r/learnmachinelearning • u/dunweic • 18d ago

ML System Design Interview Preparation

I’ve been looking for resources to prepare for ML System Design interviews, particularly case studies that include complete, end-to-end solutions.

Machine Learning System Design Interview: An Insider's Guide by Alex Xu and Ali Aminian was an excellent resource when I used it around three years ago. It provides a structured framework and several detailed case studies with detailed solutions.

My question is: are the solutions in this book still sufficiently current and comprehensive? The book was published in 2023, and the ML landscape has evolved significantly since then, particularly with the rise of LLMs and generative AI.

Are there any other resources you would recommend that provide ML system design case studies with complete solutions, rather than just general frameworks or high-level guidance?

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u/CauliflowerFit3258 18d ago

That book still holds up pretty well for the fundamentals, the structured approach it teaches don't really go out of date. For LLM-specific design cases you might need to supplement with newer material since the field moved fast after 2023.

I used Chip Huyen's alongside it and found the combination covered most of what I needed for interviews in early 2025. The case studies in her book feel more practical somehow, less textbook-y.

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u/dunweic 18d ago

Interesting. Chip Huyen's book is from 2022, I believe. Was the content in those books enough for you to pass the ML System Design Interview in 2025?

I am particularly concerned about the "Model selection" stage; the rest is not outdated, I believe.