My Nike Interview Experience
Nike SDE 3 Interview experience
SDE 3SDE 2 Interview Experience NIKE
SDE 2Nike SDE 2 Backend Round 2 : System Design Round
SDE 2 BackendNike SDE 2 Backend Round 1 : Interview Experience
SDE 2 Backend2 more experiences below
Summary
I recently interviewed with Nike, where I encountered a blend of DSA, Java fundamentals, and deep discussions on language concepts. I did not proceed with further rounds as I accepted a promotion at my current company.
Full Experience
I recently had an interview with Nike, which turned out to be a good mix of Data Structures & Algorithms, Java fundamentals, and in-depth discussions on language concepts. It was an interesting experience where I tackled several challenging problems and discussed core Java behaviors. Ultimately, I did not proceed with the next rounds because I received a promotion at my current company.
Interview Questions (4)
Given an array and a number k, determine if any two numbers add up to k. The catch was to solve it in one pass using a HashMap. Example: [10,15,3,7], k=17 → true (10+7)
A fun scenario where a Student class had hashCode() always returning 1. We explored how all keys land in the same bucket, how equals() resolves collisions, and how HashMap handles such skewed distributions.
We discussed how passing obj.x (primitive) doesn’t change the original value, while passing the object modifies its internal state. A classic Java trick snippet was presented with a final output of 1.
Another interesting problem: build an output array where each element is the product of all other elements except itself, without using division.
Preparation Tips
My preparation involved a mix of DSA problems, focusing on common patterns and optimizing for time and space complexity. I also delved into Java fundamentals, including core concepts like HashMap internal workings and pass-by-value mechanisms, to be ready for deep-dive discussions.
Summary
Had a successful interview process with Nike's SDE 3 role in India, Bangalore. Cleared multiple rounds including system design and DSA interviews, ultimately receiving a job offer.
Full Experience
***Time to give back to the LeetCode community..*
This is my experience of SDE 3 interview with Nike (India, Bangalore).
How did I apply:
Got a LinkedIn notification → redirected to Nike’s career portal → applied to all relevant openings (no referral).
Screening & HR Call:
HR reached out within a week to discuss the interview process and share some insights on what to expect. Nike gives generous prep time — but take it from someone who’s given plenty of interviews in the last 3 months — keep your prep short, around 2 days between each round max.
Interviews:
I had calls for two different teams under the same vertical, so sharing both experiences below.
Team 1:
R1: System Design (HLD-focused, minimal LLD) – 90 mins
Not your typical HLD/LLD — it was an open-ended discussion around scalability and distributed systems.
Problem Statement:
Design an online store for a retail brand like Nike.
LLD:
We started by writing a small server with a few APIs (Python + FastAPI) and discussed best practices for secure APIs.
HLD:
CI/CD: Talked through every step of a CI/CD pipeline — tools, experiences, pitfalls, and bridging CI with CD. Got deep into real-world scenarios I’d faced as a developer.
Design Flow:
Discussed a complete backend flow, with some pushback on design decisions and tool choices for core components.
Scalability:
This part got intense. We dove into both sides of the CAP theorem — designing for high consistency vs high availability. The interviewer had tons of real-world experience and challenged every design choice, especially around database scaling and trade-offs.
Result:
Cleared the round, but the position got filled.
Team 2:
R1: DSA – 30 mins
[LeetCode – sqrt(x)](https://leetcode.com/problems/sqrtx/description/)
A bit unconventional — the interviewer was more interested in the approach and analysis behind the optimized solution than the actual code.
R2: System Design – 60 mins
Problem Statement:
Design a backend system to manage incoming streams of concert ticket bookings from multiple vendors and provide efficient data flow to multiple analytics teams.
(Although more aligned with a Data Engineer/Scientist role, the focus wasn’t on that.)
We discussed a high-level design with key components and data flow, focusing mainly on scaling challenges and how to address them.
R3: Manager Round – 60 mins
Open-ended discussion on leadership principles — very similar to an Amazon-style round.
