removal will result in the display of the message “(integer) 1”. If an operation fails, a message “(integer) 0” will appear.

EXIST key

The system verifies the existence of the specified key or the complete list of keys. If the key is present, the value is 1; otherwise, 0. In addition to verifying the existence of a single key, it is possible to submit an entire catalog of keys.

EXPIRE key seconds

It establishes the duration for which the database will remove the key and value. For example, the command “EXPIRE user_1234” will set the timer for user_1234 to 60 seconds.

KEYS pattern

This function locates all keys that satisfy the specified pattern. For example, the function KEYS user_* will return a catalog of keys that correspond to the specified pattern. A message (empty list or set) will be sent if no matching key is found.

PERSIST key

This feature either disables key expiration or removes the expiration time for the key.

RENAME key new-key

The command changes the name of the key to the new key.

TYPE key

It returns the value type associated with the specified property. To date, you have exclusively worked with strings; however, they are not the sole form of data that REDIS can store. For a specific data type, it is possible to employ specific commands.

Data types

The proficient type support in REDIS enhances the capabilities of this database.

1. Strings

One of the most common data types is strings of characters. The fact that it supports nearly any type of text—JSON, XML, and more—is a major factor in its popularity. Moreover, REDIS ensures the immutability of the data by not conducting any analysis on the transmitted data.

You can discover data-specific instructions for every data type.

2. Lists

One way to think about this type is as an array of strings. You can access the data in the list either by following the addition order or by using the index number. With the potential to include more than 4 billion entries, the lists themselves can be enormous collections.

You can create a list simply by adding the first element. Use the LPUSH or RPUSH commands to accomplish this. You can add one item or multiple items to the list with either of these commands. The key distinction is that RPUSH appends items to the end of the list, while LPUSH appends them to the top.

3. Hashes

The arrays are associative. An element’s value and key were the only properties it had until now. With associative arrays, you may define attributes for a key, which opens up more options. You could think you’re dealing with data in a database because of this arrangement.

An easy way to map users from the database can be defined as a new item. It will include the name and email attributes and the user_prefix-prefixed identifier as the key.

With this user added, you can see all the data with the HGETALL command. As a result, the HGETALL command will generate a list that sequentially displays the values of each field.

4. Sets

Sets store unique, unordered values and are otherwise quite similar to lists. Because of this, collections are far more efficient than lists, and you should use them if you intend to have many items that you will edit or search often.

How do I check all keys in Redis?

I will get to the topic now that you understand the fundamentals of Redis. Using the GET command to get a specific target is nothing new to you. But there’s another command you need to use: KEYS, to list all the keys in the Redis database. If you want Redis to find all keys that match a certain pattern, just type KEYS followed by the pattern.

The asterisk yields a list of all keys. Thus, the order:

KEYS *

The system should return all the keys in the database.

You can also use redis-cli to get a list of all keys using the following syntax:

$ redis-cli KEYS \*

Or you can limit the keys returned with a pattern. For example

$ redis-cli KEYS V*

The system will return all records starting with the letter V.

Conclusion

REDIS contains a significant amount of potential as a key-value database, and the material presented here serves as merely an introduction to the fundamentals. Before you can progress to more complex tasks, such as establishing a basic queuing system or implementing a cache for your application, it is imperative that you have a complete understanding of the situation.