Design an Image Hosting Service

Functional Requirements

1. User Registration and Authentication

   • Users should be able to create accounts and log in securely.
   • Support for OAuth or third-party authentication (e.g., Google, Facebook).

2. Image Upload

   • Users can upload images in various formats (JPEG, PNG, GIF, etc.).
   • Support for bulk uploads.
   • Limit on image size and dimensions.

3. Image Storage and Retrieval

   • Store images efficiently and ensure they are retrievable by users.
   • Provide unique URLs for each image.

4. Image Management

   • Users can organize images into albums or collections.
   • Ability to delete or update images.

5. Image Sharing

   • Users can share images via links or embed them in other websites.
   • Support for social media sharing.

6. Image Search and Discovery

   • Users can search for images by tags, names, or other metadata.
   • Provide recommendations based on user activity.

7. Access Control

   • Users can set privacy settings for images (public, private, shared with specific users).

8. Analytics and Reporting

   • Provide insights on image views, shares, and other interactions.

9. Responsive Design

   • Ensure the service is accessible on various devices (desktop, mobile, tablet).

Non-Functional Requirements

1. Scalability

   • The system should handle a large number of users and images.
   • Support for horizontal scaling to accommodate growth.

2. Performance

   • Fast image upload and retrieval times.
   • Low latency for image rendering and sharing.

3. Reliability and Availability

   • Ensure high uptime and availability of the service.
   • Implement redundancy and failover mechanisms.

4. Security

   • Protect user data and images from unauthorized access.
   • Implement encryption for data at rest and in transit.

5. Data Consistency

   • Ensure data consistency across distributed systems.
   • Implement eventual consistency where necessary.

6. Cost Efficiency

   • Optimize storage and bandwidth costs.
   • Implement cost-effective solutions for scaling and resource management.

7. Extensibility

   • Design the system to accommodate future features and integrations.

8. Localization and Internationalization

   • Support multiple languages and regional settings.

9. Backup and Recovery

   • Implement regular backups and a robust recovery process in case of data loss.