•System DesignArchitecture
Modern distributed systems require careful consideration of fundamental design principles, trade-offs, and architectural patterns. This paper provides a comprehensive examination of core system design concepts including consistency models, reliability patterns, performance characteristics, storage architectures, and data modeling principles. Drawing on the foundational concepts explored in data-intensive application design, we present a framework for making architectural decisions that balance competing requirements. Through detailed analysis with practical examples and decision-making frameworks, this work serves as both an educational resource for engineers at all levels and a reference guide for building systems that handle data at scale.