Explain how to handle bottlenecks (e.g., sharding a database that has grown too large). Critically evaluate your own design.

Go to GitHub, search for "System Design Primer PDF," download the free resource, and start drawing boxes and arrows today. The system is designed to be hacked—but only if you do the work.

The system design interview typically involves a series of open-ended questions that require candidates to design a system from scratch. The interviewer may provide a prompt, such as "Design a scalable e-commerce platform" or "Create a real-time chat application." The candidate is then expected to lead the discussion, presenting their design choices, and justifying their decisions.