Inside Netflix's Architecture: A Cloud Architect's Breakdown

Netflix's tech stack is a marvel of modern engineering, powering one of the world's most popular streaming services. As a Sr Cloud architect, I recently broke it down. Here's a taste of what I covered

DevOps Culture:

• Netflix pioneered the DevOps movement before it was mainstream

• Developers are empowered to deploy and manage their services in production

• Custom-built tools like Spinnaker, Eureka, and Zuul showcase Netflix's commitment to innovation

Key takeaway: Scaling is hard, and off-the-shelf solutions don't always cut it for hypergrowth companies.

Backend Architecture:

• Microservices exposed through GraphQL

• Purpose-built databases for different use cases (MySQL, Cassandra, CockroachDB)

• Kafka for event streaming and processing

Data Analytics:

• Separation of transactional and analytics data

• Data lake architecture for efficient querying and analysis

Streaming Magic:

• Complex infrastructure to deliver high-quality video content globally

• Proprietary tools and optimizations for uninterrupted streaming

Throughout the video, I've shared insights on why Netflix made certain architectural decisions and what other companies can learn from their approach.

Want to dive deeper into Netflix's architecture? Check out my full video breakdown, where I go into much more detail on each component and share my perspective as a cloud architect.

What aspects of Netflix's tech stack are you most curious about? Let me know in the comments!