Pragmatic System Design from Udemy

What's inside

Learning objectives

How to solve most popular fang interview questions
Most important scalability concepts
Common communication protocols
Caching and redis

Concurrency
Database design and postgresql
Sharding strategies

How to solve most popular fang interview questions
Most important scalability concepts
Common communication protocols
Caching and redis
Concurrency
Database design and postgresql
Sharding strategies

Syllabus

Introduction

Introduction to Pragmatic System Design

This video discusses how to represent different building blocks of your system and connections between them in a diagram.

This video covers how to structure your diagrams in an easy to follow manner.

In this video we'll discuss what numbers can you use when estimating latency, throughput and capacity of your system components.

Networks

Load Balancing

CDN

Caching

This video will cover some of the most common caching strategies:

Cache Aside
Read Through
Write Through
Write Behind

This video covers LRU and LFU, two of the most important cache eviction policies.

Redis is the most popular solution on the market for distributed cache at the moment.

In this video we'll discuss basic usage of Redis, some of the supported data types, TTL on keys, how Redis persists the data, and in which cases Redis may not be the best option for you.

Queues

Discover the power of message queues in enhancing system scalability and reliability. Using a pizza restaurant system as an example, this video explains how queues facilitate asynchronous messaging and decoupling of components, resulting in faster order processing. Explore the benefits of buffering requests and storing messages for recovery, while acknowledging the complexities of asynchronous communication.

This video explains two main ways of using queues: message queues and publisher/subscriber (pub/sub). Using examples like a pizza service and payments service, learn how message queues ensure messages are delivered to a single recipient, while pub/sub queues allow notifications to be sent to multiple services. Understand the benefits and characteristics of each method, setting the stage for future discussions on specific technologies.

This video covers the most important topics about RabbitMQ that you may be asked during an interview:

Routing keys
Types of exchanges
Channels
Acknowledgements

This video covers the most important topics about Kafka, that you'll have to consider during an interview:

Topics
Events
Partitions
Consumer groups
Consumer offsets

Protocols

In this video we'll discuss the main protocols of the Internet, TCP.

This protocol has three main benefits. It's Reliable, Ordered and Error-checked.

We'll cover what each of those means in detail.

This video covers the UDP protocol and its benefits.

Summary: TCP vs UDP

This video introduces HTTP protocol and discusses the structure of HTTP Request and HTTP Response.

This video covers the most common HTTP methods, and when you should use each one of them:

GET
POST
PUT
DELETE
PATCH

This video covers the the most common HTTP status codes and when should you use them.

This video discusses REST architecture and the problems it comes to solve.

In this video we'll see how to apply REST best practices when you design your APIs.

This video discussed WebSockets protocol, its benefits, and how it is different from HTTP.

Long Polling architectural pattern
Differences between Web Sockets and Long Polling

In this video we'll discuss the gRPC protocol, which is based on Protobufs and is a popular way to communicate between microservices.

GraphQL

This video attempts to provide you a simple framework how to pick the correct protocol for your use case.

Concurrency

Concurrency vs Parallelism

Processes

Threads

Thread Pools

Databases

Indexes

Sharding

In this video we'll learn about Consistent Hashing algorithm, that enables adding new shards without impacting the entire cluster.

In this video we'll learn how to scale reads on a single table using partitioning.

This technique may also help us cleaning up stale data efficiently.

CAP Theorem

ACID transactions

Architectural Patterns

Web Sessions

Request Serialization is an important technique to resolve data races in your system. Will discuss situations when it's useful to serialize requests, and the trade-offs of that solution.

CQRS

Design a Taxi Hailing App (aka Uber)

Problem Introduction - Design a Taxi Hailing App

Driver Locations

Storing Locations

Taxis Around You

Matching

Summarising the design of our taxi hailing app.

Design a Chat (aka WhatsApp)

Problem Introduction - Design a Chat

Basic Design - Chat

Scaling Reads

Sharding Chat Messages

Scaling chat using queues

Summary - Design a Chat

Design a Web Crawler (aka Google Crawler)

Problem Introduction - Design a Web Crawler

Basic Design - Web Crawler

Fetching Content

What's a "new" URL?

Uniqueness

Priorities

Summary - Design a Web Crawler

Design an Auction (aka eBay)

Problem Introduction - Design an Auction

Let's see what is the most basic design we can provide for an auction.

