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Cognizant Software Engineer Interview Questions and Answers for Experienced

Updated 28 Jun 2025

37 Interview questions

A Software Engineer was asked
Q. Explain OOPS concepts with real-time examples.
Ans. 

OOPS concepts are fundamental to software engineering, with examples like inheritance, encapsulation, and polymorphism.

  • Inheritance: A child class inherits properties and behaviors from a parent class. For example, a Car class can inherit from a Vehicle class.

  • Encapsulation: Bundling data and methods that operate on the data into a single unit. For example, a BankAccount class with private variables and public metho...

A Software Engineer was asked
Q. What is Multithreading?
Ans. 

Multithreading is the ability of a CPU to execute multiple threads concurrently, allowing for better performance and responsiveness in software applications.

  • Multithreading allows multiple threads to run concurrently within the same process.

  • Each thread has its own stack and program counter, but shares the same memory space.

  • Multithreading can improve performance by utilizing multiple CPU cores efficiently.

  • Examples o...

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A Software Engineer was asked
Q. What is the difference between monolithic architecture and microservices?
Ans. 

Monolithic architecture is a single-tiered software application where all components are interconnected and interdependent, while Microservices is a distributed architecture where the application is broken down into smaller, independent services.

  • Monolithic architecture is a single, indivisible unit, making it difficult to scale and update without affecting the entire system.

  • Microservices architecture breaks down t...

A Software Engineer was asked
Q. Are you familiar with Java Spring?
Ans. 

Java Spring is a powerful framework for building enterprise-level applications with ease and flexibility.

  • Dependency Injection: Simplifies code management by allowing developers to inject dependencies rather than hard-coding them.

  • Aspect-Oriented Programming: Enables separation of cross-cutting concerns, such as logging and security, improving code modularity.

  • Spring Boot: A sub-project that simplifies the setup and ...

What people are saying about Cognizant

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an operations associate
22h
Holding profile is a rejection?
I had an interview at Cognizant two weeks ago and cleared the final round, including document verification. After the interview, the interviewer personally reached out to me to discuss the roles and responsibilities in detail and also requested me to expedite the process of sharing my documents for verification. However, during the salary discussion, their offer didn’t align with my expectations, they offered a 30% hike and were not open to any negotiation. Later, the HR mentioned that they would hold my profile. Does this mean it’s a rejection? I haven’t received an email or any proper closure from them yet.
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A Software Engineer was asked
Q. What are your OOPS concepts?
Ans. 

Object-Oriented Programming (OOP) concepts include encapsulation, inheritance, polymorphism, and abstraction.

  • Encapsulation: Bundling data and methods that operate on the data within one unit (class). Example: A class 'Car' with properties like 'speed' and methods like 'accelerate()'.

  • Inheritance: Mechanism where a new class inherits properties and methods from an existing class. Example: 'ElectricCar' inherits from...

A Software Engineer was asked
Q. Explain the Concurrent Modification Exception when iterating over a HashMap.
Ans. 

How to avoid concurrent modification exception while iterating over a hashmap?

  • Use Iterator instead of foreach loop

  • Use ConcurrentHashMap instead of HashMap

  • Synchronize the hashmap while iterating

  • Use CopyOnWriteArrayList instead of ArrayList for values

  • Avoid modifying the hashmap while iterating

🔥 Asked by recruiter 2 times
A Software Engineer was asked
Q. What are the differences between String and StringBuffer?
Ans. 

String is immutable while StringBuffer is mutable in Java.

  • StringBuffer is more efficient when performing a lot of string manipulations

  • StringBuffer has methods to append, insert, and delete characters

  • String is better for small string operations and is thread-safe

  • StringBuffer is not thread-safe but can be made thread-safe with synchronization

  • Example: String str = "hello"; StringBuffer sb = new StringBuffer(str);

  • Exam...

Are these interview questions helpful?
A Software Engineer was asked
Q. Explain the components of a microservice architecture.
Ans. 

Microservice components are small, independent services that work together to form a larger application.

