System Design 101
Free, entirely visual explanations of the concepts that keep coming up, from how DNS resolves to what an API gateway does to why Kafka is fast. Built to be scanned in two minutes when you need a refresher, not read as a book.
Cheat sheet
System Design
ByteByteGo
Ongoing reference
All
Free
What it is
An open source repository of illustrated one page explanations covering communication protocols, database choices, caching, microservices, DevOps, security and payment systems, each compressed into a single diagram with brief annotations.
Why the cheat sheet format works here
There is a real difference between learning a concept and being able to recall it under pressure. Once you have understood how a reverse proxy differs from a load balancer, what you need six months later is thirty seconds of reminder, not another article. This is built for that second job.
How to use it
Bookmark it and use it for revision in the days before an interview, or as a quick check when a term comes up in a design discussion and you want to be sure you have it right. It is not a substitute for learning the material, and it is not pretending to be.
Best for: fast revision, and anyone who wants the whole vocabulary in one scrollable page.
Ready to start?
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Stuck on something specific?
Writing only gets you so far. If you want an answer to your situation rather than the general case, book a session and we will work through it together. Every session is free; a few slots open each week.
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