[convolvatron]

do you want to learn how to design distributed systems from first principles or build systems from pre-existing distributed components?

unfortunately these are both called 'distributed systems'

#1 is alot more interesting. #2 is what people are hiring for

[gyani95]

I'd like to say both! I guess I can get started with the second one and then move onto the first one?

Maybe after playing with a few components I can look into their internals.

[dsnuh]

For #2 - Maybe try setting up your own Kubernetes cluster on a cloud service provider, without using shortcuts? Perhaps etcd and the Raft protocol would be interesting and helpful in some cases, but leans more towards #1.

For #1 - CAP Theorem, read through aphyr's blog, google concepts/details/jargon you find in white papers on different of the various distributed consensus protocols, etc.