MediumSystem design

Design a Distributed LRU Cache

Asked at

Stripe

Walmart Labs

1Give yourself 5 minutes

2Answer out loud, not in your head

3Then compare with the answer below

Reference answer

A doubly linked list is crucial for an efficient LRU cache implementation. It allows for O(1) time complexity when moving an accessed item to the front (most recently used). This is because a doubly linked list provides direct access to both the next and previous nodes, enabling constant-time removal from any position. In contrast, a singly linked list would require O(n) time to find the preceding node for removal, significantly degrading performance.

Hiring now

Stripe has 677 open roles right now

landed applies to roles like these for you, on each company’s own site, with answers written for the role.

Get 5x interviews10 free auto-applies. No card.

Analyst Relations Senior Manager
Remote
Product Manager, Consumer Bank Network
SF, SEA, NYC, Chicago, Toronto
Software Engineer – Backend Engineer – Tax Engineering
Seattle, WA

Or practice this question first

Next question