01 / FIELD NOTES
System design 6 min readA 90% cache hit ratio does not remove 90% of all traffic.
Separate reads from writes to calculate backend pressure, then test the assumptions that make the number useful.
Foundation
System design.
Reason about bottlenecks, caches and queues with small models before making large infrastructure decisions.
Start with a guide, work through its example, and explain the result in your own words. Then take the idea into a practice task.
02 / FIELD NOTES
System design 6 min readA queue buys time. It does not create processing capacity.
Calculate backlog, drain time and overflow with a small burst model—and know what the model leaves out.
Foundation
03 / FIELD NOTES
System design 6 min readAn error spike needs a denominator. Reason with burn rate.
Calculate a request-based error budget and distinguish a warning signal from a paging policy.
Intermediate
FROM UNDERSTANDING TO DOING
Make the next step a small one.
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Start free practiceSave your own workPractice with browser fixturesClear Free & Pro accessSQL practice uses local DuckDB fixtures. System-design simulations model assumptions; they do not provision real cloud services.