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Design a rate limiter.
- Technical PM
- Top-Interview
- Hard
- 15 min
Focus on the core functionality of a rate limiter, which is to control the number of requests a user can make to a service within a specified time frame. Discuss different algorithms for implementing rate limiting, such as Token Bucket or Leaky Bucket, and explain the trade-offs between them. Consider scalability and performance, especially in high-traffic scenarios, and how you would handle edge cases like burst traffic. Additionally, think about how to store state (in-memory vs. distributed) and how to ensure fairness among users. Be prepared to address potential challenges, such as handling retries and ensuring the system is resilient to abuse.
What this question tests
- Technical PM
- Structured problem solving
- Communication
- Trade-off reasoning
Practise this question under interview conditions. Answer it out loud against a timer with an AI interviewer that asks follow-ups, then review the scored report.
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