[ PROTOCOL_ZERO ]

$ ./build-pubsub-system --from-scratch

Master Realtime Systems. Re-Invent the Wheel. No Magic. Just TCP.

$ cat human_requirements.log

ERROR: DO NOT PROCEED IF

  • -You want to copy-paste boilerplate without understanding.
  • -You think Serverless means there are no servers.
  • -You only want to use whatever vendors and frameworks give to you.
  • -You want to remain a junior software devloper.

SUCCESS: AUTHORIZED FOR

  • +You are tired of treating Kafka/Redis/NATS as "Magic Black Boxes."
  • +You are a Senior Dev (or aim to be) who wants to understand the physics of software.
  • +You want to fully understand message queues and pub/sub — System Design
  • +Builders moving from Full Stack to Systems Architect or Systems Programming.

$ ls -la ./curriculum

01_TCP_Sockets

Raw socket programming. Buffer management. Handling partial reads/writes.

server.ts
client.ts
buffer_utils.ts

02_Message_Protocol

Designing a binary protocol. Framing. Parsing. Endianness.

protocol.spec
parser.ts
serializer.ts

03_PING_PONG

Heartbeats. Connection health. Handling disconnects and reconnects.

heartbeat.rs
connection_manager.rs

04_Message_Routing

Topic matching. Wildcards. Subscription management. Fan-out patterns.

router.go
trie.go
subscription.go

$ ./select_package.sh

The Video Course

Self-paced learning

$129$49

ℹ SYSTEM_STATUS: OPTIMAL

CAPACITY: UNLIMITED

  • Full HD Video Access
  • Source Code Access
  • Updates for correction or revision
RECOMMENDED_CONFIGURATION

Workshop + Bundle

Live Cohort + Private Discord + Recordings

$329$129

⚠ SYSTEM_ALERT: LIMITED_CAPACITY

AVAILABLE_SLOTS: 50 / 50

  • 2-Day Live Remote Workshop
  • Lifetime Private Discord Community
  • Direct Q&A with Instructor
  • Code Review Sessions
  • Workshop Video Recordings

./FAQ_AND_BLUNT_ANSWERS

// THE_LOGISTICS

▶Since this is a pre-order, when do I actually get the content?

This is a Black Friday Pre-Launch sale. By buying now, you secure the absolute lowest price ($49/$129).

  • The Workshop: Will take place in Q1 2026 (likely late Feb or March). I will send a poll to all buyers to choose the weekend that works best for the majority.
  • The Course: Videos for the course will be released in phases, and you get a chance to contribute to the module design.
  • The Community: You get immediate access to the Discord to discuss the curriculum stack right now.
▶What happens if I buy the Workshop bundle but can't make the live date?

No problem. You will get full access to the raw recordings of the sessions immediately after they finish, plus lifetime access to the polished Video Course. You won't miss any code.

▶Is this a subscription?

No. One-time payment. Lifetime access to the videos and the code repository.

// THE_TECH_STACK

▶I don't use TypeScript or Deno. Is this worthless to me?

Not at all. The goal is to master Systems Architecture and Network Protocols, not syntax. We use TS/Deno because it reads like pseudocode, making it easy to follow.

The concepts (Message Protocols, TCP Sockets, Byte Framing, Pub/Sub logic) apply equally to Go, Rust, Elixir, or C++. If you can read code, you can follow this course. The finished TypeScript code will be heavily commented so anyone can read and understand it.

▶How "Senior" do I need to be?

You don't need to be a Staff Engineer, but this is not for total beginners. You should be comfortable writing functions, handling variables, and have some experience with async programming (Promises/Futures). We won't explain "what is a variable."

▶Will you cover Zig/Rust/Go?

The core "Build-Along" is in TypeScript/Deno to ensure we finish in 2 days. However, I am planning bonus modules or "community ports" where we look at how to implement specific low-level components in Zig or Rust.

// THE_OUTCOME

▶Can I use the server we build in production?

Please don't. We are building this to learn, not to replace NATS or Kafka. We will not implement authentication (security) and extreme edge-case error handling to focus on the core architecture. You will gain production-grade understanding and we will discuss how to keep the system highly performant.

▶Why build it from scratch? Why not just read the NATS docs?

"What I cannot create, I do not understand" — Richard Feynman. Reading docs makes you a user. Building the protocol makes you an Architect. You will never look at a "Connection Error" log the same way again.

// THE_MONEY

▶Why is the price so low compared to other system design courses?

Two reasons:

  1. Black Friday: Everyone loves a deal.
  2. Beta Pricing: You are trusting me by buying before the content is recorded. In exchange for that trust, you get a massive discount. When the course officially launches in 2026, the price will jump to $129 (Course) and $329 (Workshop) during launch campaign.
▶Do you offer a refund guarantee?

Yes. If you attend the workshop or watch the course and feel you didn't learn how to build a Pub/Sub system, email me within 30 days for a full refund.

// STILL_HAVE_QUESTIONS?

If your question isn't answered here, feel free to reach out to me (Peter Mbanugo) directly via the contact form on my website: https://pmbanugo.me