Introduction

Systems design is the process of defining the architecture, components, modules, interfaces, and data flow of a system to meet specific requirements. It involves making high-level design decisions that balance performance, scalability, reliability, security, and maintainability. At its core, systems design aims to structure complex systems into manageable parts, considering both technical and business constraints.

The process typically starts with requirements gathering and analysis, followed by creating conceptual models like diagrams and data flows. Key principles include modularity, abstraction, and separation of concerns. A well-designed system accounts for trade-offs, such as optimizing for scalability while ensuring cost efficiency, and considers real-world factors like fault tolerance, data consistency, and user experience. Systems design is crucial for building robust applications, distributed systems, or complex infrastructures that meet both present and future needs.