Do you want to know what typical interview questions are for a software engineer? If so, this blog post will cover 15 of the most common questions.
The first question is “What are the steps involved in designing an elevator system?” This is typically asked because it requires knowledge of fairly advanced mathematics and physics concepts. The second question is “How would you implement recursion without creating a stack overflow?” This can be difficult for some candidates but others may have no problem with it at all. The third question might be “Write code that reverses a string”. This could be answered by using any programming language’s reverse function or alternatively by using loops and divide-and-conquer algorithms.
1. What are the steps involved in designing an elevator system?
The response to this question will vary depending on what kind of job you are applying for. Some companies would consider this question too advanced for their role while others might need someone who is very experienced with this type of problem.
2. How would you implement recursion without creating a stack overflow?
The second question is the most difficult out of all of them. If you understand recursion, this should be easy for you to answer if not then it might take some time for you to come up with a solution.
3. Write code that reverses a string?
One possible solution is to use any programming language’s reverse function. Alternatively, you could use loops and divide-and-conquer algorithms.
4. What is an algorithm and why are they important?
An algorithm is a set of step-by-step instructions that can be used to solve a problem. They are important because they allow us to take a complex problem and break it down into smaller, more manageable parts.
5. What is a data structure and why are they important?
A data structure is a way of organizing data. They are important because they allow us to store and access data in a more efficient way.
6. What is an array and how would you create one?
An array is a collection of data that is organized in a way that allows you to access it very quickly. To create one, simply declare a variable and set its data type.
7. Why would a hash table be a good option for implementing a dictionary?
A hash table is a good choice for implementing dictionaries because it provides fast access when trying to find items in the collection. Without us having to search through every item in the dictionary, we can instead just use the hash key which enables us to quickly pinpoint the exact location of an item in the array.
8. What are some alternatives to using recursion?
Here are some examples of common alternatives: iteration, divide-and-conquer algorithms, dynamic programming, and greedy algorithms. The first two require us to have a better understanding of algorithms while the last two can be implemented using simple looping structures.
9. What is an iterator and how would you create one?
An iterator is an object that allows us to iterate through a collection of data. To create one, we need to first create a class that implements the Iterator interface. This interface has a single method called “hasNext()” which is used to determine whether or not there are more items in the collection.
10. What is Big O notation and why is it important?
Big O notation is a way of describing the runtime complexity of an algorithm. It is important because it helps us to understand how efficient an algorithm is and makes it easier to compare different algorithms.
11. What is an algorithm’s worst-case scenario?
The worst-case scenario of an algorithm is the scenario in which it performs the poorest. This is important to know because it can help us to avoid using these algorithms for certain types of problems.
12. What are some common sorting algorithms?
Some common sorting algorithms include insertion sort, merge sort, quicksort, and heapsort. Each of these algorithms has its own set of advantages and disadvantages so it’s important to understand when each one should be used.
13. What is an algorithm’s best-case scenario?
The best-case scenario of an algorithm is the scenario in which it performs the best. This is important knowledge because it can help us to choose the best algorithm to use for a certain type of problem.
14. How is Big O notation related to the worst-case scenario of an algorithm?
The worst-case scenario describes how an algorithm will perform in its worst-case scenario, which is typically where it performs the poorest. This makes it easier for us to describe just how efficient an algorithm can be when working with specific types of data sets or sizes of data sets. Without having this information at hand, we might make incorrect assumptions when trying to determine if an algorithm is actually any good.
15. Why do programmers use algorithms?
Programmers use algorithms because they allow us to make sense out of complex problems and break them down into smaller parts in order to come up with a solution.
16. What are some common sorting algorithms?
Some examples of common sorting algorithms include insertion sort, merge sort, quicksort, and heapsort. Each of these algorithms has its own set of advantages and disadvantages so it’s important to understand when each one should be used.
17. How would you implement a stack using an array in Java?
The first thing that we would need to do is create a class called “Stack” which implements java. util.Stack interface. This interface requires us to provide two methods: push() and pop(). From there, all we need to do is write code for both methods within our Stack class which will allow us to access them at run-time by calling them from our main() method.
18. What are some benefits of using an iterator?
Iterator objects provide a number of benefits, the most important of which is that they allow us to iterate through a collection of data in a predictable manner. This makes it easier for us to work with large data sets since we can avoid having to use complex looping structures. Additionally, iterator objects are often more efficient than traditional looping structures. Finally, they also provide a level of encapsulation that can make our code more organized and easier to read.
19. How would you create an iterator for a linked list?
The process of creating an iterator for a linked list is actually quite simple. We need to first create a class called “ListIterator” which implements java. util.ListIterator interface . This requires us to provide three main methods: add(), set(), and previous(). Once we’ve created our ListIterator class we can then instantiate it within our source code and use it to iterate through a linked list by calling its previous() and next() methods.
20. What is a binary search tree (BST)?
A binary search tree (BST) is a data structure that allows us to create hierarchical trees containing nodes of data in such a way that we can efficiently produce sorted lists of these items using an algorithm called “binary search”. BSTs are often used for solving problems related to sorting, searching, simply working with large sets of data, and a variety of other things. Their primary benefit is that they allow us to find items within a large set of data in logarithmic time.
