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Low Level Design

🚀 What is Low Level Design?

Low Level Design (LLD) is the bridge between system architecture and working code. While High Level Design (HLD) answers “what components do we need?”, LLD answers “how do we implement each component with clean, maintainable, extensible code?”.

Classes & Objects

Design classes, interfaces, and their relationships using OOP principles

Design Patterns

Apply proven Gang of Four solutions to common problems

Clean Code

Write maintainable, extensible, testable code using SOLID
LLD vs HLD: HLD deals with services, databases, and infrastructure at 10,000 feet. LLD zooms into a single service to design classes, methods, and code structure. Master both for complete system design interviews!

📊 Course Stats

6+

Case Studies

23

Design Patterns

5

SOLID Principles

45 min

Interview Framework

✅ Prerequisites

Before diving into LLD, make sure you’re comfortable with:
  • Variables, functions, loops, conditionals
  • Basic data structures (arrays, dictionaries, sets)
  • At least one OOP language (Python, Java, C++, TypeScript)
  • Classes and objects
  • Methods and attributes
  • Basic inheritance
Don’t worry if you’re rusty - we cover these in depth!

🎯 Learning Path

Follow this structured 4-week journey to master LLD:
1

Week 1: Master OOP Fundamentals

Goal: Build a rock-solid foundation with the four pillars of OOPPractice: Build a simple BankAccount class with proper encapsulation
2

Week 2: Learn SOLID Principles

Goal: Write code that’s easy to maintain, test, and extendPractice: Refactor a “God class” into well-separated components
3

Week 3: Study Design Patterns

Goal: Learn the Gang of Four patterns and when to apply themFocus on: Factory, Strategy, Observer, State, Singleton (covers 80% of interviews)
4

Week 4: Practice Case Studies


🏆 Why LLD Matters for Interviews

LLD rounds are make-or-break at top tech companies. They test if you can translate high-level ideas into working, maintainable, production-ready code.
Companies with LLD Rounds: Google, Amazon, Microsoft, Meta, Apple, Uber, Airbnb, Stripe, and most Series B+ startups include LLD in their interview process.

Object-Oriented Thinking

Can you identify the right abstractions and model real-world entities as classes?

Pattern Recognition

Do you recognize when to apply Factory, Strategy, Observer, State patterns?

Code Quality

Is your code clean, readable, following naming conventions and best practices?

Trade-off Analysis

Can you explain WHY you chose one approach over another with pros/cons?

Extensibility

Can your design handle new requirements without rewriting existing code?

Edge Case Handling

Do you consider concurrency, errors, null cases, and boundary conditions?

What Interviewers Actually Evaluate

CriteriaWeightWhat They Look For
Requirement Gathering10%Do you ask the right clarifying questions?
Class Design25%Are your classes well-named, single-purpose, properly related?
Design Patterns20%Do you apply appropriate patterns without over-engineering?
Code Quality20%Is your code clean, readable, and following conventions?
SOLID Principles15%Does your design follow SOLID? Can you explain violations?
Communication10%Did you explain your thinking throughout the process?

📋 The LLD Interview Framework (45 min)

Master this framework to ace any LLD interview:
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│  PHASE 1: Requirements (5 min)                              │
│  ├── Clarify scope and constraints                         │
│  └── Identify actors and use cases                         │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│  PHASE 2: Core Design (20 min)                              │
│  ├── Identify entities and relationships                   │
│  ├── Draw class diagram                                     │
│  └── Define key interfaces and methods                     │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│  PHASE 3: Deep Dive (15 min)                                │
│  ├── Implement core logic                                   │
│  ├── Apply design patterns                                  │
│  └── Handle edge cases                                      │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│  PHASE 4: Discussion (5 min)                                │
│  ├── Explain trade-offs                                     │
│  └── Discuss extensions                                     │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

