Cover the basics and learn how to design and develop distributed systems.

Become a Distributed Systems Professional

Gone are the days when monolithic applications were the norm. Most applications we use today are too complex for that type of construction. Instead, most applications that appear as a single unit are actually built as a collection of inter-operating but independent computational components. Developers are expected to have mastery over a programming language or two. Moreover, they should also know the basics of distributed systems.

In this module, we’ll learn what distributed systems are, and learn about the challenges unique to distributed systems. We’ll cover popular architectural patterns for achieving targets like replication and sharding. We’ll complete the module with a study of two popular distributed systems: Apache Spark and Apache Druid. With the knowledge gained through this module, we’ll be able to design and develop distributed systems. We’ll also develop an understanding of optimal design and architectural choices based on the application requirements.

Introduction to Distributed Systems for Dummies

**(True or False)** To users, it's easy to realize that a distributed system is running on many machines.

(True or False) To users, it’s easy to realize that a distributed system is running on many machines.

**(True or False)** In general, as a system owner you should start building distributed systems from the very beginning so that you are ahead of the game.

(True or False) In general, as a system owner you should start building distributed systems from the very beginning so that you are ahead of the game.

A distributed system is very easy to build.

One should carefully evaluate the requirements before deciding to build a distributed system.

Redundancy of resources is a common practice in distributed systems.

A distributed system can have tens to thousands of nodes.

Nodes crashing in any distributed system is very rare and doesn’t happen very often.

**(Select all that apply)** Which of the following is correct?

(Select all that apply) Which of the following is correct?

Evaluate your understanding of the basics of distributed systems.

Quick Quiz #1: The What and Why of Distributed Systems