Patterns of Distributed Systems

Foreword

Engineers are often attracted to distributed computing, which promises not only benefits like scalability and fault tolerance but also the prestige of creating clever, talk-worthy computer systems. But the reality is that distributed systems are hard. There are myriads of edge cases, all with subtle interactions and high-dimensional nuance. Every move you make as a systems designer has n-th degree side effects which aren’t obvious. You’re Sideshow Bob, surrounded by lawn rakes, and every step you take results in a rake in the face—until you’ve left the field or expended all the rakes. (Oh, and even when you’ve left the field, there’s still a rake or two waiting to be trodden on.)

So how do we avoid, or at least minimize, these pitfalls? ...