Feeds at scale: when to push, when to pull
Fan-out on write makes reads instant until one account has fifty million followers. Here is how to reason about the hybrid most real feeds use.
WRITING / NOTES FROM THE FORGE
System Design
10 articles tagged System Design.
Microservices vs Monolith: How to Choose (and When to Switch)
Microservices vs monolith compared honestly: trade-offs, the modular monolith middle ground, warning signs it is time to split, and how to migrate safely.
Rate Limiting Algorithms Explained: Token Bucket, Sliding Window, and More
Rate limiting algorithms explained with code: token bucket, leaky bucket, fixed window, and sliding window, plus how to pick one and run it across servers.
Kafka vs RabbitMQ: Which Message Broker Should You Use?
Kafka vs RabbitMQ compared: log vs queue model, ordering, replay, routing, consumer groups, and clear guidance on which message broker fits your use case.
CAP Theorem Explained Simply (With Real-World Examples)
CAP theorem explained simply: what consistency, availability, and partition tolerance really mean, CP vs AP with real examples, and how PACELC extends it.
Database Sharding Explained: When and How to Shard
Database sharding explained: when you actually need it, how to pick a shard key, range vs hash vs directory sharding, and how to handle rebalancing.
Load Balancing Algorithms Explained: Round Robin to Consistent Hashing
Load balancing algorithms explained: round robin, weighted, least connections, IP hash, power of two choices, and consistent hashing, with when to use each.
Caching Strategies Explained: Cache-Aside, Write-Through, and More
Caching strategies compared: cache-aside, read-through, write-through, write-behind, and write-around, with trade-offs, code, and when to use each.
REST vs GraphQL vs gRPC: How to Choose the Right API Style
REST vs GraphQL vs gRPC compared on performance, caching, tooling, and team fit, with a practical decision guide for public, frontend, and internal APIs.
System Design Interview Guide: A Step-by-Step Framework
A practical system design interview framework: clarify requirements, estimate scale, define APIs and data, sketch the design, then go deep on trade-offs.