Daily DSA and System Design Journal - 13

This document outlines problem-solving techniques for both Data Structures & Algorithms (DSA) and system design. For DSA, it tackles a problem using bitmasking for efficient distinct character tracking and splitting the problem into left and right segments. The approach involves preprocessing and systematically enumerating modifications to find the optimal solution. The primary technique learned is using bitwise operations for constant-time tracking. The system design section focuses on returning results from background jobs, which run asynchronously. Various strategies are discussed for communicating job status and results. These include using a status store, reply queue, API endpoint, or callbacks/webhooks. Examples illustrate common scenarios like report generation, machine learning pipelines, and order processing. Several design considerations are crucial, including reliability, idempotence, timeouts, and scalability. The key takeaway emphasizes the importance of effective communication in system design. It connects the DSA approach to the system design approach, highlighting precision and coordination through small signals across various tasks. The final summary emphasizes that progress involves both computation and effective communication channels.