Staff Software Engineer

20+ Staff Software Engineer Interview Questions and Answers

Updated 27 Apr 2025
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Q1. How would you open a file whose size is double that of the RAM on your system?

Ans.

Use memory-mapped files or stream the file in chunks.

  • Use memory-mapped files to access the file in chunks.

  • Stream the file in chunks using a buffer.

  • Use compression techniques to reduce the file size before opening.

Q2. Given an array [2,5,1,3,4], return a resulting array such that at the ith position, multiply all elements except the ith element. The resulting array should be [60, 24, 120, 40, 60].

Ans.

Given an array, return a new array where each element is the product of all elements in the original array except the corresponding element.

  • Create a new array of the same length as the input array

  • Iterate through the input array and calculate the product of all elements except the current element

  • Store the product in the corresponding position in the new array

  • Return the new array

Q3. What is the architecture of the current project?

Ans.

The current project follows a microservices architecture.

  • The project is divided into multiple small services that communicate with each other.

  • Each service is responsible for a specific task or functionality.

  • Communication between services is done through APIs or message queues.

  • The architecture allows for scalability and flexibility.

  • Examples of microservices used in the project include user management, payment processing, and inventory management.

Q4. Move all zero to end & design Google photos life application

Ans.

Move all zeros to end of array & design Google Photos life application

  • Iterate through the array and move all zeros to the end

  • Design a user-friendly interface for Google Photos life application

  • Implement features like automatic photo backup, organization, and sharing

  • Utilize machine learning for image recognition and categorization

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Q5. Design a database to store custom fields for a ticket.

Ans.

Design a database to store custom fields for a ticket.

  • Identify the custom fields needed for a ticket

  • Create a table for each custom field

  • Link the tables to the main ticket table using foreign keys

  • Use appropriate data types for each custom field

  • Consider indexing frequently searched fields

Q6. Write a program to determine if a given number is prime.

Ans.

Program to check if a given number is prime or not.

  • A prime number is only divisible by 1 and itself.

  • Loop through numbers from 2 to n/2 and check if n is divisible by any of them.

  • If n is divisible by any number, it is not prime.

  • If n is not divisible by any number, it is prime.

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Q7. What has been your experience with executing Windows code using C++?

Q8. What is Docker and how does it work?

Ans.

Docker is a containerization platform that allows developers to package, deploy, and run applications in isolated environments.

  • Docker uses containerization technology to create isolated environments for applications to run in.

  • It allows developers to package an application and all its dependencies into a single container.

  • Containers can be easily deployed and run on any system that supports Docker.

  • Docker provides a way to manage and scale applications more efficiently.

  • Examples ...read more

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Q9. Design a key-value store with get, put, ttl, and expire functionalities.

Ans.

Design a key value store with get, put, ttl, expire

  • Use a hash table to store key-value pairs

  • Implement put() to add a new key-value pair

  • Implement get() to retrieve the value for a given key

  • Implement ttl() to set a time-to-live for a key

  • Implement expire() to delete a key-value pair after its time-to-live has expired

Q10. Design a notification system.

Ans.

A notification system design for software engineering.

  • Identify the types of notifications needed

  • Determine the target audience for each notification

  • Choose the appropriate delivery method (email, push notification, etc.)

  • Design a user-friendly interface for managing notifications

  • Implement a system for tracking and analyzing notification engagement

  • Ensure the system is scalable and can handle high volumes of notifications

Q11. What are the design patterns commonly used in C++?

Ans.

C++ commonly uses design patterns like Singleton, Factory, Observer, and Strategy to solve recurring design problems.

  • Singleton: Ensures a class has only one instance (e.g., a configuration manager).

  • Factory: Creates objects without specifying the exact class (e.g., shape creation in a graphics application).

  • Observer: Allows objects to subscribe and receive updates (e.g., event handling in GUI applications).

  • Strategy: Enables selecting an algorithm at runtime (e.g., sorting algor...read more

Q12. Pollyfill for .reduce & Promise

Ans.

Polyfill for .reduce & Promise

  • For .reduce polyfill, create a function that takes an array, a callback function, and an initial value as arguments

  • Inside the function, loop through the array and apply the callback function to each element, updating the accumulator

  • For Promise polyfill, create a function that takes a callback function with resolve and reject parameters

  • Inside the function, call the callback function with resolve and reject as arguments based on the asynchronous op...read more

Q13. react code writing in hacker rank

Ans.

The question involves writing React code in HackerRank.

  • Understand the requirements of the task before starting to write the code.

  • Use React components to create a user interface.

  • Handle state management and user interactions using React hooks.

  • Write clean and efficient code to solve the problem.

  • Test the code thoroughly before submitting.

Q14. Have you ever worked on a project that involved a sliding window algorithm?

Q15. Describe how you would design a sidebar with many elements.

Ans.

Design a side bar with lot of elements

  • Consider using a collapsible menu for better organization

  • Use icons or symbols for each element to save space

  • Implement a search bar for easy navigation

  • Include categories or sections to group similar elements together

Q16. Design a payment system for credit cards.

Ans.

Design a secure and efficient payment system for credit cards

  • Implement tokenization to securely store credit card information

  • Use encryption to protect sensitive data during transactions

  • Integrate with payment gateways like Stripe or PayPal for processing payments

  • Implement fraud detection algorithms to prevent unauthorized transactions

Q17. How do you set up passwordless SSH between machines?

Ans.

Passwordless SSH allows for secure and convenient access between machines.

  • Generate SSH key pair on local machine using ssh-keygen command

  • Copy public key to remote machine's authorized_keys file

  • Ensure correct permissions on .ssh directory and authorized_keys file

  • Test SSH connection without password prompt

Q18. Design a phone book application.

Ans.

Phone book application to store and manage contacts

  • Allow users to add, edit, delete contacts

  • Implement search functionality to find contacts quickly

  • Include features like call, message, email directly from the app

Q19. Design Eventbrite.

Ans.

Eventbrite is a platform for creating, promoting, and managing events.

  • Allow users to create events with details like date, time, location, and ticket types

  • Provide tools for promoting events through social media and email marketing

  • Include features for managing RSVPs, ticket sales, and attendee check-ins

Q20. fundamentals of oops

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