Design a URL Shortener
Design a URL Shortener — A Staff playbook focused on distributed ID generation, base62 encoding tradeoffs, redirect-path performance, and analytics pipeline ownership — not just hash function selection.
This playbook is part of the full calibration library.
Staff interviews are decided on nuance — tradeoff framing, ownership boundaries, and failure anticipation. This playbook covers the depth that separates Senior from Staff+.
What's inside this playbook
Core sections
- •1. The Staff Lens
- •2. Problem Framing & Intent
- •3. The Four Fault Lines
- •4. Failure Modes & Degradation
- •5. Evaluation Rubric
- •6. Interview Flow & Pivots
- •7. Active Drills
- •8. Deep Dive Scenarios
- •9. Level Expectations Summary
- •10. Staff Insiders: Controversial Opinions
Practice & Reference
- •How to Use This Playbook
- •What This Interview Actually Tests
- •The L5 vs L6 Contrast (Memorize This)
- •The Three Intents (Pick One and Commit)
- •The Four Fault Lines (The Core of This Interview)
- •System Architecture Overview
- •Interview Walkthrough: How to Present This in 45 Minutes