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Best GitHub Repositories to Learn System Design

The most popular GitHub repositories for learning system design — scalability, distributed systems, and architecture interview prep. These free repos are the go-to resource for FAANG-level interview preparation.

9 repositories

system-design-primer

donnemartin

280k+IntermediatePythonInterview

Learn how to design large-scale systems

An organized, comprehensive guide to system design plus interview questions with sample solutions.

What you get

A full system-design curriculum
Diagrams and trade-off discussions
Interview questions with solutions

What you'll learn

Scalability, caching, and load balancingDatabases, sharding, and replicationHow to approach design interviews

Best for: Engineers preparing for system-design interviews at top companies.

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awesome-system-design-resources

ashishps1

20k+AdvancedMarkdownInterview

Curated system design learning resources

A curated collection of system-design concepts, case studies, and interview problems.

What you get

Concept explainers and case studies
Real-world architecture breakdowns
Interview problem sets

What you'll learn

Core distributed-systems building blocksHow real systems (chat, feeds) are builtTrade-off driven decision making

Best for: Mid-level engineers deepening architecture knowledge.

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awesome-low-level-design

ashishps1

14k+IntermediateJavaInterview

Learn low-level (object-oriented) design

A curated resource for learning low-level / object-oriented design and LLD interview problems.

What you get

LLD concepts and patterns
Worked problem solutions
Interview-style examples

What you'll learn

Class design and SOLIDDesigning real systems (parking lot, etc.)OOP interview skills

Best for: Engineers facing LLD interview rounds.

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system-design-interview

checkcheckzz

12k+IntermediateMarkdownInterview

System design interview resources

A collection of links, articles, and videos for system-design interview preparation.

What you get

Curated study links
Company-style questions
Video walkthroughs

What you'll learn

How to approach designsCommon interview problemsScalability trade-offs

Best for: Candidates building an interview study plan.

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system-design-101

ByteByteGoHq

70k+BeginnerMarkdownBeginner-friendly

Explain complex systems with visuals

A visual guide explaining system-design concepts and real architectures with diagrams.

What you get

Diagram-first explanations
Real system breakdowns
Concise concept summaries

What you'll learn

Networking, caching, and queuesHow big systems are builtArchitecture vocabulary

Best for: Visual learners and quick revision.

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awesome-scalability

binhnguyennus

60k+AdvancedMarkdown

Patterns of scalable, reliable systems

A curated reading list on scalability, availability, and real-world engineering practices.

What you get

Real engineering case studies
Scalability patterns
Reliability practices

What you'll learn

How top companies scaleAvailability and performanceProduction design patterns

Best for: Engineers studying large-scale systems.

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awesome-software-architecture

mehdihadeli

7k+AdvancedMarkdown

Curated software architecture resources

A curated list of software architecture patterns, principles, and resources.

What you get

Architecture patterns
Principles and practices
Learning links

What you'll learn

Architectural stylesDDD and clean architectureDesigning systems

Best for: Engineers studying architecture broadly.

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Grokking-System-Design

sharanyaa

4k+IntermediateMarkdownInterview

Notes from a popular SD course

Community notes covering classic system-design interview problems and solutions.

What you get

Problem-by-problem notes
Worked solutions
Interview focus

What you'll learn

Designing common systemsEstimation and trade-offsInterview structure

Best for: Candidates revising SD problems.

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microservices-patterns

binhnguyennus

13k+AdvancedMarkdown

Curated microservices resources

A curated list of microservices architecture principles, patterns, and tools.

What you get

Microservice patterns
Tooling references
Case studies

What you'll learn

Service decompositionCommunication patternsOperational concerns

Best for: Engineers moving to microservices.

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Frequently asked questions

What is the best GitHub repo for system design?

donnemartin/system-design-primer is by far the most popular — it covers scalability, databases, caching, and includes interview questions with sample solutions.

How do I prepare for system design interviews on GitHub?

Study the system-design-primer, then practice with the curated questions in “awesome-system-design-resources”. Pair them with hands-on diagramming.

Is system design hard to learn from GitHub?

No — these repos break concepts into digestible pieces with diagrams, trade-offs, and worked examples, making self-study very doable.

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Pair these with our learning roadmaps, free courses, and notes library.

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Frequently asked questions

What is the best GitHub repo for system design?

donnemartin/system-design-primer is by far the most popular — it covers scalability, databases, caching, and includes interview questions with sample solutions.

How do I prepare for system design interviews on GitHub?

Study the system-design-primer, then practice with the curated questions in “awesome-system-design-resources”. Pair them with hands-on diagramming.

Is system design hard to learn from GitHub?

No — these repos break concepts into digestible pieces with diagrams, trade-offs, and worked examples, making self-study very doable.