21. What are some benefits of using BSTs?
BST’s have a number of distinct advantages that make them incredibly useful for all types of programming tasks including searching through large sets of data, performing sorting operations on such sets, and even just maintaining the normal order that we’d expect when working with hierarchical trees in general. They’re also fairly simple to implement so it’s easy to get started using them whenever necessary.
22. How would you create an iterator for a binary search tree?
Iterators can be created by implementing java. util.Iterator and providing the appropriate methods. The process for creating an iterator for a binary search tree is actually very simple. We need to first create a class called “BinarySearchTreeIterator” which implements java. util.BinarySearchTreeIterator interface . This interface requires us to provide two main methods: hasNext() and next(). Once we’ve created our BinarySearchTreeIterator class we can then instantiate it within our source code and use it to iterate through a binary search tree by calling its next() method.
23. What are some of the biggest benefits of using Java 8?
There are a number of distinct benefits that come with using Java 8, including the following:
– Lambda expressions allow us to write more concise code while focusing on the more important functional aspects of our application.
– The new Stream interface allows us to handle large data sets in an efficient manner while still staying within Java’s type system.
– New data and time APIs give us access to better functionality for working with date and time-related information than we had previously.
24. What happens when you try to compile and run the following code?
public class Main { public static void main(String[] args) { Stack stack = new Stack(); stack.push(“A”); System.out.println(stack); } }
The code compiles without error but when we attempt to run it, a java. lang.NullPointerException is thrown at runtime due to the fact that we’ve attempted to reference a Stack-type object via its name without first pushing it onto the stack itself.
25. What will happen if this code is executed?
public class Main { private static int num = 0; public static void main(String[] args) throws Exception { doSomething(); } private static void doSomething() throws Exception { System.out.println(“This is being done after main has returned.”); } }
The above example compiles without error but when we attempt to run it, a java. lang.IllegalStateException is thrown at runtime because our method doSomething() tries to access the print statement before the main has returned control back over to the calling method or thread which triggered it in the first place. main() has already returned by the time doSomething() is executed.
26. What are some benefits of using Java 8?
Java 8 offers a number of distinct benefits which include lambda expressions, the new Stream interface, and the new date and time APIs. These features allow us to write code that is more concise, efficient, and accurate than ever before. Additionally, they fit well into Java’s type system so we can be sure our code will compile without errors.
27. What are some of the most important differences between Java 7 and Java 8?
Some of the most important differences between Java 7 and Java 8 include the following:
– Lambda expressions allow us to write more concise code while focusing on the more important functional aspects of our application.
– The new Stream interface allows us to handle large data sets in an efficient manner while still staying within Java’s type system.
– New data and time APIs give us access to better functionality for working with date and time-related information than we had previously.
28. What is the difference between a Runnable task, an executor service, and a thread?
The Runnable interface represents code that is executed by another thread or process instance. An executor service provides a means through which we can submit Runnable tasks for execution so they may be carried out concurrently if necessary. A thread executes independently from other threads working in conjunction to create applications that are capable of performing multiple operations simultaneously when required.
29. What is the result of running the following code?
public class Main { public static void main(String[] args) { // TODO Auto-generated method stub } }
The code does not compile because a String array is not compatible with a main() method parameter. We would need to pass an array of Strings into the main() method in order to make it work.
30. What are some benefits of using Java 8?
Some benefits of using Java 8 include lambda expressions, the new Stream interface, and the new date and time APIs. These features allow us to write code that is more concise, efficient, and accurate than ever before. Additionally, they fit well into Java’s type system so we can be sure our code will compile without errors.
31. What is the difference between a Runnable task and an executor service?
A Runnable task is represented by code that is executed by another thread or process instance. An executor service provides a means through which we can submit these tasks for execution so they may be carried out concurrently if necessary. A thread executes independently from other threads working in conjunction to create applications that are capable of performing multiple operations simultaneously when required.
32. Can an interface extend more than one other interface?
An interface can extend more than one other interface, but a class cannot extend more than one interface. This restriction exists because classes are generally thought of as being concrete, while interfaces are not. In other words, classes are expected to implement the functionality defined in their interfaces, while interfaces simply define a set of requirements that other classes or interfaces may choose to implement.
33. When would you use an interface?
Interfaces are typically used when we want to define a contract for the functionality that a class or group of classes should provide. This allows us to easily swap out implementations without having to change any of our code. For example, we might create an interface for logging messages and then have several different classes that implement this interface in order to handle logging in different ways.
34. What is an abstract class?
An abstract class is a class that is not meant to be instantiated directly. It can, however, be extended in order to create a more concrete class that can be instantiated. We use abstract classes in our code when we have certain methods or properties which are not fully fleshed out but need to be implemented by another subclass.
35. What is the difference between the iterator() and spliterator() calls on Stream?
Iterator() returns an Iterator, while spliterator() creates a Spliterator. An Iterator allows us to iterate over elements in a collection, while a Spliterator allows for parallel iteration over collections with non-shared elements. This means that if multiple threads are operating on different parts of the same collection then they will each have access to their own Spliterator instances without having them affect one another.
