A bi-weekly podcast hosted by a senior engineer named Ben Kitchell that takes a deep dive into learning about technical system design by learning together. Each...
Mastering System Design Interviews: Building Scalable Web Crawlers
Send us a textWeb Crawler DesignsCan a simple idea like building a web crawler teach you the intricacies of system design? Join me, Ben Kitchell, as we uncover this fascinating intersection. Returning from a brief pause, I'm eager to guide you through the essential building blocks of a web crawler, from queuing seed URLs to parsing new links autonomously. These basic functionalities are your gateway to creating a minimum viable product or acing that system design interview. You’ll gain insights into potential extensions like scheduled crawling and page prioritization, ensuring a strong foundation for tackling real-world challenges.Managing a billion URLs a month is no small feat, and scaling such a system requires meticulous planning. We’ll break down the daunting numbers into digestible pieces, exploring how to efficiently store six petabytes of data annually. By examining different database models, you’ll learn how to handle URLs, track visit timestamps, and keep data searchable. The focus is on creating a robust system that not only scales but does so in a way that meets evolving demands without compromising on performance.Navigating the complexities of designing a web crawler means making critical decisions about data storage and system architecture. We’ll weigh the benefits of using cloud storage solutions like AWS S3 and Azure Blob Storage against maintaining dedicated servers. Discover the role of REST APIs in seamless user and service interactions, and explore search functionalities using Cassandra, Amazon Athena, or Google’s BigQuery. Flexibility and foresight are key as we build systems that adapt to future needs. Thank you for your continued support—let’s keep learning and growing on this exciting system design journey together.Support the showDedicated to the memory of Crystal Rose.Email me at [email protected] the free Discord Consider supporting us on PatreonSpecial thanks to Aimless Orbiter for the wonderful music.Please consider giving us a rating on ITunes or wherever you listen to new episodes.
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Mastering System Design Interview: Navigating Database Models, Entity Relationships, and Key Attributes for Robust Systems
Send us a textUnlock the secrets of database models and elevate your system design skills with Ben Kitchell on the Learn System Design podcast. What if mastering the art of database modeling could transform your approach to system design interviews and real-world applications? Explore the intricacies of relational data models, where the simplicity of a 2D matrix of rows and columns meets the complexity of larger datasets. Discover how primary and foreign keys form the backbone of relational databases, using practical examples like user and address tables. With the flexibility to integrate seamlessly with API models, you're set to gain insights into using Entity Relationship Diagrams (ERDs) for crafting efficient systems.Navigate through the hierarchical structure of a restaurant's organizational model to understand complex data relationships better. Learn how to identify and connect entities within systems, illustrated by the example of Spotify. Embrace the iterative planning process as we emphasize the significance of key attributes like IDs and timestamps, allowing you to adapt your database models as new elements emerge. This episode promises a foundational understanding crucial for anyone aspiring to perfect their database modeling skills, ensuring you design systems that are robust and future-proof. Join us for practical tips and strategic insights that will empower your system design journey.Support the showDedicated to the memory of Crystal Rose.Email me at [email protected] the free Discord Consider supporting us on PatreonSpecial thanks to Aimless Orbiter for the wonderful music.Please consider giving us a rating on ITunes or wherever you listen to new episodes.
