Search icon CANCEL
Subscription
0
Cart icon
Your Cart (0 item)
Close icon
You have no products in your basket yet
Arrow left icon
Explore Products
Best Sellers
New Releases
Books
Videos
Audiobooks
Learning Hub
Free Learning
Arrow right icon
System Design Guide for Software Professionals
System Design Guide for Software Professionals

System Design Guide for Software Professionals: Build scalable solutions – from fundamental concepts to cracking top tech company interviews

Arrow left icon
Profile Icon Dhirendra Sinha Profile Icon Tejas Chopra
Arrow right icon
€26.99
Paperback Aug 2024 384 pages 1st Edition
eBook
€8.99 €20.99
Paperback
€26.99
Subscription
Free Trial
Renews at €18.99p/m
Arrow left icon
Profile Icon Dhirendra Sinha Profile Icon Tejas Chopra
Arrow right icon
€26.99
Paperback Aug 2024 384 pages 1st Edition
eBook
€8.99 €20.99
Paperback
€26.99
Subscription
Free Trial
Renews at €18.99p/m
eBook
€8.99 €20.99
Paperback
€26.99
Subscription
Free Trial
Renews at €18.99p/m

What do you get with Print?

Product feature icon Instant access to your digital eBook copy whilst your Print order is Shipped
Product feature icon Colour book shipped to your preferred address
Product feature icon Download this book in EPUB and PDF formats
Product feature icon Access this title in our online reader with advanced features
Product feature icon DRM FREE - Read whenever, wherever and however you want
Product feature icon AI Assistant (beta) to help accelerate your learning
OR
Modal Close icon
Payment Processing...
tick Completed

Shipping Address

Billing Address

Shipping Methods
Table of content icon View table of contents Preview book icon Preview Book

System Design Guide for Software Professionals

Basics of System Design

System design is an essential process in software engineering that involves designing a software system’s architecture, components, interfaces, and data management strategies. A well-designed system can improve the system’s overall performance, user experience, and security while reducing development costs and time.

This chapter introduces the topic of software system design and talks about the various types and the significance of system design in the software industry. The chapter also discusses system design’s impact on software development, maintenance, and overall system performance. By the end of this chapter, you will have a good background in software system design and its importance in software development and have the motivation to dive into this topic even further.

In this chapter, we will cover the following:

  • What is system design?
  • What are the different types of system design?
  • Importance of system design...

What is system design?

Software system design is the process of defining the architecture, components, interfaces, and other characteristics of a system to satisfy specified requirements.

Let’s gain an understanding of system design by first delving into the concepts of software systems and distributed software systems.

Software system

A software system is a collection of software components, modules, and programs that work together to perform a specific task or set of tasks. It typically includes a set of interrelated software applications that work together to provide a desired functionality, such as managing data, processing transactions, or delivering a service to end users.

It can be as simple as a single program or as complex as a distributed system that spans multiple computing devices and networks.

A software system is designed, developed, and maintained by software engineers, who use various tools, programming languages, and methodologies to ensure that...

What are the types of system design?

There are essentially two types of system design: architectural design, also referred to as high-level system design, and detailed design, also referred to as low-level system design.

High-level system design

The key aspects of high-level system design include the following:

  • System architecture: The overall structure of the system, including its components, relationships, and communication patterns
  • Data flow: The movement of data through the system, from ingestion to storage and processing
  • Scalability: The ability of the system to handle increased workloads without significant degradation in performance
  • Fault tolerance: The capacity of the system to continue functioning despite failures or errors

Let us look at each of these aspects in some more detail.

System architecture

A crucial aspect of high-level system design is defining the overall architecture, which outlines the main components, their relationships...

Importance of system design in the industry

Incorporating the right process for system design has several benefits. Some of them are as follows:

  • Clarity of understanding the requirements: System design enables a clear understanding of requirements, which helps in building the right solution for the problem. This includes identifying the core functionalities, performance, and security requirements of the system.
  • Better collaboration: System design helps teams to collaborate more effectively, ensuring that everyone involved in the project has a clear understanding of the system’s architecture and design. This leads to better communication and coordination among team members and stakeholders.
  • Design reviews and feedback: Having a system design in place makes it easier for teammates and architects to participate in design reviews to discuss, find issues, and incorporate feedback.
  • High scalability: Scalability is the ability of a system to handle increasing amounts...