  • Each microservice has its own unique function and can be developed and deployed independently

  • They communicate with each other through APIs or messaging systems

  • They are often containerized for easy deployment and scaling

  • Examples include user authentication, payment processing, and inventory management

A Software Engineer was asked
Q. What is a Lemba expression?
Ans. 

Lemba expression is a programming language used for scientific computing and data analysis.

  • Lemba is designed to be simple and easy to learn.

  • It supports matrix operations and has built-in functions for statistical analysis.

  • Lemba can be used for machine learning and data visualization.

  • Example: sum([1, 2, 3]) returns 6.

A Software Engineer was asked
Q. What is the difference between an interface and an abstract class?
Ans. 

Interface defines only method signatures while abstract class can have both method signatures and implementations.

  • An interface can be implemented by multiple classes while an abstract class can only be extended by one class.

  • An abstract class can have constructors while an interface cannot.

  • An abstract class can have instance variables while an interface cannot.

  • An abstract class can have non-abstract methods while a...

Cognizant Interview Experiences

36 interviews found

Software Engineer Interview Questions & Answers

user image Shubham Jadhav

posted on 11 Jun 2025

Interview experience
4
Good
Difficulty level
Moderate
Process Duration
2-4 weeks
Result
Selected Selected

I appeared for an interview in May 2025, where I was asked the following questions.

  • Q1. What is concept of Opps
  • Q2. What is inheritancw
Interview experience
5
Excellent
Difficulty level
Easy
Process Duration
Less than 2 weeks
Result
Selected Selected

I appeared for an interview in Apr 2025, where I was asked the following questions.

  • Q1. Oops concept question
  • Q2. Sprimg boot question
Interview experience
4
Good
Difficulty level
Moderate
Process Duration
-
Result
Selected Selected

I appeared for an interview before Sep 2021.

Round 1 - Resume Shortlist 
Pro Tip by AmbitionBox:
Keep your resume crisp and to the point. A recruiter looks at your resume for an average of 6 seconds, make sure to leave the best impression.
View all tips
Round 2 - Technical 

(2 Questions)

  • Q1. We need to work ok dbackups?
  • Ans. 

    Effective backups are crucial for data integrity and recovery in software engineering.

    • Regularly schedule backups to prevent data loss, e.g., daily incremental backups.

    • Use versioning to keep multiple copies of files, allowing recovery from different points in time.

    • Implement offsite backups to protect against physical disasters, such as using cloud storage.

    • Test backup restoration processes periodically to ensure data can...

  • Answered by AI
  • Q2. What is use of lookup activity
Interview experience
4
Good
Difficulty level
Moderate
Process Duration
2-4 weeks
Result
Selected Selected

I applied via Naukri.com and was interviewed in Jun 2024. There were 2 interview rounds.

Round 1 - Technical 

(2 Questions)

  • Q1. Questions related to the technology you have worked
  • Q2. Questions related to the assignment you have worked on previous companies also what challenges you faces .
Round 2 - HR 

(2 Questions)

  • Q1. Salary discussion
  • Q2. Work profile also what was yours roles and responsibilities.

Software Engineer Interview Questions & Answers

user image Sowjanya Surapaneni

posted on 26 Jan 2025

Interview experience
5
Excellent
Difficulty level
Moderate
Process Duration
Less than 2 weeks
Result
No response

I appeared for an interview in Dec 2024.

Round 1 - Technical 

(2 Questions)

  • Q1. Server build process
  • Q2. Performance issues
Interview experience
5
Excellent
Difficulty level
-
Process Duration
-
Result
-
  • Q1. Technical questions
  • Q2. Management questions
Interview experience
5
Excellent
Difficulty level
-
Process Duration
-
Result
-
Round 1 - Aptitude Test 

Data structures questions and aptitude

Software Engineer Interview Questions & Answers

user image Harshal Sonawane

posted on 10 Jun 2024

Interview experience
3
Average
Difficulty level
Moderate
Process Duration
2-4 weeks
Result
Selected Selected

I applied via Company Website and was interviewed in Dec 2023. There were 2 interview rounds.

