How deep should you go into database schema design during an interview?
Fatima Nakamura
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i've noticed inconsistent expectations across interviewers regarding the level of detail required for database schema design in system design interviews. some interviewers want to see actual table schemas, including primary keys, foreign keys, and basic indexes, while others are content with a high-level entity relationship diagram or just a discussion of data types. how deep should one go into database schema design during an interview? is it usually better to err on the side of more detail and then pull back if not needed, or start high-level and only dive in if prompted? what's the sweet spot for demonstrating strong data modeling without getting lost in the weeds?
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