Review — Is Hacking the System Design Interview Book by Stanley Chang worth it?
My review of Hacking the System Design Interview book by Stanley Chang, is it really worth it?
Hello folks, if you are preparing for System design interviews and wondering whether the “Hacking The System Design Interview” by Stanley Chiang book is worth of your time and money then you have come to the right place.
In the past, I have shared best System Design Courses, books, websites, as well essential System design topics and tips for interviews and in this article, I am going to review, one of the popular System design interview book called “Hacking THe System Design Interview” by Stanley Chiang.
While this book is nowhere close to System Design Interview — An Insider’s Guide by Alex Xu but it still a good book and also complement Alex’s book which we will find it in this article.
We will review this book on a couple of parameters like who is author? does he got relevant experience? What is covered in this book and how well those are covered, and most importantly whether content is relevant to modern System design interview or not.
By the way, if you are preparing for System design interview this year then apart from reading books, I also recommend you to join online courses and planforms like Educative, Udemy, ByteByteGo, Exponent, DesignGuru, and ZTM Academy.
While my personal favorite is ByteByteGo because of their awesome diagrams, each of one of these resources have something unique to offer and also gives you opportunity to solve as many system design problems as possible.
Now, let’s come back to the book and start with Stanley Chiang.
Who is Stanley Chiang?
Stanley Chiang is a software engineer with 15+ Years of experience at Google , where he designs and builds large-scale distributed systems. He previously worked at technology startups, where he created and scaled systems from zero to millions of users.
So, he does got the relevant experience to teach you nuisance of System Design and that’s what reflect in this book.
Authored by a seasoned software engineer at Google, “Hacking The System Design Interview” promises to teach readers with the tools and insights necessary to excel in system design interviews.
The book boasts a treasure trove of real interview questions gleaned from extensive interactions with big tech companies, along with meticulously crafted solutions that delve into the intricacies of system architecture.
In the ever-evolving landscape of tech interviews, mastering system design is often the key to unlocking coveted opportunities at major tech companies. Amidst the plethora of resources available, “Hacking The System Design Interview” by Stanley Chiang stands out as a beacon of guidance for aspiring engineers.
With a stellar rating of 4.4 out of 5 stars and the accolade being the one of the book pick for best System Design Interviews by Five Books in 2024, its a promising book, let’s deep dive to find out more.
What Does the Hacking The System Design Interview Book Offer?
Here are a couple of things I liked about this System Design Interview book:
1. Comprehensive Approach
One of the standout features of the book is its systematic approach to tackling system design questions. You will learn step-by-step solutions to real-world scenarios, providing a deep understanding of core concepts and methodologies.
2. Fundamental Principles
From servers and services to databases and distributed systems, the book covers a broad spectrum of fundamental principles essential for designing robust and scalable systems. Concepts like microservices vs. monolith, data modeling, networking protocols, and CAP theorem are elucidated with clarity and precision.
3. Recurring Components
The book delves into the design of recurring components that serve as the building blocks of complex systems. Readers are walked through the design of web servers, API gateways, load balancers, distributed caches, asynchronous queues, and more, gaining invaluable insights into their functionalities and architectures.
4. Real-World Scenarios
With in-depth case studies and interview questions inspired by real-life scenarios, readers are challenged to apply their newfound knowledge to solve complex problems. Whether it’s designing a newsfeed system, rideshare application, social network graph search algorithm, or distributed message queue, the book offers practical exercises that simulate the intensity of actual interviews.
So, you can see that the book not just cover essential System design concepts like Scalability, API Gateway, Load Balancer, Reverse and Forward Proxy but also key Software architectures like Microservices and Monolithic.
All this indicates that “Hacking The System Design Interview” is definitely a book worth reading for your System Design interview preparation.
Is Hacking The System Design Interview Worth It?
For anyone preparing for system design interviews, “Hacking The System Design Interview” offers unparalleled value. The book’s comprehensive coverage, practical approach, and real-world insights make it an indispensable resource for aspiring engineers.
By distilling 15+ years of experience into clear and engaging lessons, Stanley Chiang has crafted a definitive guide that not only prepares readers for success in interviews but also equips them with the foundational knowledge needed to thrive in their careers.
In short, Yes, “Hacking The System Design Interview” is worth it for aspiring software engineers aiming to excel in system design interviews in 2024. The resource offers comprehensive guidance, practical insights, and structured approaches to tackling complex problems, equipping candidates with the knowledge and skills necessary to succeed in competitive tech interviews.
Here is the link to get the book — “Hacking The System Design Interview”
In conclusion, “Hacking The System Design Interview” is more than just a book; it’s a roadmap to success in the competitive world of tech interviews. Whether you’re a seasoned professional looking to sharpen your skills or a fresh graduate aiming to land your dream job, this book is a worthy investment that promises to pay dividends in your career journey. So, get your copy today, and embark on the path to mastering system design.
Other System Design Tutorials and Interview Resources you may like
- How to Prepare for System Design Interview
- 10 Books to Crack System Design Interview in 2024
- Is ByteByteGo best place to learn System Design?
- Difference between Forward Proxy and Reverse Proxy?
- Is Exponent’s System Design Course worth it?
- 5 System Design Interview Cheat Sheet worth reading
- Top 3 System Design Mock Interviews you can do in 2024
- 8 Software Design Books Which are worth reading
- 5 Best Udemy Courses for System Design Interviews
- 10 Best Software Design Course for Interviews
- Is System Design Interview Insider Guide by Alex Xu worth it?
- 10 Free System Design Interview courses for Beginners
Thanks for reading this article so far. If you know any other excellent online resources like books, websites or programming platforms to learn System Design and Software Designing, then feel free to share. Everybody loves great resources and happy learning System design.
P. S. — If you are looking for a best online course to learn System Design in depth then I also suggest you to checkout Frank Kane’s Mastering the System Design Interview course on Udemy. Frank is an ex-hiring manager and know what it takes to crack System design interview of those big FAANG companies .
Alternatively , you can also join Alex Yu’s System Design Interview — An insider’s guide and ByteByteGo for a complete System design Interview preparation.
