Design a File Sharing System
Time ctor: O(1) join: O(logu + c) leave: O(logu + c) request: O(u) · Space O(u * c) · Official statement on LeetCode
Solutions
// Time: ctor: O(1)
// join: O(logu + c), u is the number of total joined users
// leave: O(logu + c), c is the number of chunks
// request: O(u)
// Space: O(u * c)
// "u ~= n" solution, n is the average number of users who own the chunk
class FileSharing {
public:
FileSharing(int m) {
}
int join(vector<int> ownedChunks) {
int userID = users_.size() + 1;
if (!min_heap_.empty()) {
userID = min_heap_.top();
min_heap_.pop();
} else {
users_.emplace_back();
}
for (const auto& chunk : ownedChunks) {
users_[userID - 1].emplace(chunk);
}
lookup_.emplace(userID);
return userID;
}
void leave(int userID) {
if (!lookup_.count(userID)) {
return;
}
lookup_.erase(userID);
users_[userID - 1].clear();
min_heap_.emplace(userID);
}
vector<int> request(int userID, int chunkID) {
vector<int> result;
for (int i = 0; i < users_.size(); ++i) {
if (users_[i].count(chunkID)) {
result.emplace_back(i + 1);
}
}
if (!result.empty()) {
users_[userID - 1].emplace(chunkID);
}
return result;
}
private:
vector<unordered_set<int>> users_;
unordered_set<int> lookup_;
priority_queue<int, vector<int>, greater<int>> min_heap_;
};
// Time: ctor: O(1)
// join: O(logu + c), u is the number of total joined users
// leave: O(logu + c), c is the number of chunks
// request: O(nlogn) , n is the average number of users who own the chunk
// Space: O(u * c + m)
// "u >> n" solution
class FileSharing2 {
public:
FileSharing2(int m) {
}
int join(vector<int> ownedChunks) {
int userID = users_.size() + 1;
if (!min_heap_.empty()) {
userID = min_heap_.top();
min_heap_.pop();
} else {
users_.emplace_back();
}
for (const auto& chunk : ownedChunks) {
users_[userID - 1].emplace(chunk);
chunks_[chunk].emplace(userID);
}
lookup_.emplace(userID);
return userID;
}
void leave(int userID) {
if (!lookup_.count(userID)) {
return;
}
lookup_.erase(userID);
for (const auto& chunk : users_[userID - 1]) {
chunks_[chunk].erase(userID);
}
users_[userID - 1].clear();
min_heap_.emplace(userID);
}
vector<int> request(int userID, int chunkID) {
vector<int> result(cbegin(chunks_[chunkID]), cend(chunks_[chunkID]));
sort(begin(result), end(result));
if (!result.empty()) {
users_[userID - 1].emplace(chunkID);
chunks_[chunkID].emplace(userID);
}
return result;
}
private:
vector<unordered_set<int>> users_;
unordered_set<int> lookup_;
unordered_map<int, unordered_set<int>> chunks_;
priority_queue<int, vector<int>, greater<int>> min_heap_;
};
Beginner Explanation
What is Design a File Sharing System?
Design a File Sharing System (LeetCode #1500) is a Medium problem that primarily trains design.
How to think about it
- Restate the goal in your own words before coding.
- Work a tiny example by hand so the invariant becomes obvious.
- Identify the pattern — this problem aligns with general problem-solving.
- Only then translate the idea into code.
Why this problem matters
It sits in the sweet spot of interview difficulty: multiple valid approaches, clear trade-offs.
AlgoForge explanations are original teaching notes. Always open the official problem statement on LeetCode for constraints and examples.
Interview Walkthrough
Interview approach for Design a File Sharing System
Opening (30–60 seconds)
- Clarify inputs/outputs and edge cases (empty input, single element, duplicates, overflow).
- State a brute force so the interviewer knows you can solve it naively.
- Propose the optimal direction tied to general problem-solving.
Core solution narrative
- Define the state you track (pointers, DP cell, set membership, stack top, etc.).
- Explain the transition when you process the next element.
- Call out time (ctor: O(1) join: O(logu + c) leave: O(logu + c) request: O(u)) and space (O(u * c)) before coding.
- Code cleanly; narrate variable names.