Optimistic Locking of Bids

Serialisation of Bids

Event-Driven Approach for Bids

Scaling an Auction

Summary - Design an Auction

Design a URL Shortener (aka TinyURL)

Problem Introduction - Design a URL Shortener

Basic Design for a URL Shortener

Short Identifiers

This video discusses whether using DynamoDB is a valid solution for this system.

Summary - Design a URL Shortener

Design a Coupon System (aka Groupon)

Problem Introduction - Coupon System

Basic Design

Scalability

Summary - Coupon System

Extra: Scaling Using Queues

Design a News Feed (aka Twitter)

Problem Introduction - News Feed

Good to know

Know what's good

, what to watch for

, and possible dealbreakers

Explores key system design concepts, tools, and trade-offs, preparing learners to solve common system design problems effectively

Taught by Alexey Soshin, a seasoned system architect with extensive experience in building scalable and fault-tolerant systems

Provides a strong foundation in system design principles, making it suitable for beginners and intermediate learners alike

Covers a wide range of topics, including scalability, concurrency, databases, and communication protocols, catering to diverse learning needs

Teaches learners how to approach system design interviews with confidence and apply their knowledge to real-world scenarios

Requires learners to come in with some basic understanding of software development concepts and data structures

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Pragmatic System Design with these activities:

Review Designing Data-Intensive Applications

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Gain insights from a comprehensive guide to designing and building scalable data-intensive applications.

View Secret Colors on Amazon

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Familiarize yourself with the challenges and principles of designing data-intensive systems.
Explore different data storage and processing technologies.

Review Computer Networks

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Review the basics of computer networks to strengthen your understanding of network design concepts.

Browse courses on Computer Networks

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Revisit the fundamentals of network protocols, including TCP and UDP.
Refresh your knowledge of network topologies and their characteristics.
Practice configuring basic network devices, such as routers and switches.

Explore System Design Patterns

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Deepen your understanding of system design principles by following guided tutorials on common design patterns.

Browse courses on Architectural Patterns

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Familiarize yourself with the benefits and trade-offs of different design patterns.
Apply these patterns to practical system design scenarios.
Experiment with implementing these patterns in a programming language of your choice.

Three other activities

Expand to see all activities and additional details

Show all six activities

Participate in System Design Study Group

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Engage with peers to discuss system design concepts, share knowledge, and provide feedback.

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Join or form a study group with fellow students.
Take turns presenting system design solutions to each other.
Provide constructive criticism and feedback.

Solve System Design Interview Problems

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Sharpen your problem-solving skills by tackling common system design interview problems.

Browse courses on Interview Preparation

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Identify the problem statement and constraints.
Design the system architecture and identify the key components.
Analyze the scalability, reliability, and maintainability of your design.

Contribute to System Design Open-Source Projects

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Enhance your system design skills by contributing to and learning from open-source system design projects.

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Identify open-source projects that align with your interests.
Review the project documentation and codebase.
Propose and implement improvements or new features.

Career center

Learners who complete Pragmatic System Design will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Systems Analyst

A Systems Analyst designs, develops, and implements computer systems. They work with business stakeholders to understand their needs and then design and develop systems to meet those needs. This course can help you to develop the skills and knowledge necessary to be successful in this role by providing you with a comprehensive overview of system design principles and best practices. You will learn how to design systems for scalability, reliability, and performance.

See salaries and explore the career path for Systems Analyst

Software Architect

A Software Architect designs the overall architecture of software systems. They work with senior management and technical teams to define the system's requirements, design the system's architecture, and oversee the system's development. This course can help you to develop the skills and knowledge necessary to be successful in this role by providing you with a comprehensive overview of system design principles and best practices. You will learn how to design systems for scalability, reliability, and performance.

See salaries and explore the career path for Software Architect

Database Administrator

A Database Administrator manages and maintains databases. They work with database users to ensure that the database is running smoothly and that data is secure. This course can help you to develop the skills and knowledge necessary to be successful in this role by providing you with a comprehensive overview of database design, implementation, and management. You will learn how to design databases for performance, scalability, and reliability.

