Tools: 10 System Design Concepts That Took Me From Junior Dev To Senior...
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After bombing my first three system design interviews at top tech companies, I made a decision: I would master system design properly, not just memorize answers.
What followed was 18 months of deep study, failed attempts, successful interviews, and real production experience. The result? I went from a developer who dreaded system design questions to one who genuinely enjoys them.
The turning point was mastering 10 foundational concepts that underpin every system design decision. These aren't just interview topics—they're the principles that separate engineers who build systems that survive production from those who build systems that survive demos.
In this article, I'm sharing those 10 concepts with the depth and clarity I wish someone had given me years ago.
Before diving in, let me be direct about the stakes:
In interviews: FAANG and top tech companies use system design rounds to filter for senior-level thinking. Without these concepts, you won't pass. With them, you'll stand out.
In production: These concepts determine whether your system handles 10 users or 10 million users. Whether it survives a server failure or goes down for 12 hours. Whether your team ships features confidently or lives in fear of deployments.
In salary: Senior engineers earn 2-3x junior salaries largely because they understand these concepts. They're the difference between an $80k and a $180k+ career trajectory.
Quick resources: If you're preparing for system design interviews, these platforms are the best I've found:
Source: Dev.to