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Mastering System Design Interview: Unlocking API Design, Crafting Routes, and Real-Time Data Transfer Techniques
Send us a textUnlock the secrets of API design and elevate your system design skills with our latest episode featuring me, Benny Kitchell. Explore the pivotal role APIs play in system design interviews and real-world development, where they act like the seamless communication between waiters, cooks, and customers in a restaurant. Learn how to craft APIs that are tailored to both internal and external developers by understanding their specific needs and objectives, ensuring a smooth and efficient user experience.We also shine a light on the critical aspects of designing API routes. Understanding user needs and addressing core problems are the bedrock of effective API design. By focusing on functional and non-functional requirements, you'll be equipped to create API routes that meet real-world demands. Discover the importance of API versioning through our Spotify example, where future-proofing your design becomes crucial in maintaining user satisfaction and facilitating seamless updates.Finally, we delve into the world of real-time data transfer, examining both synchronous and asynchronous communication methods. From the traditional request-response model to the innovative use of WebSockets for instantaneous data exchanges, we break down the strengths and limitations of each approach. Equip yourself with the knowledge to choose the best method for your client-server interactions, ensuring your system design is robust, flexible, and ready for any challenge.Support the showDedicated to the memory of Crystal Rose.Email me at [email protected] the free Discord Consider supporting us on PatreonSpecial thanks to Aimless Orbiter for the wonderful music.Please consider giving us a rating on ITunes or wherever you listen to new episodes.
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Mastering System Design Interview: Capacity Estimates, Scaling Challenges, and Strategic Insights
Send us a textMaster the art of system design as Benny Ketchel guides us through the essential skills every senior tech candidate needs to excel, starting with capacity estimates. By the end of this episode, you'll be able to navigate the complexities of bandwidth and data size without getting bogged down in unnecessary arithmetic. We explore how to think like industry leaders at Netflix, Google, and Instagram, focusing on rough estimates, worst-case scenarios, and the use of metric prefixes to simplify calculations. This episode is not just about numbers; it's about understanding the larger picture and harnessing the power of strategic thinking.Our discussion doesn't stop at capacity. Join us as we tackle the challenges of large-scale systems, offering insights into handling billions of users and managing enormous data streams. Learn to focus on the core components of a system, such as video content for a streaming giant, and balance cost with hardware efficiency. Plus, get a sneak peek at our upcoming special episodes and discover ways to support and engage with our community, from sending feedback to joining us on Patreon. This isn't just a lesson in system design—it's a call to action for aspiring tech leaders to think big and design even bigger.Support the showDedicated to the memory of Crystal Rose.Email me at [email protected] the free Discord Consider supporting us on PatreonSpecial thanks to Aimless Orbiter for the wonderful music.Please consider giving us a rating on ITunes or wherever you listen to new episodes.
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Mastering System Design Interview: Essential System Design Interview Principles and Techniques
Send us a textCan a simple delay really cost a company millions? We kick off season two of the Learn System Design podcast by exploring this and more. I'm Benny Kitchell, your host, and after a refreshing hiatus, I'm excited to bring you a fresh take on system design interviews and real-world applications. We start with the fundamentals of functional requirements using a relatable example: a music streaming app like Spotify. Discover how to align core functionalities such as song playback, playlist creation, and music recommendations with stakeholder expectations, setting the stage for effective system design.This episode also delves into the intricacies of caching systems, the critical role of TTL (Time To Live), and the balancing act required by the CAP theorem. We address the importance of understanding both functional and non-functional requirements, emphasizing stakeholder input to ensure a robust design. Key concepts like latency, durability, and partition tolerance are unpacked, highlighting their impact on user experience and system stability. Tune in to gain valuable insights that will not only prepare you for system design interviews but also enhance your technical prowess in the field. Thank you for joining us on this journey; your support means the world!https://www.cloudflare.com/learning/privacy/what-are-fair-information-practices-fipps/https://mashable.com/article/myspace-data-lossSupport the showDedicated to the memory of Crystal Rose.Email me at [email protected] the free Discord Consider supporting us on PatreonSpecial thanks to Aimless Orbiter for the wonderful music.Please consider giving us a rating on ITunes or wherever you listen to new episodes.
A bi-weekly podcast hosted by a senior engineer named Ben Kitchell that takes a deep dive into learning about technical system design by learning together. Each episode we will explore the inner workings of what makes these systems so complex and fascinating while building on our knowledge of how they came together.All music written and performed by the mysterious Aimless Orbiter. You can find more info about him and his music at https://soundcloud.com/aimlessorbitermusic
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