Scenario-based questions around crisis management, design conflicts, and failures.
Also covered "Why Nike?" and what I associate most with the brand.
R4: Regional Manager / Director Discussion
(Got confirmation of selection before this round)
Mostly resume-based — they asked about the applications I’d worked on in past roles and explained the reporting structure and hierarchy.
Result:
Got the offer :)
All the best for your shot at Nike or anywhere else.
P.S. A lot of you asked hence, sharing my prep work.
Refer to this comment :
[https://leetcode.com/discuss/post/7318007/nike-sde-3-interview-experience-by-anony-xd5y/comments/3220998/?parent=3220982](https://leetcode.com/discuss/post/7318007/nike-sde-3-interview-experience-by-anony-xd5y/comments/3220998/?parent=3220982)
Interview Questions (1)
Preparation Tips
Preparation: Nike gives generous prep time — but take it from someone who’s given plenty of interviews in the last 3 months — keep your prep short, around 2 days between each round max.
Summary
I recently interviewed for an SDE 2 role at NIKE's Bengaluru office and successfully received an offer after navigating through three comprehensive rounds focused on technical skills, system design, and behavioral aspects.
Full Experience
I received a call from a recruiter regarding an SDE 2 opportunity at NIKE's Bengaluru office. It was quite short notice, leaving me with only about two days to prepare for the interviews.
First Round (Technical Round with SDE3)
This round began with basic introductions, followed by questions based on my resume and the tech stack of my current company. We then moved on to two DSA problems, which were described as medium-to-hard difficulty, focusing on arrays and strings. The round also included an end-to-end system design discussion of my current product, with various cross-questions and scenario additions.
Second Round (Technical Round with Sr.SDE)
The second technical round also included two medium-to-hard DSA problems. I was then presented with a unique scenario-based middleware question involving networking packets routing, which I solved using a Priority Queue. This wasn't a typical LeetCode-style problem. We also delved into the High-Level Design (HLD) and Low-Level Design (LLD) of my current product, where I was grilled specifically on my use of the Circuit Breaker Pattern. There were also scenario-based questions requiring pen-and-paper code related to design patterns. The interviewer aimed to understand my technical experience, the challenges I've faced, and the solutions I've implemented. SQL and cloud technologies were also briefly touched upon.
Third Round (Director Round)
This final round involved an intense grilling on my resume; it was clear they were looking for authenticity. My achievements were a key focus, and I believe my accomplishments impressed the director significantly. Finally, there were usual scenario-based behavioral questions, for which I applied the STAR principles in my answers.
Overall, the experience was positive. The interview panel was excellent, reflecting NIKE's culture. Two days after my interviews, I received an offer.
Interview Questions (5)
I was presented with a unique, scenario-based problem concerning middleware and networking packet routing. The challenge involved efficiently handling and routing network packets within a system.
I was asked to discuss the High-Level Design (HLD) and Low-Level Design (LLD) of a product from my current experience. The discussion particularly focused on the Circuit Breaker Pattern, as I had implemented it, and I was grilled on its design choices and implications.
The director conducted a thorough and scrutinizing review of my resume, questioning every detail of my experiences and responsibilities. The emphasis was on verifying authenticity and my ability to articulate and stand by all claims made on my resume.
The interviewer focused on my professional achievements, expecting me to elaborate on them, explain their impact, and demonstrate how my contributions were significant. Highlighting key accomplishments and their results was crucial.
I encountered typical scenario-based behavioral questions. The expectation was to structure my responses using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to provide clear and comprehensive answers about past experiences.
Preparation Tips
With only about two days' notice for the interviews, my preparation primarily involved revising key concepts. A major takeaway from the experience was realizing that confidence plays a crucial role in delivering a successful interview.
Summary
I experienced the second round for an SDE 2 Backend role at Nike, which focused on system design and core technical concepts.
