Towards a Periodic Table of Computer System Design Principles

TL;DR

This paper introduces a preliminary 'periodic table' of computer system design principles to unify diverse domain-specific knowledge, aiding understanding, comparison, and communication of system design trade-offs.

Contribution

It proposes a shared, concise vocabulary of recurring design principles across multiple computer system domains, facilitating cross-domain reasoning and education.

Findings

A structured 'periodic table' of principles is developed.

The table helps compare and communicate system design choices.

Supports educational and research efforts in system design.

Abstract

System design is often taught through domain-specific solutions specific to particular domains, such as databases, operating systems, or computer architecture, each with its own methods and vocabulary. While this diversity is a strength, it can obscure cross-cutting principles that recur across domains. This paper proposes a preliminary "periodic table" of system design principles distilled from several domains in computer systems. The goal is a shared, concise vocabulary that helps students, researchers, and practitioners reason about structure and trade-offs, compare designs across domains, and communicate choices more clearly. For supporting materials and updates, please refer to the repository at: https://github.com/jarulraj/periodic-table.