System Design
Mid-Level
system_design
Design a Scalable URL Shortener
Create a URL shortener service that takes long URLs and converts them into shorter, unique URLs. The service should be highly scalable and handle millions of requests. Discuss the database choice and how you would ensure uniqueness in the short URLs. You may include features such as user URL history, custom short URLs, and analytics for tracking usage.
In your design, consider the trade-offs between consistency, availability, and partition tolerance.
## What to Cover
1. Define the requirements and features.
2. Choose the appropriate database and architecture.
3. Explain the hashing strategy and how to handle collisions.
4. Discuss features like tracking, custom URLs, and how scaling would work.
5. Address CAP theorem where applicable and deliberate trade-offs.
## Strong Answer Framework
- Clearly outline components (frontend, backend, database), scalability concerns, and potential bottlenecks.
- Describe how the service would handle data consistency versus availability.
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