Towards a Periodic Table of Computer System Design Principles
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.
Cite
@article{arxiv.2507.22098,
title = {Towards a Periodic Table of Computer System Design Principles},
author = {Joy Arulraj},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2507.22098},
year = {2025}
}