System Design Explained: APIs, Databases, Caching, CDNs, Load Balancing & Production Infra

Hayk Simonyan introduces a system design course aimed at helping developers advance to senior roles by mastering system architecture. The course covers core concepts, API design, database selection, caching strategies, big data processing, designing for production, and interview preparation. It emphasizes practical skills and real-world application in cloud environments like AWS. The content includes explanations of single-server setups, scaling strategies (vertical vs. horizontal), load balancing techniques, API design principles (REST, GraphQL, gRPC), authentication and authorization methods, and API security measures. The podcast promotes a mentorship program with a free trial, promising to equip engineers with skills to avoid job insecurity and command high salaries.

Outlines

Part 1: Senior Roles and System Foundations

Part 2: Scaling and Traffic Management

Part 3: API Architecture and Protocols

Part 4: Deep Dive into REST and GraphQL

Part 5: Security, Authentication, and Authorization

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Hayk Simonyan

Part 1: Senior Roles and System Foundations

The Core Skill Differentiating Mid-Level and Senior Developers

Foundations of System Design: Single Server Setups and Database Selection

Relational vs. Non-Relational Databases: A Detailed Comparison

Part 2: Scaling and Traffic Management

Mastering System Design: Bridging Theory with Hands-On Experience and Scaling Strategies

Load Balancing Strategies and Algorithms

Health Checks, Load Balancer Examples, and Single Points of Failure

Avoiding Load Balancer Failures and Introduction to API Design

Part 3: API Architecture and Protocols

API Styles: REST, GraphQL, and gRPC

API Design Principles and Protocol Influence

The API Design Process and Recap

API Protocols: HTTP, HTTPS, and WebSockets

AMQP and gRPC: Protocols for Asynchronous and High-Performance Communication

Transport Layer Protocols: TCP vs. UDP

Part 4: Deep Dive into REST and GraphQL

RESTful API Design: Resource Modeling and URL Design

Filtering, Sorting, Pagination, and HTTP Methods in RESTful APIs

Status Codes, Error Handling, and Best Practices for RESTful APIs

Introduction to GraphQL: Core Concepts and Schema Design

Best Practices for GraphQL APIs

Part 5: Security, Authentication, and Authorization

Authentication Methods: From Basic to OAuth2 and JWT

Authorization Models: RBAC, ABAC, and ACL

Enforcing Authorization: OAuth2 and JWT

API Security Techniques

System Design Explained: APIs, Databases, Caching, CDNs, Load Balancing & Production Infra

Hayk Simonyan

Part 1: Senior Roles and System Foundations

00:00The Core Skill Differentiating Mid-Level and Senior Developers

The Core Skill Differentiating Mid-Level and Senior Developers

01:23Foundations of System Design: Single Server Setups and Database Selection

Foundations of System Design: Single Server Setups and Database Selection

07:31Relational vs. Non-Relational Databases: A Detailed Comparison

Relational vs. Non-Relational Databases: A Detailed Comparison

Part 2: Scaling and Traffic Management

12:55Mastering System Design: Bridging Theory with Hands-On Experience and Scaling Strategies

Mastering System Design: Bridging Theory with Hands-On Experience and Scaling Strategies

17:30Load Balancing Strategies and Algorithms

Load Balancing Strategies and Algorithms

23:31Health Checks, Load Balancer Examples, and Single Points of Failure

Health Checks, Load Balancer Examples, and Single Points of Failure

29:24Avoiding Load Balancer Failures and Introduction to API Design

Avoiding Load Balancer Failures and Introduction to API Design

Part 3: API Architecture and Protocols

33:32API Styles: REST, GraphQL, and gRPC

API Styles: REST, GraphQL, and gRPC

39:26API Design Principles and Protocol Influence

API Design Principles and Protocol Influence

43:26The API Design Process and Recap

The API Design Process and Recap

47:20API Protocols: HTTP, HTTPS, and WebSockets

API Protocols: HTTP, HTTPS, and WebSockets

52:07AMQP and gRPC: Protocols for Asynchronous and High-Performance Communication

AMQP and gRPC: Protocols for Asynchronous and High-Performance Communication

58:13Transport Layer Protocols: TCP vs. UDP

Transport Layer Protocols: TCP vs. UDP

Part 4: Deep Dive into REST and GraphQL

1:04:16RESTful API Design: Resource Modeling and URL Design

RESTful API Design: Resource Modeling and URL Design

1:09:09Filtering, Sorting, Pagination, and HTTP Methods in RESTful APIs

Filtering, Sorting, Pagination, and HTTP Methods in RESTful APIs

1:17:01Status Codes, Error Handling, and Best Practices for RESTful APIs

Status Codes, Error Handling, and Best Practices for RESTful APIs

1:19:05Introduction to GraphQL: Core Concepts and Schema Design

Introduction to GraphQL: Core Concepts and Schema Design

1:24:07Best Practices for GraphQL APIs

Best Practices for GraphQL APIs

Part 5: Security, Authentication, and Authorization

1:25:01Authentication Methods: From Basic to OAuth2 and JWT

Authentication Methods: From Basic to OAuth2 and JWT

1:30:33Authorization Models: RBAC, ABAC, and ACL

Authorization Models: RBAC, ABAC, and ACL

1:37:43Enforcing Authorization: OAuth2 and JWT

Enforcing Authorization: OAuth2 and JWT

1:41:18API Security Techniques

API Security Techniques