Introduction to Distributed Systems

Imagine a single program running on one computer. That's a monolithic system. A distributed system, however, is a collection of independent computers that appear to its users as a single, coherent system.

These computers work together to achieve a common goal, communicating over a network. Think of it like a team of people, each with their own task, but all working towards the same project.

Why bother with multiple computers? Distributed systems offer huge advantages, especially for large-scale applications.

• Scalability: Handle more users and data.
• Reliability: Keep working even if some parts fail.
• Performance: Process tasks faster by doing them in parallel.

They are essential for services like social media, cloud computing, and large e-commerce sites.