Requirements of a Newsfeed System

A newsfeed is a scrollable interface that shows a personalized stream of content, like posts, articles, or updates, in reverse chronological or ranked order. It is commonly used in social media platforms (Instagram, X, etc.), e-commerce apps, or content websites to keep users engaged with fresh and relevant updates. The newsfeed has become a cornerstone of user interaction, delivering real-time information and updates.

But behind the simplicity of scrolling lies a frontend system that is performant, scalable, and intuitive. Frontend design shapes the user experience—how fast it loads, how smooth the scrolling is, and how easily users interact with content. Poor design leads to frustration, but a well-designed newsfeed can significantly enhance engagement and retention.

This chapter explores the frontend System Design for a newsfeed that balances performance and scalability while supporting features like infinite scrolling, real-time updates, and dynamic filtering. By the end, we’ll have a deep understanding of designing a robust and efficient newsfeed system with best practices to ensure a smooth user experience.

Let’s start the design process by understanding the requirements for such a system.

Requirements

We should first understand the functional and nonfunctional requirements of the system:

Functional requirements

• Create post: The frontend system should have a post creation component that allows users to create a post by uploading media, adding ...