Question 1

How should I prepare for a system design interview?

Accepted Answer

System design interviews are a common part of the hiring process for mid and senior-level engineering roles at companies like Google, Meta, and Amazon. They test your ability to design scalable, reliable systems and evaluate how you think about trade-offs.

During the interview, you’ll typically be asked to design a real-world product, such as YouTube, Instagram, or Google Maps. You’ll need to:

Clarify product requirements and constraints
Design a high-level system architecture using appropriate components (e.g., load balancers, databases, caches, queues)
Dive into specific relevant areas, such as data storage, APIs, or scaling strategies
Justify your decisions and walk through tradeoffs around cost, performance, and availability.

Here's how you can prepare effectively:

First, build fluency in core concepts like load balancing, caching, queues, sharding, databases, and fault tolerance. These are the building blocks you’ll need to design scalable systems.
Once you’ve got the fundamentals, practice approaching system design questions in a structured way.
Finally, practice out loud to sharpen your communication and do mock interviews with peers or coaches to get feedback.

For sample questions, frameworks, and detailed prep advice, read our system design interview guide.

Question 2

What are {{page.skill.name}} mock interviews?

Accepted Answer

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Question 3

How is practicing with {{page.skill.name|add_article}} mock interview coach different to doing mocks with a friend or peer?

Accepted Answer

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Question 4

How much do {{page.skill.name}} mock interviews normally cost?

Accepted Answer

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Question 5

How will my {{page.skill.name}} mock interview work?

Accepted Answer

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