Online Coding Test

My online coding test was a 3-hour take-home challenge on Codility. The problem involved building a React-Node application for a search box with auto-suggestions. I focused on implementing core features, comprehensive unit tests, clear code comments, meaningful variable names, and performance optimizations like debouncing. My solution was accepted, and I shared my thoughts on what makes a strong submission for such problems.

Solution Discussion | Round 1 (45 Min)

In this 45-minute round, a senior software engineer discussed the code I submitted in the coding challenge. The interviewer made me comfortable, and the main goal was to understand my ability to explain my code. We discussed hypothetical scenarios like removing imports, optimizing the application further, and implementing my own debouncing method. This round evaluated my understanding of React and my own submitted code.

JavaScript Technical Interview (1 Hour)

This was a 1-hour interview with two senior frontend engineers, purely focused on JavaScript. We covered a wide range of topics including DOM manipulation (Tree, Parsing with async/defer, CSSOM, FCP, TTI, rendering, SSR, blocking/non-blocking loading), CSS specificity, HTML5 semantics, Web Accessibility (roles, alt, aria-hidden, screen readers like VoiceOver, sprite vs. SVG), JavaScript fundamentals (types, functions, objects, prototyping), ES6 features (map, object destructuring, filters, array.some), design patterns (Builder Pattern, SOLID principles), web security (Request header, cookies, clickjacking, XSS), and build tools (Webpack, minification, bundling, bundle optimization). Beyond JavaScript, we also touched upon Dockerization, CI/CD Pipeline, Automated Testing, and Git Hooks. This round thoroughly evaluated my experience and expertise in these critical areas.

System Design (1 Hour)

The System Design round, led by a Senior Principal Engineer, was scenario-based. I was tasked with designing a system that uses a load balancer for HTTP requests and optimizing database read-write operations in the same system. This was primarily a discussion where I drew out the system architecture. For database optimization, I suggested solutions involving read replicas and write masters. This round assessed my understanding of a complete system, including servers, load balancing, and database operations, and common architectural approaches.

Discussion with Engineering Manager (45 min)

My final round was a 45-minute discussion with an Engineering Manager, focusing on personality and teamwork rather than technical skills. We covered questions like my immediate actions if my code breaks production, how I handle lack of motivation, resolving team conflicts, my vision for leading a team, and my comfort with cross-functional teams. It was an intense but good experience, and I appreciated how comfortable the interviewers made me feel throughout the process. I received the offer after a two-week waiting period, which was tough but ultimately rewarding. 😊