Practical examples of the importance of system design

The following are practical examples of the importance of software system design in various industries:

  • Finance: Financial institutions rely heavily on software systems to manage transactions, customer accounts, and other critical operations. Software system design ensures that these systems are secure, reliable, and efficient.
  • E-commerce: E-commerce platforms require complex software systems to handle large volumes of online transactions and manage inventory, shipping, and customer information. Effective software system design ensures that these platforms are user-friendly, secure, and scalable.
  • Healthcare: Electronic health records, medical imaging systems, and other healthcare software applications are critical to patient care. Software system design ensures that these applications are reliable, secure, and compliant with regulatory requirements.
  • Manufacturing: Software systems are used in manufacturing to...

Summary

In this chapter, we explored the importance of system design and its role in developing software solutions that meet both functional and non-functional requirements. System design involves defining the architecture, components, modules, interfaces, and interactions of a software system. By effectively translating requirements into a well-structured blueprint, system design forms the foundation for successful software development.

We discussed two types of system design: high-level and low-level. High-level system design encompasses critical aspects such as system architecture, data flow, scalability, and fault tolerance. Conversely, low-level system design focuses on implementation details and specific components. Throughout the design process, a set of design documents is produced, serving as valuable blueprints for the actual implementation of the software system.

The significance of system design in the industry cannot be overstated. It promotes a clear understanding...

Left arrow icon Right arrow icon

Key benefits

  • Comprehensive coverage of distributed systems concepts and practical system design techniques.
  • Insider tips and proven strategies from engineering leaders at top tech companies.
  • Detailed case studies of widely used applications and their system architectures.
  • Purchase of the print or Kindle book includes a free PDF eBook

Description

Building scalable software systems is more critical than ever. Yet, many software professionals struggle to navigate the complexities of system design, especially when aiming for positions at top tech companies. Written by Dhirendra Sinha, a seasoned Engineering Leader at Google with a blend of experience working at large companies such as Cisco, Oracle, and Yahoo, and Tejas Chopra, a Senior Software Engineer at Netflix, a TEDx speaker, and a Co-Founder of GoEB1, this comprehensive and authoritative resource on system design offers invaluable insights and strategies to help you excel in interviews with all major tech companies. This guide covers the basics of system design, including the principles and techniques of distributed systems, and delves into core building blocks such as distributed system theorems, attributes, and the design and implementation of system components. Following examples of popular applications such as Uber, Twitter, Instagram, Google Docs, and Netflix, you’ll learn how to apply concepts to real-world scenarios. The book offers expert advice and strategies for preparing and acing system design interviews, along with a mind map/cheat sheet summarizing the key takeaways. By the end of this book, you’ll be equipped with unique techniques and the confidence to solve any coding interview question.

Who is this book for?

This book is a must-have resource for experienced software professionals, particularly those with 5-15 years of experience in building scalable distributed systems, web applications, and backend microservices. Whether you're a seasoned developer or an architect looking to deepen your expertise in system design, this book provides the insights and practical knowledge you need to excel in tech interviews and advance your career. A solid foundation in distributed systems, data structures/algorithms, and web development will help you get the most out of this comprehensive guide.

What you will learn

  • Design for scalability and efficiency with expert insights
  • Apply distributed system theorems and attributes
  • Implement DNS, databases, caches, queues, and APIs
  • Analyze case studies of real-world systems
  • Discover tips to excel in system design interviews with confidence
  • Apply industry-standard methodologies for system design and evaluation
  • Explore the architecture and operation of cloud-based systems
Estimated delivery fee Deliver to Hungary

Premium delivery 7 - 10 business days

€25.95
(Includes tracking information)

Product Details

Country selected
Publication date, Length, Edition, Language, ISBN-13
Publication date : Aug 23, 2024
Length: 384 pages
Edition : 1st
Language : English
ISBN-13 : 9781805124993
Category :

What do you get with Print?

