Core Algorithms
Consistent Hashing: The Algorithm That Makes Distributed Systems Scale
Master consistent hashing - the algorithm behind Dynamo, Cassandra, and CDN edge networks. Understand hash rings, virtual nodes, and how this minimizes data movement during scaling.
Bloom Filters: The Probabilistic Data Structure You Can't Ignore
Understand Bloom filters - the probabilistic data structure behind Bigtable, Cassandra SSTable lookups, Chrome malicious URL checks, and CDN cache routing. Learn how to tune false positives.
Write-Ahead Log (WAL): The Foundation of Crash Recovery and Durability
Understand the WAL algorithm - the foundation of crash recovery in PostgreSQL, durability in Kafka, and replication in databases. Learn fsync ordering, checkpointing, and point-in-time recovery.
Raft Consensus Algorithm: Leader Election, Log Replication, and Safety
Master Raft - the consensus algorithm behind etcd, Consul, and CockroachDB. Understand leader election, term-based log replication, commit indices, and how Raft prevents split-brain.
Paxos, Two-Phase Commit, and Distributed Consensus Protocols
Understand Paxos phases, Two-Phase Commit (2PC), and Three-Phase Commit (3PC). Learn when to use strong consistency vs eventual consistency in distributed systems.
Merkle Trees and Anti-Entropy: Data Integrity in Distributed Systems
Understand hash trees for efficient data verification. Learn how Dynamo uses Merkle trees for anti-entropy repair, and how Git, BitTorrent, and blockchain use them for data integrity.
Vector Clocks and Versioning: Causal Ordering in Distributed Systems
Understand vector clocks for causal ordering, conflict detection, and versioning in distributed systems. Compare with Lamport timestamps and hybrid logical clocks (HLC).
LRU, LFU, and TinyLFU: Cache Eviction Algorithms Explained Deeply
Master cache eviction: LRU, LFU, LRU-K, and modern TinyLFU used in Caffeine cache. Understand admission policies, window/protected segments, and near-optimal hit rates.
Snowflake ID and Distributed ID Generation: Time-Ordered Unique IDs at Scale
Understand Twitter's Snowflake algorithm for time-ordered unique IDs across nodes. Compare UUID v4, UUID v7, and FLAKE. Learn about clock skew, worker ID assignment, and sequence handling.
Quorum-Based Reads and Writes: The N, R, W Model for Distributed Consistency
Master the quorum formula R + W greater than N for strong consistency. Understand Dynamo and Cassandra tuning, tradeoffs between latency and consistency, and sloppy quorum.