Full Experience
Q1.Why do use SpringBoot Framework application ? Q2.What is @Configuration? Q3.Explain Micro-service Architecture ? How micro services communicate with each other? Q4.What is RESTful Web Services ? Q5.What is JPA ? Q6.Why do we use Index ? Internal working of Indexing ? Q7.Why do we use joins in table ? Q8.What is jenkins ? Q9.What is redis ? Use cases ? Q10.What is eviction policy in redis ? Q11.How to decide what data needs be cached ? Q12.Explain design Patterns ? Q13.Explain solid Priniciples ? Q14.What is normalization in Mysql ? Q15.Deep dive into my resume. Q16.What is functional programming ?
Interview Questions (16)
Why do use SpringBoot Framework application ?
What is @Configuration?
Explain Micro-service Architecture ? How micro services communicate with each other?
What is RESTful Web Services ?
What is JPA ?
Why do we use Index ? Internal working of Indexing ?
Why do we use joins in table ?
What is jenkins ?
What is redis ? Use cases ?
What is eviction policy in redis ?
How to decide what data needs be cached ?
Explain design Patterns ?
Explain solid Priniciples ?
What is normalization in Mysql ?
Deep dive into my resume.
What is functional programming ?
Summary
I had my first backend round interview for an SDE 2 position at Nike. The interview covered a wide range of topics including Java core concepts, AWS services, system design principles, and a data structures and algorithms problem.
Full Experience
The interview focused on various technical areas, starting with fundamental Java concepts such as method overloading, the differences between Comparator and Comparable, Interface vs. Abstract Class, equals() vs. ==, Java 8 default methods, and String/StringBuilder/StringBuffer differences. We then moved into system design, discussing the SAGA design pattern, AWS SQS and DLQ, message visibility, and managing failed SQS messages. Database knowledge was tested with questions on MySQL vs. NoSQL and ACID properties, along with strategies for managing exponentially growing databases and scaling applications. I also faced a scenario-based question on handling high traffic during a sale and questions about API efficiency and CDNs. A data structures and algorithms question on searching an element in a rotated sorted array was also part of the round.
Interview Questions (19)
What is method overloading?
Difference between Comparator and Comparable Interface ?
What is difference between Interface and Abstract Class. Use case ?
Difference between equals to and == ?
Default methods in interfaces introduced in Java 8. Explain
Difference between StringBuilder, StringBuffer and String ?
What is SAGA Design Pattern ?
About SQS and what is DLQ ?
What are the AWS services using by your company ?
What is Message Visibilty ?
How will you manage Failed SQS Messages ?
Difference between MySql database and NoSql databases ?
How can you increase the efficiency of an API on an application layer ?
Scenario Based Question -> Theirs is going to be sale, how would you handle traffic ?
On what basis you will scale the application ?
What are ACID properties ?
Search element in rotated sorted array
If your DB is growing exponentially how will you manage database ?
What is CDN, what’s the logic behind it ?
Summary
I interviewed for a Software Development Engineer 1 position at Nike. The process included three rounds covering Data Structures & Algorithms, System Design, and Behavioral questions. I successfully cleared all rounds and received a job offer.
Full Experience
Hi folks, its time to give back to the community.
Initial Screening
The recruiter reached out to discuss the role, expectations, and scheduled the interview. All rounds were conducted in-office on the same day.
Round 1: DSA + RESUME DISCUSSION
It was taken by SDE 3
Format: Pen and paper
We started with the introduction. The interviewer was very strict with the time, so he explained me the structure before starting the interview.
He said he will give me strictly 5 mins to understand the question and in the next 5 mins I have to explain him the approach with TC and SC. Then he will give me sharp 10 mins to write the complete code
Questions:
1. Modified version of Permutations solved using recursion. – solved using recursion with follow-ups
2. It was exact question of Group Anagrams
3. Discussion on HashMap internals and edge cases, gave few scenarios to me to explain
In the end asked a few questions about the team and Nike's engineering culture.
