How to Scale Your System from 0 to 1 Million Users: A Complete Guide

Building a system that scales from 0 to 1 million users can feel daunting. But, by breaking it down into phases and making technical choices that align with your growth projections, you can make this journey smoother. Here, we’ll look at the stages, architecture, infrastructure choices, and strategies you need to scale your system efficiently.

Phase 1: Start Small, But Plan for Growth

When starting with 0 users, your focus should be on agility and setting a foundation for scalability. You don’t need complex infrastructure or optimization yet, but you should prepare for growth by choosing scalable architecture and designing with flexibility.

Key Steps for Initial Setup:

1. Define Core Architecture with Scalability in Mind
   Opt for a microservices architecture or modular monolith if your team is small. Microservices bring clear scalability benefits, but a modular monolith allows rapid iteration and is simpler for small teams.
2. Use a Cloud Provider
   Starting with a cloud provider like AWS, GCP, or Azure gives you access to on-demand scaling, load balancing, and infrastructure tools. It’s easier to upgrade cloud resources as your user base grows.
3. Database Selection…