Amazon SQS queue types

Amazon SQS supports two types of queues – standard queues and FIFO queues. Use the information from the following table to choose the right queue for your situation. To learn more about Amazon SQS queues, see Getting started with Amazon SQS standard queues and Getting started with FIFO queues in Amazon SQS.

Standard queues FIFO queues

Standard queues	FIFO queues
Unlimited Throughput – Standard queues support a nearly unlimited number of API calls per second, per API action (`SendMessage`, `ReceiveMessage`, or `DeleteMessage`). At-Least-Once Delivery – A message is delivered at least once, but occasionally more than one copy of a message is delivered. Best-Effort Ordering – Occasionally, messages are delivered in an order different from which they were sent.	High Throughput – If you use batching, FIFO queues support up to 3,000 messages per second, per API method (`SendMessageBatch`, `ReceiveMessage`, or `DeleteMessageBatch`). The 3,000 messages per second represent 300 API calls, each with a batch of 10 messages. To request a quota increase, submit a support request. Without batching, FIFO queues support up to 300 API calls per second, per API method (`SendMessage`, `ReceiveMessage`, or `DeleteMessage`). Exactly-Once Processing – A message is delivered once and remains available until a consumer processes and deletes it. Duplicates aren't introduced into the queue. First-In-First-Out Delivery – The order in which messages are sent and received is strictly preserved.

Send data between applications when the throughput is important, for example: Decouple live user requests from intensive background work: let users upload media while resizing or encoding it. Allocate tasks to multiple worker nodes: process a high number of credit card validation requests. Batch messages for future processing: schedule multiple entries to be added to a database.	Send data between applications when the order of events is important, for example: Make sure that user-entered commands are run in the right order. Display the correct product price by sending price modifications in the right order. Prevent a student from enrolling in a course before registering for an account.

Unlimited Throughput – Standard queues support a nearly unlimited number of API calls per second, per API action (SendMessage, ReceiveMessage, or DeleteMessage).

At-Least-Once Delivery – A message is delivered at least once, but occasionally more than one copy of a message is delivered.

Best-Effort Ordering – Occasionally, messages are delivered in an order different from which they were sent.

High Throughput – If you use batching, FIFO queues support up to 3,000 messages per second, per API method (SendMessageBatch, ReceiveMessage, or DeleteMessageBatch). The 3,000 messages per second represent 300 API calls, each with a batch of 10 messages. To request a quota increase, submit a support request. Without batching, FIFO queues support up to 300 API calls per second, per API method (SendMessage, ReceiveMessage, or DeleteMessage).

Exactly-Once Processing – A message is delivered once and remains available until a consumer processes and deletes it. Duplicates aren't introduced into the queue.

First-In-First-Out Delivery – The order in which messages are sent and received is strictly preserved.

Send data between applications when the throughput is important, for example:

Decouple live user requests from intensive background work: let users upload media while resizing or encoding it.
Allocate tasks to multiple worker nodes: process a high number of credit card validation requests.
Batch messages for future processing: schedule multiple entries to be added to a database.

Send data between applications when the order of events is important, for example:

Make sure that user-entered commands are run in the right order.
Display the correct product price by sending price modifications in the right order.
Prevent a student from enrolling in a course before registering for an account.

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Document Conventions

Getting started

Creating a standard queue