Grokking the System Design Interview

Ace your system design interview with the original Grokking the System Design Interview course by Design Gurus – ex-FAANG hiring managers. With 30K+ 5★ reviews, this course will help you master scalability, distributed systems, and more.

Level:
Beginner
Study Time:
20h
Lessons:
65
4.7
(41,935 ratings)
125,606 learners
Best Seller

Course Overview

Grokking the System Design Interview is the original and most comprehensive course for system design interviews. Created by ex-FAANG hiring managers from Google, Facebook, Amazon, and Microsoft, it distills years of real-world experience into a proven step-by-step framework that has helped over 100,000 software engineer to gain a deep mastery of system design interviews. Whether you’re a junior developer seeking to learn system design fundamentals or a seasoned engineer brushing up on distributed systems, this course ensures you’ll excel in any high-stakes interview. From caching and load balancing to database sharding and queue-based architectures, every concept is explained with clarity and practical examples. Structured around a clear, repeatable methodology, the course shows you exactly how to tackle any system design question—from clarifying requirements and defining key components to handling performance trade-offs and scaling globally. The curriculum is continually updated to reflect the latest industry trends and best practices, ensuring you stay ahead of the curve. With real-world case studies, engaging illustrations, and a 4.7-star average rating, “Grokking the System Design Interview” remains the top resource for those who want to confidently learn system design. Whether you’re interviewing at a FAANG company or any tech-driven organization, this course gives you the inside...

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Grokking the System Design Interview Image
Annual Subscription
Get instant access to all current and upcoming courses for one year.
OR
Lifetime Access - This Course
Get lifetime access to this course only.
Discounted Prices for Your Region
Certification on completing the course.
Gift for lifetime

What you'll learn

  • A proven approach to systematically tackle any system design question — from requirements gathering to final detailed solution.
  • Master the core concepts of scalability, reliability, and performance to build robust, web-scale systems.
  • Dive into caching strategies, load balancing methods, and database sharding to handle complex, large-scale scenarios.
  • Get insider tips from ex-Google, Facebook, Amazon, and Microsoft interviewers on what top tech companies expect in system design interviews.
  • Master the art of requirements engineering — from clarifying requirements to understanding constraints — for large-scale systems.
  • Learn system design with real-world patterns: microservices, event-driven architectures, data partitioning, and more.
  • Explore hands-on examples like designing Instagram, Uber-like services, and messaging platforms to gain practical experience.
  • Understand how to choose the right technology stack, communication protocol (REST vs. gRPC), and hosting strategy (cloud vs. on-prem).

Course Content

Chapters • 65 Lessons
2.
Glossary of System Design Basics
19 lessons
3.
System Design Trade-offs
New
22 lessons
5.
Appendix
2 lessons

What people say about our courses

Arijeet avatar
Arijeet
Software Engineer
Just completed the “Grokking the system design interview”. It's amazing and super informative. Have come across very few courses that are as good as this!
Steven Zhang avatar
Steven Zhang
Software Engineer
Just wanted to say thanks for your Grokking the system design interview resource (https://lnkd.in/g4Wii9r7) - it helped me immensely when I was interviewing from Tableau (very little system design exp) and helped me land 18 FAANG+ jobs!
Eric avatar
Eric
Software Engineer
I've completed my first pass of "grokking the System Design Interview" and I can say this was an excellent use of money and time. I've grown as a developer and now know the secrets of how to build these really giant internet systems.
Vivien Ruska avatar
Vivien Ruska
Software Engineer
Hey, I wasn't looking for interview materials but in general I wanted to learn about system design, and I bumped into 'Grokking the System Design Interview' on designgurus.io - it also walks you through popular apps like Instagram, Twitter, etc.👌
Brandon Lyons avatar
Brandon Lyons
Software Engineer
The famous "grokking the system design interview course" on http://designgurus.io is amazing. I used this for my MSFT interviews and I was told I nailed it.
Nathan Thomas avatar
Nathan Thomas
Software Engineer
My newest course recommendation for all of you is to check out Grokking the System Design Interview on designgurus.io. I'm working through it this month, and I'd highly recommend it.

FAQs

System design interview tests your ability to design scalable, efficient, and fault-tolerant systems. It involves creating a high-level architecture for real-world applications, such as social media platforms, e-commerce sites, or messaging systems. The focus is on your problem-solving, trade-off analysis, and design choices.

The best way to prepare is to learn key concepts like scalability, databases, caching, and APIs. Practice designing systems, such as URL shorteners or chat apps, and explain your design choices. Use resources like "Grokking the System Design Interview" by DesignGurus.io for a structured approach.

No, system design interviews typically don’t involve coding. These interviews focus on high-level architecture, system components, and design choices rather than writing code. However, you may need to discuss algorithms or pseudocode to explain certain design decisions.

A system design interview typically lasts 45-60 minutes. During this time, you'll analyze requirements, propose a design, discuss trade-offs, and answer follow-up questions. Efficient time management is crucial to cover all aspects of the design.

To excel in system design interviews, thoroughly understand the problem requirements, break down the system into its components, and focus on scalability, reliability, and trade-offs. Practice designing real-world systems and use structured resources like "Grokking the System Design Interview" to build your skills.

To answer a system design question, start by clarifying the requirements, then outline the system's high-level architecture. Break the design into key components (e.g., database, APIs, caching) and explain trade-offs. Address scalability, fault tolerance, and performance to show a complete understanding.

Prepare for a system design interview by learning fundamentals like databases, caching, load balancing, and distributed systems. Practice designing systems, such as chat apps or e-commerce sites. Use resources like "Grokking the System Design Interview" for examples and guidance.

Yes, system design interviews can be challenging because they test complex topics like scalability, distributed systems, and trade-offs. However, with practice and understanding of common system design patterns, they become manageable. Structured resources like "Grokking the System Design Interview" can simplify preparation.

To solve system design problems, start by understanding the requirements and constraints. Break the system into components like storage, APIs, and communication layers. Focus on scalability, fault tolerance, and efficiency while discussing trade-offs and justifying your design choices.

Practice system design concepts by studying real-world applications, such as URL shorteners, social media platforms, and ride-sharing apps. Break down their architectures, identify components, and explore trade-offs. Utilize resources like "Grokking the System Design Interview" and participate in mock interviews to gain hands-on experience.

In a system design interview, you're expected to analyze requirements, design a scalable and reliable architecture, and explain your choices. Key topics include databases, APIs, caching, load balancing, and trade-offs. Clear communication and a structured approach are crucial.

To answer a system design interview, clarify requirements first. Propose a high-level architecture, divide the system into its components, and explain how these components interact. Discuss scalability, reliability, and trade-offs to demonstrate a thorough understanding of the design.

To excel in system design, focus on understanding core concepts such as scalability, databases, caching, and distributed systems. Practice solving real-world design problems and learn from examples in resources like "Grokking the System Design Interview." Consistent practice and feedback are key.

No, a system design interview is different from a coding interview. Coding interviews focus on solving algorithmic problems with code, while system design interviews evaluate your ability to create scalable and efficient architectures for real-world applications. Both test different skill sets.

Design interviews often include questions like designing a URL shortener, a messaging app, a ride-sharing platform, or an e-commerce system. You'll be asked to address scalability, database design, API structure, caching, and trade-offs in your solutions.

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