Message queue vs event stream: what’s the difference?

A **message queue** focuses on work distribution: messages are consumed and removed (e.g., task processing). An **event stream** focuses on immutable logs: events are appended and consumers track offsets (e.g., analytics, change data capture). **Typical mapping:** - Queues: RabbitMQ/SQS (work queues) - Streams: Kafka/Kinesis (event logs) Choose based on delivery semantics, ordering, retention, and consumer model.