Marshall Qiao — Backend Engineer https://marshallqiao.com/ Backend engineer building high-throughput distributed systems, reliable platforms, and practical AI-enabled engineering workflows. en-US Designing High-Throughput Systems Without Losing the Plot https://marshallqiao.com/writing/designing-for-high-throughput-systems/ https://marshallqiao.com/writing/designing-for-high-throughput-systems/ A practical framework for separating capacity, latency, correctness, and operational risk before choosing technology. Wed, 29 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMT Distributed Systems Performance Observability Architecture Behavioral Stories That Actually Show Seniority https://marshallqiao.com/interview/behavioral-stories-that-show-seniority/ https://marshallqiao.com/interview/behavioral-stories-that-show-seniority/ A STAR answer is stronger when it reveals judgment, scope, trade-offs, and what changed afterward. Tue, 28 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMT Behavioural Interview Prep Technical Leadership System Design Drill: A High-Throughput Rule Engine https://marshallqiao.com/interview/system-design-high-throughput-rule-engine/ https://marshallqiao.com/interview/system-design-high-throughput-rule-engine/ How to structure requirements, data flow, scaling, correctness, and operations in a 45-minute system design interview. Fri, 24 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMT System Design Distributed Systems Event-Driven Interview Prep Event-Driven Architecture: Where the Boundaries Actually Matter https://marshallqiao.com/writing/event-driven-architecture-practical-boundaries/ https://marshallqiao.com/writing/event-driven-architecture-practical-boundaries/ Events create leverage only when ownership, delivery guarantees, and recovery paths are explicit. Wed, 22 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMT Architecture Event-Driven Distributed Systems Kafka Learn Algorithm Patterns, Not a Thousand Problems https://marshallqiao.com/interview/algorithm-patterns-over-problems/ https://marshallqiao.com/interview/algorithm-patterns-over-problems/ A retrieval-first method for turning LeetCode practice into reusable interview decisions. Sat, 18 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMT Algorithms Interview Prep Engineering with AI Without Losing Control https://marshallqiao.com/writing/engineering-with-ai-without-losing-control/ https://marshallqiao.com/writing/engineering-with-ai-without-losing-control/ Coding agents become valuable when the workflow makes evidence, boundaries, and review easier—not optional. Tue, 14 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMT Applied AI Developer Productivity Workflow