hibranwar

Systems Thinking × System Design

From feedback loops to distributed systems. Free, structured, no paywall.

91 Sessions
10 Modules
~7.5h Reading time
18 Case studies

Each session is a 5-minute read (~800 words) with one assignment. No fluff. Sessions build progressively, but each module works on its own. Systems thinking isn't isolated in Module 0. It runs through everything.

Module 0

Foundation: Systems Thinking Principles

The lens through which everything else is interpreted.

  1. 0.1 From Linear to Circular Thinking
  2. 0.2 The 4 Fundamental Concepts
  3. 0.3 Analysis vs. Synthesis
  4. 0.4 Reinforcing Feedback Loops
  5. 0.5 Balancing Feedback Loops
  6. 0.6 Leverage Points (Meadows' Framework)
  7. 0.7 The Iceberg Model
  8. 0.8 Causal Loop Diagrams
  9. 0.9 Unintended Consequences
  10. 0.10 Systems Thinking Tools Overview

Print / Download Module 0 as PDF

Module 1

Architectural Foundations & Core Concepts

Building the vocabulary every system designer must own.

  1. 1.1 Client-Server Model
  2. 1.2 Networking Fundamentals
  3. 1.3 Protocols Deep Dive: REST & GraphQL
  4. 1.4 Protocols Deep Dive: gRPC & WebSocket
  5. 1.5 Monolith vs. Microservices
  6. 1.6 Architectural Patterns
  7. 1.7 Three-Tier Architecture
  8. 1.8 Serialization & Web Sessions
  9. 1.9 Scalability Vocabulary
  10. 1.10 The Twelve-Factor App

Print / Download Module 1 as PDF

Module 2

Scalability, Load Balancing & API Design

Designing systems that grow without breaking.

  1. 2.1 Horizontal vs. Vertical Scaling
  2. 2.2 Load Balancing: ALB vs. NLB
  3. 2.3 Load Balancing Algorithms
  4. 2.4 API Gateway
  5. 2.5 Autoscaling
  6. 2.6 Capacity Estimation
  7. 2.7 API Design Principles
  8. 2.8 VM, Serverless & Container Scaling
  9. 2.9 Rate Limiting
  10. 2.10 Content Delivery Networks

Print / Download Module 2 as PDF

Module 3

Storage, Databases & Caching

Choosing the right data layer for every use case.

  1. 3.1 SQL vs. NoSQL
  2. 3.2 NoSQL Taxonomy
  3. 3.3 Database Sharding
  4. 3.4 Database Replication
  5. 3.5 Database Indexing
  6. 3.6 Consistent Hashing
  7. 3.7 Object Storage & Distributed File Systems
  8. 3.8 Caching Strategies: Read Path
  9. 3.9 Caching Strategies: Write Path
  10. 3.10 Redis & Memcached
  11. 3.11 Big Data Fundamentals

Print / Download Module 3 as PDF

Module 4

Reliability, Security & System Resilience

Designing for failure before failure designs itself.

  1. 4.1 High Availability Design
  2. 4.2 Fault Tolerance
  3. 4.3 Disaster Recovery
  4. 4.4 Backup & Recovery
  5. 4.5 Authentication & Authorization
  6. 4.6 Encryption: At Rest & In Transit
  7. 4.7 Network Security
  8. 4.8 Security Anti-Patterns
  9. 4.9 Observability & Logging

Print / Download Module 4 as PDF

Module 5

Distributed Systems & Consensus

The theory behind every architecture decision.

  1. 5.1 CAP Theorem
  2. 5.2 Consistency Models
  3. 5.3 Distributed Computing Concepts
  4. 5.4 Consensus Algorithms: Paxos & Raft
  5. 5.5 Message Queues vs. Pub/Sub
  6. 5.6 Apache Kafka Deep Dive
  7. 5.7 Synchronous vs. Event-Driven Architecture
  8. 5.8 Distributed Tracing

Print / Download Module 5 as PDF

Module 6

System Design Interview Framework

A reusable methodology for any design problem.

  1. 6.1 Step 1: Understand the Problem
  2. 6.2 Step 2: Estimate Scale & Bottlenecks
  3. 6.3 Step 3: High-Level Design
  4. 6.4 Step 4: Tech & Infrastructure Decisions
  5. 6.5 Common Design Patterns Summary

Print / Download Module 6 as PDF

Module 7

Real-World Case Studies I

Applying the framework to canonical systems.

  1. 7.1 URL Shortener (TinyURL)
  2. 7.2 Social Media Feed (Twitter/X)
  3. 7.3 Video Streaming (YouTube/Netflix)
  4. 7.4 Chat Application (WhatsApp)
  5. 7.5 Ride-Hailing (Uber/Lyft)
  6. 7.6 E-Commerce Platform (Amazon)
  7. 7.7 Notification System
  8. 7.8 Parking System

Print / Download Module 7 as PDF

Module 8

Real-World Case Studies II

Complex multi-system architectures.

  1. 8.1 Search Engine
  2. 8.2 Ticketing System (Ticketmaster)
  3. 8.3 Cloud Storage (Dropbox)
  4. 8.4 Collaborative Document Editor (Google Docs)
  5. 8.5 Online Auction Platform
  6. 8.6 News Feed Ranking
  7. 8.7 Online Rental Platform (Airbnb)
  8. 8.8 Taxi Hailing Deep Dive (Uber Architecture Evolution)
  9. 8.9 IoT System Design
  10. 8.10 Generative AI System Design

Print / Download Module 8 as PDF

Module 9

Advanced Topics & Emerging Architectures

Beyond the standard playbook.

  1. 9.1 AWS Well-Architected Framework
  2. 9.2 Advanced Security: Zero Trust
  3. 9.3 Data Analytics Architectures
  4. 9.4 Performance Optimization
  5. 9.5 Cell-Based Architecture
  6. 9.6 Observability at Scale
  7. 9.7 Content-Based Messaging & Priority Queues
  8. 9.8 Twelve-Factor App: Advanced Application
  9. 9.9 Interview Mindset & Communication
  10. 9.10 Capstone: Combined Systems Analysis

Print / Download Module 9 as PDF

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