Architecture System Designs

Worked Architecture system design walkthroughs: the requirements, the trade-offs, real numbers and the component choices behind each design.

Browse all system designs

1. Client-Server Architecture

   A foundational pattern where clients request resources and servers respond. Covers HTTP request lifecycle, load balancing, caching, failure modes, and scaling strategies with real numbers.

   Architecture · beginner · 12 min read

2. Microservices Architecture: Boundaries, Communication and the Cost of Distribution

   A deep-dive into decomposing monoliths into microservices, drawing service boundaries, choosing sync vs async communication, and managing the operational overhead that comes with distribution.

   Architecture · intermediate · 12 min read

3. Migrating a Monolith to Services: Strangler Fig, Dual Writes, and Cutover

   A concrete playbook for extracting microservices from a monolith using the strangler fig pattern, dual-write synchronization, and zero-downtime cutover strategies.

   Architecture · advanced · 12 min read

4. Peer-to-Peer Architecture and Distributed Hash Tables

   A deep dive into P2P overlay networks and DHT algorithms (Kademlia, Chord) — covering routing, replication, churn tolerance, and real-world trade-offs for engineers building or interviewing on distributed systems.

   Architecture · advanced · 12 min read

5. Serverless Architecture: Functions, Managed Services and Cold Starts

   A deep-dive into serverless design patterns covering FaaS execution models, managed service integration, cold start mitigation, and real-world trade-offs for production workloads.

   Architecture · intermediate · 12 min read