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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

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Profile Icon Dhirendra Sinha Profile Icon Tejas Chopra
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Paperback Aug 2024 384 pages 1st Edition
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Arrow left icon
Profile Icon Dhirendra Sinha Profile Icon Tejas Chopra
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Paperback Aug 2024 384 pages 1st Edition
eBook
€8.99 €20.99
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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...

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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
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Length: 384 pages
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Language : English
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Length: 384 pages
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Language : English
ISBN-13 : 9781805124993
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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
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