Koray Ozgur
I started reading Neo’s system design newsletter about 3–4 months ago, when I was struggling with system design questions during new grad software engineer interviews. With AI getting better at coding, I realized system design would become an even more crucial differentiator.
Since then, I’ve connected the dots between the scattered concepts I learned from school and work, and started to see the big picture of how scalable systems are built.
I noticed the impact almost immediately — from clearer thinking during interviews to a stronger grasp of architectural trade-offs in real-world scenarios.
Moral of the story: If you’re serious about mastering system design, this is a no-brainer.
Shamik B
I have learnt something new from each newsletter of Neo Kim.
Simple and yet comprehensive.
Teanna Cole
I struggled with designing scalable, fault‑tolerant systems when I started reading Neo’s System Design Newsletter. After just three months, I’ve developed a clear, repeatable approach to breaking down complex architectures and justifying trade‑offs. As a result, I led a redesign of our core microservices platform—improving uptime by 25%—and earned a promotion to Software Engineer. This newsletter has been one of the most valuable resources for my career. Highly recommend it!
Vivek Modi
I started reading Neo’s system design newsletter when I realized that despite having experience in Android development, my understanding of system design wasn’t translating well during interviews or architecture discussions. I had the fundamentals, but I struggled to break down complex systems and communicate trade-offs clearly under pressure.
Neo’s content helped me bridge that gap. His real-world examples, step-by-step breakdowns, and focus on practical thinking helped me approach system design more confidently and with greater structure. I began applying those principles in mock interviews and real projects — and the difference was immediate. My answers became more focused, my designs more scalable, and I started getting positive feedback from both interviewers and teammates.
If you’re looking for clarity, depth, and real growth in system design — this newsletter delivers.
Josh
Insightful, Neo's newsletter is the NUMBER ONE system design newsletter out there!
Christophe
Neo's newsletter stands out for how accessible it is. A lot of complex systems around us feel like magic. How would anybody even start scaling massive products like YouTube or Instagram?!
To me, the newsletter is helpful by demystifying the tech behind the products we hear are the leader in their fields. I’ve been reading it for more than a year now, and it’s helped me gain more confidence in my ability to design reliable systems. There is no magic, it's all about trade-offs and monitoring.
Anton Antonov
There’s a lot of system design content online — most of it is surface-level or focused on flashy concepts that don’t translate to real-world impact. Neo’s system design newsletter is the opposite. It cuts through the noise and gives you practical, thoughtful insights that actually help you grow as an engineer.
What stood out to me was how it focused on what matters — cuts through complicated concepts with ease, whilst not compromising on tradeoffs made and losing focus on the end customer.
I started applying the ideas immediately and saw real improvements in my architectural designs.
Juan Pedro
I'm really into engineering and architecture, so I like Neo's newsletter a lot.
I'm a CS student at uni and working a part time job as a full stack dev in an AI startup, a few of these newsletters I was already knowledgeable what they're talking about (eg. DNS), even so I really enjoyed reading about it again since I'd studied this a while ago.
Also, I really enjoy reading about use cases and breakthroughs inside the industry and how different companies manage to solve the same or different problems detailed to their specific situation.
Another thing that I like about it is how you go straight to the point, really detailing different parts of a solution, instead of sending a story-like text about how they solved it where you kind of have to read the whole thing to figure out how they did it. This allows me to come back and read just the parts that stuck with me for a few days, or when having a conversation that reminds me of something in the newsletter, I can come back and read just that.
👋🏼👋🏼
Ali
I’ve gotten a much better understanding of system architecture overall. My favorite part of Neo's newsletter is the reading sources. I love that Neo provides references that allow me to dig deeper into the subject matter.
Gaurav Kesh Roushan
It has been a great learning experience reading Neo's system design articles. It's easy to understand, and as a university student with limited exposure to system design, I find it extremely helpful. Neo's articles have taught me a lot, thank you!
Roman Letodiani
🔥 Before I discovered Neo’s System Design One newsletter, I was piecing together scattered content from blogs and videos - enough to get by, but never deep enough to feel confident in real-world scenarios.
📬 Since subscribing last year, everything has changed.
Neo doesn’t just teach system design - he deconstructs it. The newsletter dives into real engineering problems, explains the trade-offs, and gives you frameworks that actually work. I started applying concepts immediately and saw the difference, from better architecture decisions to clearer communication with teammates.
💡 This isn’t just content. It’s the kind of guidance I wish I had years ago.
Neo's newsletter is the edge you've been looking for if you’re serious about becoming a sharper engineer, beyond just acing interviews.
Highly recommend.
Sai Ram Perugu
Neo’s articles are of the perfect length, not too long, and have helped me improve my knowledge of system design. He provides lots of free articles and resources and is always encouraging other developers. I have found his content helpful and would recommend it to anyone who wants to gain a deep understanding of technology and system design.
Boil Marinov
Since I started a mentor program that focuses partly on system design, I came already somewhat prepared simply because of Neo's newsletter.
