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title: How do you actually grade a system design? | daily.dev
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# How do you actually grade a system design?

**[All Laravel](https://daily.dev/sources/alllaravel)** · [@raiyan_memon](https://daily.dev/raiyan_memon) · 1 min read · 23 upvotes · 4 comments

## Summary

A founder building a platform where developers design systems and get evaluated is grappling with how to automatically grade system design quality. Using the example of a URL shortener built as just an API plus PostgreSQL, the post questions whether caching with Redis should be mandatory or whether such an architecture is acceptable. With over 200 architecture checks being built, the core challenge raised is that there often isn't one single correct architecture, and the author is soliciting community input on how to approach automated grading.

## Content

I'm building [Devscape](https://devscape.in?ref=daily.dev), where developers design systems and get evaluated.

The difficult part isn't drawing the boxes.

It's deciding whether an architecture is actually "good."

For example, if someone designs a URL shortener:

`API → PostgreSQL`

Is that wrong?

Should Redis be mandatory?

Should the evaluator penalize them for not having caching?

I'm currently building 200+ architecture checks, and I'm realizing there isn't always one correct architecture.

**How would you approach grading system design automatically?**

`devscape.in`

## Community discussion

Top comments from developers on daily.dev.

**@anderspersson** · 5 upvotes

> Good design is something that changes over time. Yesterday’s best practice can be today’s no‑no. Over my 30 years, I’ve seen it shift in waves—some practices even return after a while.

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---

Tags: [#career](https://daily.dev/tags/career), [#architecture](https://daily.dev/tags/architecture), [#postgresql](https://daily.dev/tags/postgresql), [#redis](https://daily.dev/tags/redis)

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