Design a key-value store with a generic, user-friendly API. Define the data model and core operations (put, get, delete, exists, batch). Explain how you would expose generics in the interface (e.g., in Java), maintain type safety, and design for reusability. Describe error handling, versioning/TTL options, and how you would evolve an in-memory prototype to persistent storage.

This question evaluates a candidate's skills in API and system design, focusing on type-safe generic interfaces, modular serialization and storage layers, error handling strategies, and features such as versioning and TTL.

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System Design questions require understanding of core concepts and practice. PracHub provides solutions with explanations to help you master system design interviews.

What difficulty level is this interview question?

This is a medium difficulty System Design question, commonly asked during Technical Screen rounds at Databricks.

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This question is commonly asked for Software Engineer candidates at Databricks during technical interviews.

Design a generic key-value store | Databricks Interview Question

Design a Generic, Type-Safe Key-Value Store API

Context

You're asked to design a reusable key-value store with a generic, user-friendly API suitable for local in-memory use and evolvable to persistent storage. Assume Java for the typed API, but design decisions should be language-agnostic where possible.

Requirements

Define the data model and core operations:
- put, get, delete, exists, batch
Expose generics in the interface (e.g., Java), while maintaining type safety.
Design for reusability and layering (e.g., pluggable serialization and storage engines).
Describe error handling strategy.
Discuss versioning and TTL options (optimistic concurrency control, expirations).
Outline how to evolve an in-memory prototype into a persistent implementation.

Design a Generic, Type-Safe Key-Value Store API

Context

Requirements

Define the data model and core operations:
- put, get, delete, exists, batch
Expose generics in the interface (e.g., Java), while maintaining type safety.
Design for reusability and layering (e.g., pluggable serialization and storage engines).
Describe error handling strategy.
Discuss versioning and TTL options (optimistic concurrency control, expirations).
Outline how to evolve an in-memory prototype into a persistent implementation.

Design a generic key-value store

Quick Overview

Design a Generic, Type-Safe Key-Value Store API

Context

Requirements

Solution

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Design a generic key-value store

Quick Overview

Design a Generic, Type-Safe Key-Value Store API

Context

Requirements

Solution

Comments (0)