Part 1 : Building an App like Dream 11

Part 1 -Building an App like Dream 11

Part 2: Building an App Like Dream 11: Sequence Diagrams & Flows

Part 3: Building an App Like Dream 11: Microservices Design

Introduction:

Dream11 is a popular online fantasy sports platform that allows users to create and manage their own virtual teams based on real-life players from various sports, such as cricket, football, basketball, and more. Users participate in contests by selecting a team of players, who earn points based on their actual performance in real-world matches. In this article, we will discuss the process of building a software application similar to Dream11, focusing on the requirements, functionality, cost estimation, and traffic considerations for a platform with over 50 million downloads and 1 million daily active users.

Requirements:

Functional Requirements:

1. User registration and authentication: The app should allow users to register and log in using their email, mobile number, or social media accounts.
2. Profile management: Users should be able to update their personal information, change passwords, and manage their payment methods.
3. Team creation and editing: Users should be able to create and edit their virtual teams, selecting players based on the available budget and position constraints.
4. Contest creation and participation: The app should offer various contest formats and allow users to join or create contests with customizable entry fees, prize pools, and rules.
5. Live match updates and scoring: The app should display live match updates and automatically calculate team scores based on player performance data.
6. Leaderboard and rankings: Users should be able to view contest leaderboards and their overall rankings based on their team’s performance.
7. Wallet and transaction management: The app should support secure payment processing for deposits, withdrawals, and contest entry fees.

Non-Functional Requirements:

1. Scalability: The app should be able to handle a large number of users and efficiently manage traffic spikes during peak times.
2. Performance: The app should have fast response times and minimal latency to ensure a smooth user experience.
3. Security: The app should follow industry-standard security practices to protect user data and prevent unauthorized access.
4. Availability: The app should be highly available, with minimal downtime to ensure uninterrupted access for users.
5. Cross-platform compatibility: The app should be accessible on multiple devices and platforms, such as iOS, Android, and web browsers.

Back-of-the-envelope estimation

Let’s assume we have 50 million downloads and 1 million daily active users (DAU).

1. Team creation: Assume that each DAU creates 3 teams per day on average.

Estimated daily team creations: 1 million * 3 = 3 million

Team creations per second: 3,000,000 / 86,400 seconds in a day = ~34.7 (rounding up to ~35)

2. Contest participation: Assume that each DAU joins 4 contests per day on average.

Estimated daily contest participation: 1 million * 4 = 4 million

Contest participation per second: 4,000,000 / 86,400 seconds in a day = ~46.3 (rounding up to ~47)

3. Live match updates and scoring: Assume that there are 5 major matches per day with updates every minute.

Estimated daily live match updates: 5 matches * 90 updates per match = 450

Live match updates per second: 450 / 86,400 seconds in a day = ~0.005 (very low, as updates are not evenly distributed throughout the day)

4. Wallet transactions: Assume that each DAU makes 2 transactions per day on average (deposits, withdrawals, and contest entry fees).

Estimated daily wallet transactions: 1 million * 2 = 2 million

Wallet transactions per second: 2,000,000 / 86,400 seconds in a day = ~23.1 (rounding up to ~24)

Considering the estimations above, we can determine the approximate load on the system in terms of team creations, contest participation, live match updates, and wallet transactions. Note that these are rough estimations and may vary based on actual user behaviour and platform features.

Technology Stack:

Based on the use case of building an app like Dream11, here are the suggested choices for each component of the app architecture:

Frontend

• iOS: Swift, Xcode
• Android: Kotlin, Android Studio
• Web: React

Backend

• Programming language: Go (Golang)
• Web framework: Gin
• API: REST or GraphQL

Database

For the database, let’s choose a scalable and performant relational database for the primary data storage and a time-series database for live match updates:

• Primary database: PostgreSQL
• Time-series database (for live match updates): TimescaleDB

In addition to the core technology stack, it is essential to consider caching and other tools that improve performance and efficiency:

Caching

• Redis

This architecture is optimized for the Dream11-like app, with a scalable and performant technology stack. Go (Golang) with Gin will ensure high-performance backend services, while PostgreSQL and TimescaleDB will provide efficient data storage and management capabilities.

System Architecture :

Here is a breakdown of the microservices architecture for a high-traffic, production-grade system like Dream11:

1. User Service: Handles user registration, authentication, and profile management.
2. Team Service: Manages team creation, editing, and validation.
3. Contest Service: Responsible for contest creation, participation, and management.
4. Live Match Service: Provides live match updates, player stats, and scoring.
5. Leaderboard Service: Generates and manages contest leaderboards and user rankings.
6. Wallet Service: Handles user transactions, deposits, withdrawals, and contest entry fees.
7. Notification Service: Sends notifications to users about match updates, contests, and promotions.

To support the microservices architecture and enable efficient communication between services, additional components should be included:

1. API Gateway: Serves as the entry point for client requests, routes requests to the appropriate microservices, and handles API versioning, load balancing, and authentication.
2. Message Queue: Facilitates asynchronous communication between microservices, ensuring loose coupling and improved fault tolerance.
3. Centralized Logging: Collects logs from all services to provide a unified view of the system, enabling easier monitoring and troubleshooting.
4. Service Discovery: Allows microservices to dynamically discover and communicate with each other, simplifying deployment and scaling.
5. Monitoring and Alerting: Monitors system performance and sends alerts when issues are detected, ensuring timely identification and resolution of problems.

Sample System on AWS

This article will be in 3 parts, Click here for Part 2

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