Product feature icon Instant access to your digital eBook copy whilst your Print order is Shipped
Product feature icon Colour book shipped to your preferred address
Product feature icon Download this book in EPUB and PDF formats
Product feature icon Access this title in our online reader with advanced features
Product feature icon DRM FREE - Read whenever, wherever and however you want
Product feature icon AI Assistant (beta) to help accelerate your learning
OR
Modal Close icon
Payment Processing...
tick Completed

Shipping Address

Billing Address

Shipping Methods
Estimated delivery fee Deliver to Hungary

Premium delivery 7 - 10 business days

€25.95
(Includes tracking information)

Product Details

Publication date : Aug 23, 2024
Length: 384 pages
Edition : 1st
Language : English
ISBN-13 : 9781805124993
Category :

Packt Subscriptions

See our plans and pricing
Modal Close icon
€18.99 billed monthly
Feature tick icon Unlimited access to Packt's library of 7,000+ practical books and videos
Feature tick icon Constantly refreshed with 50+ new titles a month
Feature tick icon Exclusive Early access to books as they're written
Feature tick icon Solve problems while you work with advanced search and reference features
Feature tick icon Offline reading on the mobile app
Feature tick icon Simple pricing, no contract
€189.99 billed annually
Feature tick icon Unlimited access to Packt's library of 7,000+ practical books and videos
Feature tick icon Constantly refreshed with 50+ new titles a month
Feature tick icon Exclusive Early access to books as they're written
Feature tick icon Solve problems while you work with advanced search and reference features
Feature tick icon Offline reading on the mobile app
Feature tick icon Choose a DRM-free eBook or Video every month to keep
Feature tick icon PLUS own as many other DRM-free eBooks or Videos as you like for just €5 each
Feature tick icon Exclusive print discounts
€264.99 billed in 18 months
Feature tick icon Unlimited access to Packt's library of 7,000+ practical books and videos
Feature tick icon Constantly refreshed with 50+ new titles a month
Feature tick icon Exclusive Early access to books as they're written
Feature tick icon Solve problems while you work with advanced search and reference features
Feature tick icon Offline reading on the mobile app
Feature tick icon Choose a DRM-free eBook or Video every month to keep
Feature tick icon PLUS own as many other DRM-free eBooks or Videos as you like for just €5 each
Feature tick icon Exclusive print discounts

Frequently bought together


Stars icon
Total 98.97
Mastering Git
€37.99
Microsoft Power BI Performance Best Practices
€33.99
System Design Guide for Software Professionals
€26.99
Total 98.97 Stars icon
Banner background image

Table of Contents

20 Chapters
Part 1: Foundations of System Design Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Chapter 1: Basics of System Design Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Chapter 2: Distributed System Attributes Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Chapter 3: Distributed Systems Theorems and Data Structures Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Part 2: Core Components of Distributed Systems Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Chapter 4: Distributed Systems Building Blocks: DNS, Load Balancers, and Application Gateways Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Chapter 5: Design and Implementation of System Components –Databases and Storage Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Chapter 6: Distributed Cache Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Chapter 7: Pub/Sub and Distributed Queues Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Part 3: System Design in Practice Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Chapter 8: Design and Implementation of System Components: API, Security, and Metrics Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Chapter 9: System Design – URL Shortener Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Chapter 10: System Design – Proximity Service Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Chapter 11: Designing a Service Like Twitter Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Chapter 12: Designing a Service Like Instagram Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Chapter 13: Designing a Service Like Google Docs Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Chapter 14: Designing a Service Like Netflix Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Chapter 15: Tips for Interviewees Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Chapter 16: System Design Cheat Sheet Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Index Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Get free access to Packt library with over 7500+ books and video courses for 7 days!
Start Free Trial

FAQs

What is the delivery time and cost of print book? Chevron down icon Chevron up icon

Shipping Details

USA:

'

Economy: Delivery to most addresses in the US within 10-15 business days

Premium: Trackable Delivery to most addresses in the US within 3-8 business days

UK:

Economy: Delivery to most addresses in the U.K. within 7-9 business days.
Shipments are not trackable

Premium: Trackable delivery to most addresses in the U.K. within 3-4 business days!
Add one extra business day for deliveries to Northern Ireland and Scottish Highlands and islands

EU:

Premium: Trackable delivery to most EU destinations within 4-9 business days.

