Distributed systems basics
Free system design module: CAP, idempotency keys, and distributed locks. First topics open in the browser — no sign-up.
Free system design module on CAP, idempotency, and distributed locks. First topics open with no account.
Once you have more than one writer, you need idempotency keys, lock scope, and an honest CAP tradeoff. This guest module is the distributed-systems track with the first topics unlocked.
The Kafka partition-key lab is the hands-on companion: ordering is a distributed-systems property, not a consumer-thread property. Start here if the interview is “design payments” or “exactly once”.
What you will cover
- CAP in practical language
- Idempotent writes and keys
- Distributed locks and when to avoid them
- At-least-once vs exactly-once
- First topics free in the browser
Related free labs and modules
Common questions
Is there a free distributed systems tutorial?
Yes. CAP, idempotency, and lock topics in this module open without an account. Sign in for the rest of the distributed systems track.
How does this relate to the Kafka lab?
Kafka ordering is per partition. That is a distributed-systems constraint. The lab shows a wrong key; this module explains why the key exists.
Do I need Kafka running locally?
No. The guest pages and the Kafka lab both run in the browser. You do not install a cluster to start.
Free Spring Boot debug challenges · Free debug challenges · Java Spring Boot path · Create free account