📚 Common LLD Interview Problems

By Difficulty Level

ProblemKey ConceptsCase Study
Parking LotOOP basics, Strategy patternView →
Library ManagementCRUD, RelationshipsView →
Vending MachineState pattern, InventoryComing Soon
ATM SystemState pattern, TransactionsView →
ProblemKey ConceptsCase Study
Elevator SystemState pattern, SchedulingView →
Chess GamePolymorphism, CommandView →
Hotel BookingReservation, ConcurrencyView →
Movie Ticket BookingSeat allocation, TransactionsStart →
Food Delivery AppMultiple actors, StateComing Soon
Online Shopping CartOrder flow, DiscountsComing Soon
ProblemKey ConceptsCase Study
Ride Sharing (Uber/Ola)Matching, Real-time, LocationComing Soon
Social Media FeedObserver, Timeline, CachingComing Soon
Stock ExchangeOrder matching, ConcurrencyComing Soon
SplitwiseGraph, Debt simplificationComing Soon
Rate LimiterToken bucket, Sliding windowComing Soon

By Design Pattern Focus

PatternBest Practice Problems
StrategyPayment processing, Shipping methods, Pricing
FactoryVehicle creation, Notification channels
ObserverStock alerts, Order status, Movie Booking
StateOrder lifecycle, Elevator, Vending Machine
DecoratorCoffee shop, Pizza toppings, Permissions
SingletonDatabase connection, Configuration, Logger
HashMap + DLLLRU Cache, Browser History

🔧 Quick Reference: Core Concepts

The Four Pillars of OOP

# ENCAPSULATION - Hide internal state
class BankAccount:
    def __init__(self):
        self.__balance = 0  # Private
    
    def deposit(self, amount):  # Controlled access
        if amount > 0:
            self.__balance += amount

# ABSTRACTION - Hide complexity
class PaymentProcessor(ABC):
    @abstractmethod
    def process(self, amount): pass  # What, not how

# INHERITANCE - Share behavior
class Car(Vehicle):
    def __init__(self):
        super().__init__()  # Reuse parent

# POLYMORPHISM - Same interface, different behavior
def make_sound(animal: Animal):
    animal.speak()  # Works for Dog, Cat, Bird...

SOLID Principles One-Liners

PrincipleRuleExample
Single ResponsibilityOne class, one reason to changeOrder shouldn’t send emails
Open/ClosedExtend, don’t modifyAdd new PaymentMethod, don’t edit old ones
Liskov SubstitutionSubtypes are substitutablePenguin shouldn’t break Bird.fly()
Interface SegregationSmall, focused interfacesReadable vs ReadableWritable
Dependency InversionDepend on abstractionsInject Database, not PostgreSQL

Pattern Quick Reference

# SINGLETON - One instance
class Logger:
    _instance = None
    def __new__(cls):
        if not cls._instance:
            cls._instance = super().__new__(cls)
        return cls._instance

# FACTORY - Create without specifying class
def create_vehicle(type: str) -> Vehicle:
    return {"car": Car, "bike": Bike}[type]()

# STRATEGY - Swappable algorithms
class PaymentContext:
    def __init__(self, strategy: PaymentStrategy):
        self.strategy = strategy
    def pay(self, amount):
        return self.strategy.process(amount)

# OBSERVER - Notify on changes
class Stock:
    def __init__(self):
        self.observers = []
    def notify(self):
        for obs in self.observers:
            obs.update(self)

📖 Case Studies


💡 Pro Tips for LLD Interviews

Don’t try to build the perfect design upfront. Start with core classes that work, then add complexity. Interviewers want to see your iterative thinking.
Explain your reasoning as you design. “I’m making this an interface because we might have multiple implementations” shows depth.
Don’t assume. Ask about scale, users, and constraints. This shows you think like a senior engineer.
Memorize when to use Factory, Strategy, Observer, and State. These cover 80% of LLD interviews.
Design so new requirements don’t require rewriting. “If we need to add X later, we just create a new class implementing Y.”
Mention concurrency, null checks, and error handling. Even if you don’t implement them, show you’re aware.