What interviewers listen for
- Correctness on edge cases
- Complexity honesty
- Ability to discuss trade-offs (e.g., hash map space vs. sort + two pointers)
Follow-up questions they may ask
- Can you solve it with less memory?
- What if the input stream is infinite / doesn't fit in RAM?
- How would tests look for adversarial inputs?
Optimized Approach
Optimized solution notes
The reference solutions on AlgoForge target ctor: O(1) join: O(logu + c) leave: O(logu + c) request: O(u) time and O(u * c) space.
Pattern focus: general problem-solving
Use the pattern as a checklist:
- Identify the dominant pattern and stick to one clear invariant
Multiple methods appear in the source solutions — compare them and explain when each is preferable.
Implementation tips
- Prefer readable names over micro-optimizations in interviews.
- Extract helpers only when they clarify (e.g., expand-around-center, DFS visit).
- After AC-level logic, re-scan for off-by-one and null checks.
Complexity Analysis
Complexity
| Measure | Bound |
|---|---|
| Time | ctor: O(1) join: O(logu + c) leave: O(logu + c) request: O(u) |
| Space | O(u * c) |
How to justify this in an interview
- Time: count loops, map/set operations, and recursive branching; state average vs worst case if relevant.
- Space: include hash maps, recursion stack, and output allocation when the problem asks for it.
If your implementation differs from the reference, re-derive big-O from your code — never memorize a complexity you cannot defend.
Common Mistakes
Common mistakes on Design a File Sharing System
- Skipping edge cases — empty collections, single-element inputs, max constraints.
- Wrong invariant for general problem-solving — updating state too early or too late.
- Mutating input unexpectedly when the problem forbids it.
- Off-by-one in windows, ranges, or binary search bounds.
- Ignoring overflow / precision for integer arithmetic problems.
- Overengineering — jumping to an advanced structure when a simpler approach works.
Alternative Approaches
Alternatives
The source file includes more than one method. Compare:
- Primary optimized path — best complexity for typical interviews.
- Secondary approach — often brute force, sorting-based, or space-optimized variant.
Practice articulating when you would pick each (constraints, readability, follow-ups).
Edge Cases
Edge cases checklist
- Minimum input size
- Maximum input size / time limits
- Duplicates and already-sorted input
- Negative numbers / zeros (if applicable)
- Disconnected structures (graphs/trees)
- Single path vs branching recursion depth
Pattern Recognition
Spotting this pattern
Signal phrases that point to general problem-solving:
- Sorted input or ability to sort without changing the answer class
- Need for contiguous subarray / substring → consider sliding window
- Need for O(1) membership → hash set/map
- Optimal substructure + overlapping subproblems → DP
- Connectivity / components → graph DFS/BFS or Union-Find
Primary topics: design.
Follow-up Interview Questions
Follow-ups
- How does the solution change if the input is a stream?
- Can you solve it in-place?
- What if duplicates must be handled differently?
- How would you parallelize the approach?
- Design tests that would break a buggy implementation.
Practice Recommendations
What to practice next
- Re-solve Design a File Sharing System in a second language (cpp, python).
- Drill 3–5 more problems tagged design.
- Teach the solution out loud in under 5 minutes.
- Add this problem to your revision calendar in 3 days and 14 days.
Visualization
Study checklist
- Read the official problem statement on LeetCode
- Solve on paper / whiteboard first
- Implement the general problem-solving approach
- Verify edge cases from the checklist
- State time and space complexity aloud
- Compare with the AlgoForge reference solution
- Schedule a revision session
Revision notes
Design a File Sharing System (#1500) — Medium. Pattern: general problem-solving. Complexity: ctor: O(1) join: O(logu + c) leave: O(logu + c) request: O(u) time / O(u * c) space. Re-derive the invariant before coding.
FAQs
What is the time complexity of Design a File Sharing System?+
The reference solutions aim for ctor: O(1) join: O(logu + c) leave: O(logu + c) request: O(u) time and O(u * c) space. Always re-derive complexity from the code you write in the interview.
What pattern does Design a File Sharing System use?+
It primarily maps to general problem-solving, within the broader topic of design.
Is Design a File Sharing System good for interviews?+
Yes — as a Medium problem it is a solid practice target. Pair it with related problems in the same pattern family for spaced repetition.
Where can I read the official statement?+
Open the official LeetCode page for constraints and examples: https://leetcode.com/problems/design-a-file-sharing-system/