c software engineer Interview Questions and Answers

100 Software Engineer Interview Questions and Answers
  1. What is the difference between == and === in JavaScript?

    • Answer: In JavaScript, `==` performs loose equality comparison, while `===` performs strict equality comparison. Loose equality coerces types before comparison (e.g., "1" == 1 is true), whereas strict equality checks for both value and type (e.g., "1" === 1 is false).
  2. Explain the concept of polymorphism.

    • Answer: Polymorphism, meaning "many forms," is the ability of an object to take on many forms. In programming, it allows objects of different classes to be treated as objects of a common type. This is often achieved through inheritance and interfaces, enabling flexibility and code reusability.
  3. What is the difference between an array and a linked list?

    • Answer: Arrays store elements in contiguous memory locations, providing fast access through indexing (O(1) time complexity). Linked lists store elements in nodes, each pointing to the next, allowing efficient insertion and deletion (O(1) at the beginning or end, but O(n) for random access).
  4. Describe the SOLID principles of object-oriented design.

    • Answer: SOLID is an acronym for: Single Responsibility Principle (a class should have only one reason to change), Open/Closed Principle (open for extension, closed for modification), Liskov Substitution Principle (subtypes should be substitutable for their base types), Interface Segregation Principle (many client-specific interfaces are better than one general-purpose interface), Dependency Inversion Principle (depend upon abstractions, not concretions).
  5. Explain the concept of RESTful APIs.

    • Answer: REST (Representational State Transfer) APIs are a set of architectural constraints for building web services. They utilize standard HTTP methods (GET, POST, PUT, DELETE) to interact with resources identified by URIs, transferring data in formats like JSON or XML. They are stateless, meaning each request contains all the necessary information.
  6. What are some common design patterns? Give examples of when you'd use them.

    • Answer: Examples include Singleton (ensure only one instance of a class), Factory (create objects without specifying their concrete classes), Observer (define a one-to-many dependency between objects), MVC (Model-View-Controller for separating concerns in UI development). The choice depends on the specific problem, but generally aim for improved code organization, maintainability, and reusability.
  7. What is the difference between a process and a thread?

    • Answer: A process is an independent execution environment with its own memory space, while a thread is a lightweight unit of execution within a process, sharing the same memory space. Processes are heavier to create and manage, but offer better isolation; threads are faster but require careful management of shared resources to avoid race conditions.
  8. Explain how garbage collection works.

    • Answer: Garbage collection is an automatic memory management process that reclaims memory occupied by objects that are no longer reachable by the program. Different garbage collection algorithms exist (mark-and-sweep, reference counting, etc.), but they generally involve identifying unreachable objects and freeing their memory for reuse.
  9. What is the purpose of a database index?

    • Answer: A database index is a data structure that improves the speed of data retrieval operations on a database table at the cost of additional writes and storage space to maintain the index data structure. Indexes work by creating a separate data structure that maps column values to row locations, allowing the database to quickly locate rows matching specific criteria without scanning the entire table.

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