Australia:

Economy: Can deliver to P. O. Boxes and private residences.
Trackable service with delivery to addresses in Australia only.
Delivery time ranges from 7-9 business days for VIC and 8-10 business days for Interstate metro
Delivery time is up to 15 business days for remote areas of WA, NT & QLD.

Premium: Delivery to addresses in Australia only
Trackable delivery to most P. O. Boxes and private residences in Australia within 4-5 days based on the distance to a destination following dispatch.

India:

Premium: Delivery to most Indian addresses within 5-6 business days

Rest of the World:

Premium: Countries in the American continent: Trackable delivery to most countries within 4-7 business days

Asia:

Premium: Delivery to most Asian addresses within 5-9 business days

Disclaimer:
All orders received before 5 PM U.K time would start printing from the next business day. So the estimated delivery times start from the next day as well. Orders received after 5 PM U.K time (in our internal systems) on a business day or anytime on the weekend will begin printing the second to next business day. For example, an order placed at 11 AM today will begin printing tomorrow, whereas an order placed at 9 PM tonight will begin printing the day after tomorrow.


Unfortunately, due to several restrictions, we are unable to ship to the following countries:

  1. Afghanistan
  2. American Samoa
  3. Belarus
  4. Brunei Darussalam
  5. Central African Republic
  6. The Democratic Republic of Congo
  7. Eritrea
  8. Guinea-bissau
  9. Iran
  10. Lebanon
  11. Libiya Arab Jamahriya
  12. Somalia
  13. Sudan
  14. Russian Federation
  15. Syrian Arab Republic
  16. Ukraine
  17. Venezuela
What is custom duty/charge? Chevron down icon Chevron up icon

Customs duty are charges levied on goods when they cross international borders. It is a tax that is imposed on imported goods. These duties are charged by special authorities and bodies created by local governments and are meant to protect local industries, economies, and businesses.

Do I have to pay customs charges for the print book order? Chevron down icon Chevron up icon

The orders shipped to the countries that are listed under EU27 will not bear custom charges. They are paid by Packt as part of the order.

List of EU27 countries: www.gov.uk/eu-eea:

A custom duty or localized taxes may be applicable on the shipment and would be charged by the recipient country outside of the EU27 which should be paid by the customer and these duties are not included in the shipping charges been charged on the order.

How do I know my custom duty charges? Chevron down icon Chevron up icon

The amount of duty payable varies greatly depending on the imported goods, the country of origin and several other factors like the total invoice amount or dimensions like weight, and other such criteria applicable in your country.

For example:

  • If you live in Mexico, and the declared value of your ordered items is over $ 50, for you to receive a package, you will have to pay additional import tax of 19% which will be $ 9.50 to the courier service.
  • Whereas if you live in Turkey, and the declared value of your ordered items is over € 22, for you to receive a package, you will have to pay additional import tax of 18% which will be € 3.96 to the courier service.
How can I cancel my order? Chevron down icon Chevron up icon

Cancellation Policy for Published Printed Books:

You can cancel any order within 1 hour of placing the order. Simply contact customercare@packt.com with your order details or payment transaction id. If your order has already started the shipment process, we will do our best to stop it. However, if it is already on the way to you then when you receive it, you can contact us at customercare@packt.com using the returns and refund process.

Please understand that Packt Publishing cannot provide refunds or cancel any order except for the cases described in our Return Policy (i.e. Packt Publishing agrees to replace your printed book because it arrives damaged or material defect in book), Packt Publishing will not accept returns.