Verdict: ✅ Cleared the round
Round 2: DSA + SYSTEM DESIGN
It was taken by Tech Lead
We started with the introduction and then he gave me a DSA Question:
Find the maximum integer in a nested arrayEx: [1,2,[3,4,[5],[6],7,[8,[9]]]]
Ans: 9
Solved using recursion
System Design:
Asked to explain the HLD design of my current project in my company and asked few follow-up questions
LLD Task: Build a user form for Nike (React/JS) that filters out competitive brand names (e.g., Adidas, Puma).
Asked a few questions on Node.js — answered partially; interviewer seemed satisfied.
Verdict: ✅ Cleared the round
Round 3: BEHAVIORAL QUESTIONS
This round was pretty chill and the manager asked me few standard situational questions and about my past work and why I'm looking for change and what are my expectations. It was a very normal conversation.
Verdict: ✅ Selected (Got the result the same day)
Interview Questions (6)
Discussion focused on HashMap internals and edge cases, including explaining solutions for given scenarios.
Find the maximum integer in a nested array.Ex: [1,2,[3,4,[5],[6],7,[8,[9]]]]
Ans: 9
Explain the High-Level Design (HLD) of my current project, followed by several follow-up questions.
Low-Level Design (LLD) task: Build a user form for Nike using React/JS that has functionality to filter out competitive brand names such as Adidas and Puma.
Summary
I recently got selected for the Software Engineer I role at Nike in Bangalore, an onsite interview experience spanning three rounds covering backend technical skills, system design thinking, and behavioral aspects, after 1.3 years of full-time experience.
Full Experience
Hey folks,
🧾 Offer Details:
- Company: Nike
- Role: Software Engineer I (SWE I)
- Location: Bangalore
- Experience: 1.3 Years
(Current: SDET at service based MNC with fullstack & AI agent training exposure) - CTC: ₹14 LPA
(₹11.4 LPA Fixed + ₹1.1 LPA Performance Bonus + Other Benefits) - In-hand: ~₹95K/month (pre-tax)
- Joining Date: 16th June 2025
I recently got selected for the SWE I role at Nike (Bangalore) and wanted to share my complete interview experience. For context, I have 1.3 years of full-time experience (excluding internship). All three rounds were conducted onsite in a single day with direct elimination after each round.
📩 Initial Process:
- Got an email from the recruiter.
- Shared my resume and got shortlisted.
- Within 3 days, I was invited for the onsite interview at the Nike office in Bangalore.
🧠 Round 1: Technical Interview (Backend Focus – Node.js, Express)
This round focused on my backend development experience and understanding of architecture:
- Started with questions about my current work and personal projects.
- Moved to backend concepts:
- Explained HTTP methods: GET, POST, PUT, PATCH, DELETE.
- Asked to write controller logic on the whiteboard (syntax wasn’t the focus — clarity, structure, and problem approach were key).
- Questions around MVC architecture, database integration, API flows, and route-controller design.
- Asked about async/await, what happens without using await, and handling asynchronous flows.
- Also touched on personal project implementation details.
✅ Cleared the round and moved to the second.
🧠 Round 2: Design-Oriented Technical Interview
This round leaned more towards design and architecture thinking:
- I was given a system to design and asked how I’d break it down.
- I mentioned that while I’m still learning system design in depth, I have a high-level understanding of tech stack planning and component breakdown.
- We discussed backend design using Node.js, Express.js, and MongoDB.
- Some follow-up questions on hashing and file comparison came up too.
✅ Cleared this round as well.
🧠 Round 3: Hiring Manager Round
This was a mix of technical depth and behavioral assessment:
- Walked through my current organization work and personal projects.
- React-related technical questions with follow-ups.
- Switched to backend: scenario-based questions on performance and optimization.
- Assessed problem-solving and communication skills through follow-up challenges.
- Ended with behavioral and situational questions.
- He also shared Nike’s team ethics and culture before wrapping up.
And finally… ✅ Got selected after the 3rd round, officially starting my journey as an SWE I at Nike.
Interview Questions (2)
Explain the purpose and usage of HTTP methods: GET, POST, PUT, PATCH, DELETE.
Explain async/await, what happens when await is not used within an async function, and discuss strategies for handling asynchronous flows.