Round 1 - Coding Test 

Basic coding question

Round 2 - Technical 

(2 Questions)

  • Q1. What is BR in ServiceNow
  • Ans. 

    BR in ServiceNow stands for Business Rule.

    • BR is a type of automation that executes when a record is inserted, updated, deleted, displayed, or queried.

    • BRs are used to enforce business logic, data integrity, and automate processes.

    • Examples of BRs include sending email notifications when a record is updated, enforcing data validation rules, and triggering workflows.

  • Answered by AI
  • Q2. Client side vs server side scripting
  • Ans. 

    Client side scripting runs on the user's browser, while server side scripting runs on the server.

    • Client side scripting is executed on the user's browser, allowing for dynamic interactions without reloading the page (e.g. JavaScript).

    • Server side scripting is executed on the server, generating dynamic content before sending it to the user's browser (e.g. PHP, Python).

  • Answered by AI

Skills evaluated in this interview

Software Engineer Interview Questions & Answers

user image Harshit Taneja

posted on 29 Mar 2024

Interview experience
5
Excellent
Difficulty level
Moderate
Process Duration
-
Result
Selected Selected

I appeared for an interview in Sep 2024, where I was asked the following questions.

  • Q1. Behavioural question
  • Q2. Basic reasoning logic
  • Q3. 2 coding and database questions
Interview experience
5
Excellent
Difficulty level
-
Process Duration
-
Result
-
Round 1 - Aptitude Test 

An aptitude test is easy with normal questions

Round 2 - Coding Test 

Normal hacker rank questions for solving

Interview Preparation Tips

Interview preparation tips for other job seekers - Keep looking and working hard

Cognizant Interview FAQs

How many rounds are there in Cognizant Software Engineer interview for experienced candidates?
Cognizant interview process for experienced candidates usually has 1-2 rounds. The most common rounds in the Cognizant interview process for experienced candidates are Technical, Resume Shortlist and HR.
How to prepare for Cognizant Software Engineer interview for experienced candidates?
Go through your CV in detail and study all the technologies mentioned in your CV. Prepare at least two technologies or languages in depth if you are appearing for a technical interview at Cognizant. The most common topics and skills that interviewers at Cognizant expect are Spring Boot, Java, Software Engineering, Microservices and Javascript.
What are the top questions asked in Cognizant Software Engineer interview for experienced candidates?

Some of the top questions asked at the Cognizant Software Engineer interview for experienced candidates -

  1. What is the Default Methods and why it is requir...read more
  2. Explain IOC and dependency injection ?what is @Autowir...read more
  3. Describe the newly added features in Java...read more
What are the most common questions asked in Cognizant Software Engineer HR round for experienced candidates?

The most common HR questions asked in Cognizant Software Engineer interview are for experienced candidates -

  1. Why are you looking for a chan...read more
  2. Tell me about yourse...read more
  3. What are your strengths and weakness...read more
How long is the Cognizant Software Engineer interview process?

The duration of Cognizant Software Engineer interview process can vary, but typically it takes about less than 2 weeks to complete.

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Overall Interview Experience Rating

4.4/5

based on 26 interview experiences

Difficulty level

Easy 21%
Moderate 74%
Hard 5%

Duration

Less than 2 weeks 56%
2-4 weeks 44%
View more
Cognizant Software Engineer Salary
based on 18k salaries
₹2.3 L/yr - ₹14.7 L/yr
12% less than the average Software Engineer Salary in India
View more details

Cognizant Software Engineer Reviews and Ratings

based on 1.2k reviews

3.7/5

Rating in categories

3.6

Skill development

3.6

Work-life balance

3.3

Salary

3.4

Job security

3.5

Company culture

3.0

Promotions

3.4

Work satisfaction

Explore 1.2k Reviews and Ratings
Software Engineer

Coimbatore

5-8 Yrs

Not Disclosed

Software Engineer

Coimbatore

5-8 Yrs

Not Disclosed

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