What is your returns and refunds policy? Chevron down icon Chevron up icon

Return Policy:

We want you to be happy with your purchase from Packtpub.com. We will not hassle you with returning print books to us. If the print book you receive from us is incorrect, damaged, doesn't work or is unacceptably late, please contact Customer Relations Team on customercare@packt.com with the order number and issue details as explained below:

  1. If you ordered (eBook, Video or Print Book) incorrectly or accidentally, please contact Customer Relations Team on customercare@packt.com within one hour of placing the order and we will replace/refund you the item cost.
  2. Sadly, if your eBook or Video file is faulty or a fault occurs during the eBook or Video being made available to you, i.e. during download then you should contact Customer Relations Team within 14 days of purchase on customercare@packt.com who will be able to resolve this issue for you.
  3. You will have a choice of replacement or refund of the problem items.(damaged, defective or incorrect)
  4. Once Customer Care Team confirms that you will be refunded, you should receive the refund within 10 to 12 working days.
  5. If you are only requesting a refund of one book from a multiple order, then we will refund you the appropriate single item.
  6. Where the items were shipped under a free shipping offer, there will be no shipping costs to refund.

On the off chance your printed book arrives damaged, with book material defect, contact our Customer Relation Team on customercare@packt.com within 14 days of receipt of the book with appropriate evidence of damage and we will work with you to secure a replacement copy, if necessary. Please note that each printed book you order from us is individually made by Packt's professional book-printing partner which is on a print-on-demand basis.

What tax is charged? Chevron down icon Chevron up icon

Currently, no tax is charged on the purchase of any print book (subject to change based on the laws and regulations). A localized VAT fee is charged only to our European and UK customers on eBooks, Video and subscriptions that they buy. GST is charged to Indian customers for eBooks and video purchases.

What payment methods can I use? Chevron down icon Chevron up icon

You can pay with the following card types:

  1. Visa Debit
  2. Visa Credit
  3. MasterCard
  4. PayPal
What is the delivery time and cost of print books? Chevron down icon Chevron up icon

Shipping Details

USA:

'

Economy: Delivery to most addresses in the US within 10-15 business days

Premium: Trackable Delivery to most addresses in the US within 3-8 business days

UK:

Economy: Delivery to most addresses in the U.K. within 7-9 business days.
Shipments are not trackable

Premium: Trackable delivery to most addresses in the U.K. within 3-4 business days!
Add one extra business day for deliveries to Northern Ireland and Scottish Highlands and islands

EU:

Premium: Trackable delivery to most EU destinations within 4-9 business days.

Australia:

Economy: Can deliver to P. O. Boxes and private residences.
Trackable service with delivery to addresses in Australia only.
Delivery time ranges from 7-9 business days for VIC and 8-10 business days for Interstate metro
Delivery time is up to 15 business days for remote areas of WA, NT & QLD.

Premium: Delivery to addresses in Australia only
Trackable delivery to most P. O. Boxes and private residences in Australia within 4-5 days based on the distance to a destination following dispatch.

India:

Premium: Delivery to most Indian addresses within 5-6 business days

Rest of the World:

Premium: Countries in the American continent: Trackable delivery to most countries within 4-7 business days

Asia:

Premium: Delivery to most Asian addresses within 5-9 business days

Disclaimer:
All orders received before 5 PM U.K time would start printing from the next business day. So the estimated delivery times start from the next day as well. Orders received after 5 PM U.K time (in our internal systems) on a business day or anytime on the weekend will begin printing the second to next business day. For example, an order placed at 11 AM today will begin printing tomorrow, whereas an order placed at 9 PM tonight will begin printing the day after tomorrow.


Unfortunately, due to several restrictions, we are unable to ship to the following countries:

  1. Afghanistan
  2. American Samoa
  3. Belarus
  4. Brunei Darussalam
  5. Central African Republic
  6. The Democratic Republic of Congo
  7. Eritrea
  8. Guinea-bissau
  9. Iran
  10. Lebanon
  11. Libiya Arab Jamahriya
  12. Somalia
  13. Sudan
  14. Russian Federation
  15. Syrian Arab Republic
  16. Ukraine
  17. Venezuela