System Design
Senior
system_design
Design a URL shortener service
In this system design question, you are required to design a URL shortener similar to Bitly. Your design should consider how to handle billions of URLs efficiently and ensure that each shortened URL leads to its original link. Discuss components like database schema, caching, and how to maintain uniqueness. Be ready to explain your choices and potential trade-offs.
## What to Cover
- Overview of the system architecture including components (API, Database, Caching).
- Discuss how you will handle URL collisions and guarantee uniqueness.
- Talk about different caching strategies and their advantages.
## Strong Answer Framework
Structure the answer by introducing each component sequentially, and conclude with scalability and fault tolerance considerations.
## Watch Out For
Ensure to address all potential failure points and traffic handling methods suitable for high availability.
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