Design and implement a URL shortening service in a combined whiteboarding and implementation interview where AI assistance may be allowed. ```hint Hint 1 Start by stating assumptions, then work from requirements to trade-offs and validation. ``` ```hint Hint 2 Use concrete examples from the prompt and make edge cases explicit. ``` ### Constraints & Assumptions - Preserve the source scope; do not assume extra company-specific systems. - Focus on interview reasoning, correctness, and operational trade-offs. - Explain how you would validate the answer with examples, metrics, or tests. ### Clarifying Questions to Ask - What exact user, system, or business goal should this solve? - What scale, latency, reliability, or privacy constraint matters most? - What existing infrastructure or code must the solution integrate with? - What output or behavior will the interviewer use to judge success? ### What a Strong Answer Covers ```premium-lock What a Strong Answer Covers ``` ### Follow-up Questions - How would your answer change at 10x scale? - What would you monitor in production? - What edge case is easiest to miss? - What would you simplify if this were a 60-minute implementation round?