8-Week Roadmap for System Design Preparation

2025-02-09

Week 1: Scalability, API Gateway, Load Balancing, Caching, CAP/PACELC Theorems, Bloom Filters
– Study horizontal and vertical scaling techniques.
– Learn about load balancing algorithms like Round Robin, Least Connections, and IP Hash.
– Implement caching strategies using Redis or Memcached.
– Explore CAP theorem and PACELC trade-offs in distributed systems.
– Understand Bloom Filters for probabilistic data structures.

Commands to Practice:


<h1>Install Redis</h1>

sudo apt-get install redis-server

<h1>Start Redis</h1>

redis-server

<h1>Basic Redis commands</h1>

redis-cli
SET key value
GET key

Week 2: Databases, Data Modeling, Partitioning, Sharding, Replication

  • Compare SQL (MySQL, PostgreSQL) and NoSQL (MongoDB, Cassandra) databases.
  • Learn about data indexing and partitioning strategies.
  • Implement sharding and replication in MongoDB.

Commands to Practice:


<h1>Install MongoDB</h1>

sudo apt-get install mongodb

<h1>Start MongoDB</h1>

sudo systemctl start mongodb

<h1>MongoDB sharding example</h1>

sh.addShard("shard1/rs1.example.net:27017")

Week 3: Networking, REST, gRPC, GraphQL, DNS, Proxies, Websockets, Long Poll
– Understand HTTP/HTTPS protocols and RESTful APIs.
– Implement a simple gRPC service in Python.
– Set up a WebSocket server using Node.js.

Commands to Practice:


<h1>Install Node.js and WebSocket library</h1>

sudo apt-get install nodejs npm
npm install ws

<h1>Start WebSocket server</h1>

node websocket-server.js

Week 4: Distributed Systems, Consistency Models, Quorum, Leader/Follower, Merkle Tree, Consistent Hashing
– Study consistency models like eventual consistency and strong consistency.
– Implement a simple leader-follower system using ZooKeeper.
– Explore consistent hashing for distributed caching.

Commands to Practice:


<h1>Install ZooKeeper</h1>

sudo apt-get install zookeeperd

<h1>Start ZooKeeper</h1>

sudo service zookeeper start

Week 5: APIs, Architectural Design Patterns, Microservices

  • Learn about Publisher-Subscriber, Circuit Breaker, and Sharding patterns.
  • Implement a microservices architecture using Docker and Kubernetes.

Commands to Practice:


<h1>Install Docker</h1>

sudo apt-get install docker.io

<h1>Run a Docker container</h1>

docker run -d -p 8080:80 nginx

Week 6-8: System Design Practice and Interview Preparation

  • Practice designing systems like Facebook Newsfeed, Instagram, Twitter Search, and YouTube.
  • Solve problems like designing Dropbox, API Rate Limiting, and Web Crawlers.

Commands to Practice:


<h1>Install Kubernetes</h1>

sudo apt-get install kubectl

<h1>Deploy a Kubernetes cluster</h1>

kubectl create deployment nginx --image=nginx

What Undercode Say

System design is a critical skill for software engineers, especially for those preparing for technical interviews. This 8-week roadmap provides a structured approach to mastering key concepts like scalability, databases, networking, and distributed systems. By practicing with real-world tools like Redis, MongoDB, Docker, and Kubernetes, you can build a strong foundation in system design.

To further enhance your skills, explore advanced topics like consistent hashing, Merkle trees, and gRPC. Use Linux commands to set up and manage these technologies, ensuring hands-on experience. For example, mastering Redis commands for caching or deploying microservices with Docker can significantly improve your understanding.

Remember, system design is not just about theory but also about practical implementation. Use the provided commands and tools to experiment and build your own systems. For additional resources, visit Redis Documentation, MongoDB University, and Kubernetes.io.

By following this roadmap and practicing consistently, you’ll be well-prepared to tackle system design interviews and build scalable, efficient systems in your career.

References:

Hackers Feeds, Undercode AIFeatured Image

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