A Guide to Designing a Ride-Hailing Service

In this episode, we provide a step-by-step guide to excelling in system design interviews, with a focus on designing a ride-hailing service like Uber or Lyft. We discuss the importance of a structured, top-down approach, starting with defining the core features and use cases to build a solid understanding of the system’s fundamental functionalities. From there, we explore how to identify data storage requirements at a high level—focusing on the types of information needed rather than specific database models. We also outline the high-level system design, highlighting key components like app servers, load balancers, and a rider-driver matching system. Finally, we emphasize how this methodical approach can lead to more productive technical discussions in the later stages of an interview. Tune in to learn how to impress in your next system design interview!