System design patterns
Sharding, load balancing, CAP tradeoffs, and scaling patterns — interview and production ready.
Build a BFF (Backend for Frontend) Mock Aggregator in Python
A minimal HTTP server implementing the BFF pattern that aggregates user data and orders from two mock backends into a single JSON response.
import json
from http.server import BaseHTTPRequestHandler, HTTPServer
from urllib.parse import urlparse
class MockBackendA:
def get_user(self, user_id):
return {"id": user_id, "name": "Alice", "service": "backend-a"}
class MockBackendB:
def get_orders(self, user_id):
return [
{…
Domain Driven Design Aggregate Root Example in Python
Model an Order as an aggregate root with invariants enforced through methods, demonstrating DDD principles in Python.
from __future__ import annotations
from dataclasses import dataclass
from typing import List, Optional
from uuid import uuid4
class Money:
def __init__(self, amount: float, currency: str = "USD"):
self.amount = amount
self.currency = currency
def __add__(self, other: Money) -> Money:
…
Facade Pattern in Python with Mock Simplification
This code demonstrates the Facade pattern by hiding complex subsystem interactions behind a simple start/stop interface, and adds a MockFacade for testing failure scenarios.
class SubsystemA:
def operation_a(self):
return "Subsystem A: ready"
class SubsystemB:
def operation_b(self):
return "Subsystem B: ready"
class SubsystemC:
def operation_c(self):
return "Subsystem C: ready"
class Facade:
def __init__(self):
self._a = SubsystemA()
…
How to Apply the Clean Architecture Dependency Rule in Python
Demonstrates the dependency rule with a Protocol repository, a use case, and a presenter wired together at a composition root.
from dataclasses import dataclass
from typing import List, Protocol
class Repository(Protocol):
def get_items(self) -> List[str]:
...
@dataclass
class InMemoryRepository:
items: List[str]
def get_items(self) -> List[str]:
return self.items
class UseCase:
"""Application layer depends…
How to Build a Pipe and Filter Text Processing Chain in Python
A functional pipe-and-filter chain that transforms text through uppercase, whitespace normalization, number removal, stopword filtering, and file export.
import re
import sys
def pipe_filter_chain(stream):
def uppercase(text):
return text.upper()
def strip_whitespace(text):
return " ".join(text.split())
def remove_numbers(text):
return re.sub(r"\d+", "", text)
def remove_stopwords(text, stopwords={"the", "and", "of", "in"}):…
How to Build an Adapter to Translate External API Responses in Python
Build an adapter class that translates a mock external API's response shape into your internal representation, keeping callers decoupled from the external contract.
import json
from typing import Dict, Any
class ExternalAPI:
"""Mock external service returning a different data shape."""
def get_user(self, user_id: int) -> Dict[str, Any]:
return {
"id": user_id,
"full_name": "Jane Doe",
"email_address": "jane@example.com",
…
How to Implement the Abstract Factory Pattern in Python
Implements the Abstract Factory pattern to create families of related GUI objects (buttons, checkboxes) without specifying their concrete classes.
from abc import ABC, abstractmethod
class Button(ABC):
@abstractmethod
def render(self):
pass
class Checkbox(ABC):
@abstractmethod
def render(self):
pass
class WindowsButton(Button):
def render(self):
return "Rendering Windows-style button"
class WindowsCheckbox(Chec…
How to Implement the Flyweight Pattern in Python
Implements the Flyweight design pattern to share immutable intrinsic state (character + font) across many document objects, reducing memory usage.
class Character:
"""Flyweight - stores only intrinsic state (shared)."""
def __init__(self, char: str, font: str):
self.char = char
self.font = font
def render(self, size: int) -> str:
return f"{self.char}_{self.font}_{size}"
class CharacterFactory:
"""Flyweight factory - ma…
How to Implement the Strategy Pattern in Python
This Python code demonstrates the Strategy design pattern using interchangeable sorting algorithms (bubble sort and quick sort) that can be swapped at runtime.
class SortingStrategy:
def sort(self, data):
raise NotImplementedError
class BubbleSort(SortingStrategy):
def sort(self, data):
result = data.copy()
n = len(result)
for i in range(n):
for j in range(0, n - i - 1):
if result[j] > result[j + 1]:
…
How to Migrate a Legacy Facade with the Strangler Fig Pattern in Python
Use a facade to wrap a legacy API and incrementally migrate callers to a modern interface, following the strangler fig pattern.
class LegacyAPI:
"""Simulates the legacy system's raw interface."""
def get_user(self, user_id):
return {"id": user_id, "name": "Alice", "legacy": True}
class UserService:
"""Facade that wraps the legacy system with a modern interface."""
def __init__(self, legacy_api=None):
self.lega…
How to Structure a Three-Tier Layered Architecture in Python
A mock three-tier architecture with presentation, business, and data layers that process a user request from input to response.
class PresentationLayer:
def __init__(self, business_layer):
self.business = business_layer
def handle_request(self, user_id):
print(f"[Presentation] Received request for user {user_id}")
data = self.business.process_user(user_id)
print(f"[Presentation] Response: {data}")
…
Lazy loading with a proxy in Python: defer expensive service creation
A lazy proxy defers creating an expensive service object until its method is first called, then caches it for reuse.
import time
import random
class ExpensiveService:
def __init__(self, name):
self.name = name
print(f"Creating expensive service: {self.name}")
def fetch_data(self):
time.sleep(1)
return f"Data from {self.name}: {random.randint(1, 100)}"
class LazyProxy:
def __init__(sel…
Microkernel Plug-in Core Mock in Python
Implements a minimal microkernel plug-in core that registers, unregisters, and executes synchronous or asynchronous plugins via a pluggable manager class.
import json
import abc
import inspect
class MicrokernelCore(abc.ABC):
def __init__(self):
self._plugins = {}
def register(self, name, plugin):
self._plugins[name] = plugin
def unregister(self, name):
return self._plugins.pop(name, None)
def execute(self, name, *args, **kwa…
Object Pool Pattern for Database Connections in Python
Implements a reusable connection pool with acquire/release and context manager support, mocking database connections with idle reuse and exhaustion handling.
import time
from contextlib import contextmanager
from collections import deque
class ConnectionPool:
def __init__(self, size=3, max_idle=5):
self._idle = deque(maxlen=max_idle)
self._active = set()
self.size = size
def _create(self):
return {"created_at": time.time(), "queri…
Singleton Config Loader in Python with Caution
Implements a singleton config loader in Python that reads JSON config files, but demonstrates the hidden gotcha of shared state across instances.
import json
from pathlib import Path
class ConfigLoader:
_instance = None
def __new__(cls, *args, **kwargs):
if cls._instance is None:
cls._instance = super().__new__(cls)
return cls._instance
def __init__(self, config_file="config.json"):
if not hasattr(self, "loaded…
Template Method Workflow Steps Base Class in Python
Define a reusable workflow skeleton in a base class and let subclasses fill in each step with the Template Method design pattern.
from abc import ABC, abstractmethod
class DataPipeline(ABC):
"""Template Method pattern: defines a workflow skeleton."""
def run(self):
"""Template method - defines the algorithm's structure."""
result = {"extracted": False, "transformed": False, "loaded": False}
raw_data = self._ext…
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