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System Design: Zero to Hero
  • 👋About System Design Learning Journey
  • Contents
  • 1️⃣1. Fundamentals of System Design
    • 1.1. Introduction to System Design
    • 1.2. Basic Principles and Concepts
    • 1.3. Trade-offs in System Design
    • 1.4. Non-Functional Requirements in System Design
    • 1.5. Back-of-the-Envelope Calculations in System Design
    • 1.6. Mini-Project: Simple Key-Value Store in Go
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  • 1.1. Introduction to System Design
  • What is System Design?
  • Importance in Software Engineering
  • System Design Interview Overview
  1. 1. Fundamentals of System Design

1.1. Introduction to System Design

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Last updated 6 months ago

1.1. Introduction to System Design

What is System Design?

System design is the process of defining the architecture, components, modules, interfaces, and data for a system to satisfy specified requirements. It's a critical skill for software engineers, especially as they progress in their careers.

Key aspects of system design include:

  1. Architecture: The overall structure of the system

  2. Components: The individual parts that make up the system

  3. Interfaces: How the components interact with each other

  4. Data flow: How information moves through the system

  5. Scalability: The system's ability to handle growth

  6. Performance: How efficiently the system operates

  7. Reliability: The system's ability to function without failure

  8. Security: Protecting the system from unauthorized access and attacks

Importance in Software Engineering

System design is crucial in software engineering for several reasons:

  1. Scalability: Well-designed systems can handle increased load and user growth.

  2. Maintainability: Good design makes it easier to update and modify the system over time.

  3. Reliability: Proper design ensures the system is robust and can handle failures gracefully.

  4. Cost-effectiveness: Efficient design can reduce operational costs and resource usage.

  5. Performance: A well-designed system performs better and provides a better user experience.

  6. Team collaboration: Clear system design allows teams to work together more effectively.

System Design Interview Overview

System design interviews are a common part of the hiring process for senior software engineering positions. These interviews assess a candidate's ability to design large-scale distributed systems.

Key aspects of a system design interview:

  1. Problem statement: The interviewer presents a high-level problem (e.g., "Design Twitter").

  2. Requirements gathering: The candidate asks clarifying questions to understand the scope and constraints.

  3. High-level design: The candidate outlines the major components and their interactions.

  4. Deep dive: The interviewer and candidate explore specific components in more detail.

  5. Trade-offs: The candidate discusses the pros and cons of different design choices.

  6. Scaling considerations: How the system would handle growth and increased load.

Remember, there's rarely a single "correct" answer in system design. The goal is to demonstrate your thought process, ability to make informed decisions and understanding of distributed systems concepts.

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