It definitely helped me understand the diagrams, the conceptions. At the same time, the newsletter is not somewhat like a task. When the topic fits you, it's an easy read. If it is not, just skip it for a later time. Cannot give a specific issue as a reference to a favourite part, because the impact of the whole newsletter gave value. It gave the feeling of system design issues and common ways to tackle them. This is the most important (at least to me) impact of the newsletter.
Rakesh
Since subscribing to Neo's newsletter, my understanding of core system design concepts has improved significantly. The bite-sized breakdowns and real-world examples have made complex topics much more approachable. It's also helped me feel more confident during system design interviews.
I really enjoy the practical case studies and visual diagrams. They simplify abstract concepts and make it easy to retain the information. The concise format also means I can quickly grasp key ideas without needing to dig through long articles.
Vishnu Nandakumar
I was able to crack multiple interviews when I started job hunting. Neo's newsletter covers only the important and relevant information. My approach to designing components improved.
Dušan Babić
Whenever I have a moment to spare, instead of doom-scrolling, I read bite-sized system design lessons from Neo.
My favorite part is complex topics digested into small, easily consumable pieces.
Sristi Sharma
I have been getting Neo's Kim newsletter for some time now, The system design fundamentals and how big tech works helps a lot. The illustrations and the language is amazing and easy to understand. I'd totally recommend the newsletter. It did help me learn a lot of things I didnt know before.
Saurav
As a student, it was quite helpful to learn about the detailed view of the system's architecture that are well known and used in our daily life. Not only that, in my professional life, I can now talk on a high level about the systems and also help architect the system based on the learnings from this newsletter. So, thank you, Neo, for what you are doing. Keep up the good work!
Divyansh
After joining Neo's newsletter, I started asking questions for every component when I go for designing a system: that is why I should include this, what are my alternatives, and how exactly I'm achieving the purpose using this.
My favorite part is the depth Neo cover along with clear and crystal explanations of things mentioned is very hard to achieve and that is what I'm getting from the newsletter.
Sunil Mandaliya
I’ve been following Neo Kim’s newsletter for a while now, and it’s become one of those rare resources I genuinely look forward to. System design can often feel overwhelming, but the way Neo simplifies tough concepts and walks through real-world scenarios makes it all click. There have been moments when I was stuck on a design challenge at work, and a past edition of the Newsletter helped me see it from a new angle. It doesn’t just teach - it makes you think, reflect, and grow. Grateful for the clarity it brings, one edition at a time.
Satya Bommaraju
Neo's newsletter acts as a means to revise all the topics I have learnt over the years and also keeps me updated on the trends in the industry.
My favorite part is the summary images that provide a concise way to learn the concepts through one image.
Mark Gillis
As a product manager, systems design is not my core job. However, understanding how systems work and knowing the details does help me improve my ability to think in terms of systems as I propose new products and features.
Neo's newsletter is written in such an approachable way for non-engineers. It is great at explaining the design patterns and trade-offs while removing a lot of the technical jargon, allowing me to easily digest the insights and helping me become a better product manager.
Naman
After subscribing to Neo's newsletter, I found myself more consistently updated with the industry trends, new tools, and best practices. It has helped me stay sharp, inspired new project ideas, and given me a clearer picture of where the tech landscape is heading. Instead of digging through multiple sources, I get high-quality insights straight to my inbox.
My favourite part is the case studies, there's always something I can apply immediately. I also appreciate how it balances depth and readability without being overwhelming.
Trishul
Great insights into the different methodologies of going about on the system design. Helpful and easy to understand content. I hardly need to look further beyond what's offered by Neo's newsletter.
Ankit Rawat
After joining Neo's newsletter, I'm more confident in system design. Now I understand the reason behind why it is crucial to choose the right service according to your use case.
My favourite part is that it is simple and easy to understand.
Tim
Joining Neo's newsletter made me realize how much I didn't know about system design, and yet at the same time motivates me to want to dive deeper. The best part is how digestible the articles are, and how focused on the topic at hand.
Mahade Hasan
Neo's newsletter helped me maintain regularity in reading about system design. And my favorite part of the newsletter is that it has very nice diagrams that help to understand the topic well.
Being a professional, it's quite hard to be consistent. But the newsletter keeps reminding me and gives me resources to read regularly.
Saravana Kannan
I was battling frustrating latency issues that were impacting our user experience. Neo Kim's '12 Golden Rules' provided a clear and actionable framework to tackle these problems. Since implementing his recommendations, we've seen a noticeable boost in speed, and our users are much happier. Thank you, Neo, for sharing these invaluable rules!
Owen Y
After joining Neo Kim’s Newsletter, I found myself looking forward to each new issue. The thoughtful insights and practical advice have genuinely helped me stay motivated and inspired in my daily life. I’ve noticed a positive shift in my mindset and a greater sense of connection to a like-minded community.
My favourite part is Neo’s unique perspective and the way each topic is broken down into actionable steps. The writing feels personal and authentic, making every edition both enjoyable and valuable. I also appreciate the interactive elements and opportunities to engage with other readers.
Thank you for creating such a meaningful newsletter!
Kunal Mehta
Neo's newsletter comprehensively describes and explains the complex terms and technical design in a very easy-to-understand form.