Live DemoIntermediate2 hours
Design a URL Shortener System
Walk through the full system design process for a URL shortener: requirements, API, database, scaling, and trade-offs.
Part of System Design (Week 3)
What You'll Build
A complete system design document for a URL shortener covering functional/non-functional requirements, API contracts, database schema, caching with Redis, and horizontal scaling strategy.
Tools Used
WhiteboardRedisPostgreSQLLoad Balancer
Skills Practiced
System design methodologyDatabase designCaching strategyScaling patterns
Prerequisites
- Basic web architecture knowledge
Why This Matters in Real Jobs
URL shortener is the classic introductory system design question. Mastering this builds the muscle memory for tackling more complex designs in interviews at top tech companies.
Access This Lab
This lab is part of the System Design course. Enrol to get access to all labs, projects, and career support.