This content originally appeared on DEV Community and was authored by Congo Musah
From clean code to clean systems — my journey into system design and the architectural insights that changed the way I build.
🚀 My Transition into System Design: Building Better, Smarter Systems
At the end of May, I made a conscious shift in my learning journey — I dove deep into System Design.
It became clear that writing clean, scalable, and maintainable code goes far beyond just knowing a language or framework — it starts with how your entire system is designed.
🔄 Learn — Unlearn — Relearn
I’ve always believed in the cycle of learn–unlearn–relearn. So I paused, re-evaluated, and redirected my focus toward understanding:
- What is system design?
- Why does it matter?
- When do we need it?
This shift opened my eyes to the architectural thinking behind every successful product.
🧱 The Foundation: Architecture & PRDs
I started with:
- Architecture patterns
- PRD (Product Requirements Document) — understanding how clear documentation shapes the development lifecycle.
🧩 Enter Microservices — Where the Magic Began
Next came Microservices Architecture — and that’s when things got exciting.
I explored:
- Architectural styles and service boundaries
- API Gateway and NGINX for routing, load balancing, and security
- The role of asynchronous communication in system performance
🗃️ Monorepo vs Polyrepo
Version control and project organization also matter. I studied:
- Monorepo: Single repository for all services/projects
- Polyrepo: Independent repositories for each service/module
Both have their strengths. Knowing when to use one can streamline collaboration and CI/CD processes.
🛡️ Security & Structure
I wrapped up with:
- RBAC (Role-Based Access Control) to structure user permissions
- ERD (Entity Relationship Diagrams) to visualize data models and relationships across the system
🎯 The Goal
To build systems that are clean, efficient, and easy to evolve.
System design is helping me see how everything connects — from requirements to deployment. And I’m just getting started.
💬 Are you also diving into system design? Share your experience or favorite resources in the comments!
📌 Connect with me on DEV — that’s where I’ll be documenting the journey further.
This content originally appeared on DEV Community and was authored by Congo Musah
Congo Musah | Sciencx (2025-06-17T17:09:28+00:00) My Transition into System Design: Building Better, Smarter Systems. Retrieved from https://www.scien.cx/2025/06/17/my-transition-into-system-design-building-better-smarter-systems/
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