See salaries and explore the career path for Database Administrator

Data Scientist

A Data Scientist uses data to solve business problems. They work with data to identify trends, patterns, and insights that can help businesses make better decisions. This course can help you to develop the skills and knowledge necessary to be successful in this role by providing you with a comprehensive overview of data science principles and best practices. You will learn how to collect, clean, and analyze data, and how to use data to solve business problems.

See salaries and explore the career path for Data Scientist

Software Developer

A Software Developer designs, develops, and implements software applications. They work with users to understand their needs and then design and develop applications to meet those needs. This course can help you to develop the skills and knowledge necessary to be successful in this role by providing you with a comprehensive overview of software development principles and best practices. You will learn how to design, develop, and test software applications for a variety of platforms.

See salaries and explore the career path for Software Developer

Quality Assurance Analyst

A Quality Assurance Analyst tests software applications to ensure that they meet the requirements of the business. They work with development teams to identify and fix bugs in software applications. This course can help you to develop the skills and knowledge necessary to be successful in this role by providing you with a comprehensive overview of quality assurance principles and best practices. You will learn how to test software applications for functionality, performance, and security.

See salaries and explore the career path for Quality Assurance Analyst

Network Engineer

A Network Engineer designs, implements, and maintains computer networks. They work with network administrators to ensure that the network is running smoothly and that data is secure. This course can help you to develop the skills and knowledge necessary to be successful in this role by providing you with a comprehensive overview of network engineering principles and best practices. You will learn how to design, implement, and maintain computer networks for a variety of organizations.

See salaries and explore the career path for Network Engineer

Web Developer

A Web Developer designs, develops, and maintains websites. They work with web designers to create the look and feel of a website, and they work with web programmers to implement the website's functionality. This course can help you to develop the skills and knowledge necessary to be successful in this role by providing you with a comprehensive overview of web development principles and best practices. You will learn how to design, develop, and maintain websites for a variety of organizations.

See salaries and explore the career path for Web Developer

Cloud Engineer

A Cloud Engineer designs, implements, and maintains cloud computing systems. They work with cloud providers to ensure that the cloud system is running smoothly and that data is secure. This course can help you to develop the skills and knowledge necessary to be successful in this role by providing you with a comprehensive overview of cloud computing principles and best practices. You will learn how to design, implement, and maintain cloud computing systems for a variety of organizations.

See salaries and explore the career path for Cloud Engineer

DevOps Engineer

A DevOps Engineer works with development and operations teams to ensure that software applications are deployed and maintained efficiently. They work with developers to ensure that applications are designed for deployability and maintainability, and they work with operations teams to ensure that applications are deployed and maintained in a reliable and efficient manner.

See salaries and explore the career path for DevOps Engineer

Information Security Analyst

An Information Security Analyst protects an organization's computer systems and data from unauthorized access, use, disclosure, disruption, modification, or destruction. They work with security teams to identify and mitigate security risks, and they work with law enforcement to investigate security incidents. This course can help you to develop the skills and knowledge necessary to be successful in this role by providing you with a comprehensive overview of information security principles and best practices. You will learn how to identify and mitigate security risks, and how to investigate and respond to security incidents.

See salaries and explore the career path for Information Security Analyst

Technical Writer

A Technical Writer creates and maintains technical documentation. They work with engineers and other technical professionals to gather information and create documentation that explains how to use and maintain technical products and services. This course can help you to develop the skills and knowledge necessary to be successful in this role by providing you with a comprehensive overview of technical writing principles and best practices. You will learn how to gather information and create documentation for a variety of technical products and services.

See salaries and explore the career path for Technical Writer

Project Manager

A Project Manager plans and manages projects. They work with stakeholders to define the project scope, develop the project plan, and manage the project budget. This course can help you to develop the skills and knowledge necessary to be successful in this role by providing you with a comprehensive overview of project management principles and best practices. You will learn how to plan, manage, and execute projects for a variety of organizations.

See salaries and explore the career path for Project Manager

Business Analyst

A Business Analyst works with business stakeholders to gather and analyze business requirements. They work with development teams to translate business requirements into technical requirements, and they work with business stakeholders to validate that the system meets their needs.

See salaries and explore the career path for Business Analyst

Product Manager

A Product Manager defines and manages the product vision and roadmap. They work with engineering, marketing, and sales teams to bring the product to market. This course can be helpful for you if you are interested in learning more about the product development process.

See salaries and explore the career path for Product Manager