Pinterest’s Epic Journey from 10K to 22M Users with Just 6 Engineers 🚀🤯
Tags: pinterest, softwaredesign, architecture, systemdesign
Published: 2024-01-07 19:19:56

---
title: Pinterest’s Epic Journey from 10K to 22M Users with Just 6 Engineers 🚀🤯
published: true
date: 2024-01-07 19:16:44 UTC
tags: pinterest, softwaredesign, softwarearchitecture, systemdesign 
canonical_url: https://devangtomar.hashnode.dev/navigating-the-digital-landscape-pinterests-epic-journey-from-10k-to-22m-users-with-just-6-71273d90bf34
---

Once upon a digital epoch, Pinterest, the image-centric social network, defied all odds by skyrocketing to 11 million users with a lean team of only 6 engineers. Fasten your seat belts as we unravel the enthralling saga of how Pinterest triumphed over scaling challenges, embracing both triumphs and stumbles in its quest for digital dominance.

![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/pu8n1xbefcd6ulhzddfd.png)

### The Pinterest Odyssey Unveiled 🌌

In the enigmatic year of 2012, Pinterest proudly flaunted its 11 million monthly active users, achieving this feat with a mere half-dozen engineers. This saga began in March 2010, where the pioneers launched with a single engineer and a small MySQL database. The journey was fraught with lessons, a mix of innovation and simplicity.

![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/5ox3x1uov1gzk4bv2qtr.png)

### **The Art of Scaling - Lessons Learned 🧠**

**1. Proven Technologies Rule 🛠** : Pinterest adhered to the wisdom of using known technologies, steering clear of the pitfalls of diving into uncharted waters.

**2. Simplicity Triumphs 🏰 :** A recurring theme in their journey - keeping it simple. Complexity was the villain they vanquished at every turn.

**3. Scaling Wisdom 🚀 :** Pinterest's decision to add more of the same nodes to scale, avoiding unnecessary creativity, was a pivotal move in their playbook.

**4. Database Dances 💽 :** Sharding databases took precedence over clustering, optimizing data transfer and steering clear of potential pitfalls.

**5. The Joy of Engineering 🎉 :** Engineers at Pinterest weren't just coders; they were contributors from day one, infusing the spirit of innovation into the company's DNA.

### **Pinterest's Architectural Evolution 🛠**

As the months rolled by, Pinterest's architecture evolved. From a basic web server stack to embracing Django for their backend, they navigated the maze of growth with agility.

### **The Misstep in Over-Complication 🤯**

In the race to accommodate their rapidly growing user base, Pinterest hit a snag. Their architecture became an intricate tapestry woven with five different database technologies, causing chaos.

- Membase (Now Couchbase)

- Cassandra

- Elasticsearch

- MongoDB

- NGINX

![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/24s1kho3stprncu5s622.png)

**Cluster Management Nightmare :** Clustering complexities led to data corruption and unfixable problems. Pinterest's solution? A bold move to stick with the proven: MySQL and Memcached.

![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/3ry9i4t2ioijjv4by2fx.png)

### Simplification Triumphs in 2012 🏆

Come January 2012, Pinterest, now handling a staggering 11 million users, had undergone a transformation. The architecture was streamlined, shedding less-proven concepts for robust alternatives.

**Pinterest's Simplified Stack 🏗**  
- Amazon EC2 + S3 + Akamai  
- AWS ELB (Elastic Load Balancing)  
- Flask for backend  
- MySQL, Memcache, and sharding took center stage.

**Manual Sharding Mastery 🧩**

The art of manually sharding databases became Pinterest's forte. During the freeze, they incrementally and manually shard databases, removing table joins and embracing caching.

**The Pinterest Sharding Symphony 🎶**

- Feature freeze

- Incremental and manual sharding

- Unique constraints maintained in a colossal, unsharded database

![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/d909fsqxu2fir2whoknc.png)

### A Leap to 22 Million Users in 2012 🚀

October 2012 marked Pinterest's ascent to 22 million users. The architecture remained the same, showcasing the power of replicating what works and scaling it up.

**Consistency Amidst Growth 🔄**  
- Transition to SSDs  
- Limited, proven choices for stability  
- EC2 and S3 - a duo that stood the test of time.

![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/nazyizxgi0bv64cb0hvf.png)

### **Pinterest's Database Wizardry 🧙**

Unveiling the secrets behind Pinterest's database structure, the unique 64-bit ID structure, and the art of tables.

**ID Structure Magic 🎩**  
- Shard ID, Type, Local ID - A 64-bit symphony orchestrated for scalability.

![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/gwq7fo7eg30k48oy1z1x.png)


**Tables Unveiled 📊**  
- Object tables for pins, boards, comments, users  
- Mapping tables for relational data  
- Say goodbye to JOINs, embrace efficiency.


![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/y2xexjhnkhfq70e91svt.png)



### Conclusion : The Pinterest Legacy Continues 🚢

Pinterest's journey is a testament to the delicate dance between innovation and simplicity. From the pitfalls of over-complication to the triumphs of proven choices, their saga is an inspiration for every tech pioneer. As we bid adieu to this riveting tale, Pinterest stands tall, a beacon in the digital wilderness.

![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/eg407gvhf0qi3xbzrefy.png)

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