Top 30 Development Engineer Interview Questions and Answers [Updated 2025]

Define what a stack is: LIFO (Last In, First Out) structure.

Define what a queue is: FIFO (First In, First Out) structure.

Give a simple real-world example of each (e.g., stack of plates vs. queue of people).

Mention common use cases for stacks (like function calls) and queues (like task scheduling).

Keep your explanation concise and clear, focusing on the core differences.

Identify a programming language you are proficient in

Explain why you prefer it with specific benefits

Mention any relevant experience or projects

Relate it to the job requirements if possible

Keep your answer concise and focused

Identify the properties of a balanced binary search tree.

Explain how the height of the tree affects search operations.

Mention that the height of a balanced BST is logarithmic in relation to the number of nodes.

Conclude with the time complexity in Big O notation.

Keep your explanation clear and concise, avoiding unnecessary jargon.

Identify the main entities involved such as customers, orders, products, and order details.

Establish relationships between entities, like one-to-many from customers to orders and orders to order details.

Define necessary attributes for each entity, including data types and constraints, to ensure data integrity.

Normalize the schema to reduce redundancy and improve data organization.

Consider scalability and performance, ensuring the design accommodates future growth.

Define unit testing as testing individual components or functions in isolation.

Define integration testing as testing combined parts of the application to verify they work together.

Highlight that unit testing is usually done by developers while integration testing might involve multiple teams.

Mention that unit tests are faster to run and easier to automate compared to integration tests.

Provide examples of each type of testing to illustrate your points clearly.

Identify the files with conflicts quickly using Git commands.

Open the conflicting files in your code editor to review the changes.

Choose which changes to keep or combine the changes logically.

Use 'git add' to stage the resolved files after editing.

Finish by committing the merge with a clear message.

Start by defining TCP and IP separately to give context.

Explain the purpose of TCP in ensuring reliable data transmission.

Describe how IP functions to route packets across networks.

Mention the four layers of the TCP/IP model for structure.

Conclude with a brief example of a connection process using TCP/IP.

Start by defining the four main principles: encapsulation, inheritance, polymorphism, and abstraction.

Explain each principle briefly with an example to illustrate its function.

Discuss the advantages of OOP, such as code reusability, easier maintenance, and increased productivity.

Keep your response structured, possibly using a point-by-point format.

Be prepared to relate OOP principles to real-world applications or projects you've worked on.

Identify at least three common vulnerabilities such as SQL Injection, Cross-Site Scripting (XSS), and Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF)

Explain the impact of each vulnerability briefly

Discuss specific mitigation strategies for each vulnerability

Mention the importance of regular security audits and updates

Emphasize the role of secure coding practices and frameworks

Start by identifying the resources your API will expose and their relationships.

Choose meaningful and consistent endpoint naming conventions that reflect resource hierarchy.

Determine the HTTP methods to use for each endpoint (GET, POST, PUT, DELETE).

Consider using versioning in your API to manage changes over time.

Ensure to include proper status codes and error handling for better client communication.

Define each model clearly and concisely

Use examples to illustrate each service type

Highlight the control vs management aspect for users

Mention typical use cases for each model

Keep your answer structured and easy to follow

Prioritize minimizing HTTP requests to reduce load time

Implement caching strategies for static assets and database queries

Optimize images and use appropriate formats and sizes

Utilize content delivery networks (CDNs) for faster content delivery

Analyze and monitor performance using tools like Google Lighthouse or WebPageTest

Define microservices simply, focusing on their architecture style.

List key benefits like scalability, flexibility, and resilience.

Mention challenges such as complexity and inter-service communication.

Provide real-world examples or scenarios if possible.

Be prepared to discuss how these factors impact development processes.

Think of a specific project that required teamwork.

Identify your role and responsibilities in the project.

Highlight the collaboration methods used with your team.

Discuss the outcome and any measurable success.

Reflect on what you learned from the teamwork experience.

Select a specific and relevant technical problem

Explain the context and impact of the problem

Describe the steps you took to analyze and resolve it

Highlight the outcome and what you learned

Keep it concise and focused on your role

Describe the conflict clearly but briefly.

Focus on your role and perspective in the situation.

Highlight communication strategies used to resolve the issue.

Mention the outcome and any learning points.

Emphasize teamwork and maintaining professionalism.

Choose a specific project where you had a clear leadership role.

Describe your responsibilities and actions in leading the project.

Highlight the skills you used and how you motivated the team.

Discuss the results and what you learned from the experience.

Be concise but include metrics or impacts if possible.

Pick a specific project where learning was essential.

Focus on the technology or tool you had to learn.

Describe your approach to learning it under time pressure.

Highlight the outcome and how it benefited the project.

Mention any resources or strategies you used to learn swiftly.

Think of a specific project where you identified a problem.

Describe the alternative solution or technology you proposed.

Focus on your role in the suggestion process.

Highlight the positive impact on the project's outcome.

Use metrics or feedback if available to quantify success.

Choose a specific project with clear issues.

Explain what went wrong without blaming others.

Focus on your role and responsibility in the situation.

Highlight the lessons learned and how you applied them.

Conclude with how the experience improved your future projects.

Identify deadlines and impact of each task

Use a prioritization matrix to categorize tasks

Break larger tasks into manageable parts and schedule them

Communicate with stakeholders to align on priorities

Review and adjust priorities regularly based on progress and changes

Identify key resources like blogs, podcasts, and webinars that are relevant to development engineering.

Mention any specific technologies or trends you follow and why they are important for your work.

Share how you apply what you learn from these resources to your projects or professional development.

Discuss any professional groups or communities you engage with to exchange knowledge and insights.

Highlight ongoing learning, such as courses or certifications that enhance your skills.

Identify key stakeholders and set up meetings with them

Create a list of questions to clarify project goals and outcomes

Research existing documentation or similar projects for insights

Iteratively refine the requirements through feedback and discussions

Document your findings and ensure alignment with stakeholders

Assess the current project status and identify key areas causing delays.

Prioritize tasks that are critical to meeting the deadline.

Communicate openly with the team to address challenges and gather input.

Consider reallocating resources or adjusting timelines for less critical tasks.

Implement a daily check-in to monitor progress and adapt plans as necessary.

Acknowledge the client's request and express appreciation for their input.

Assess the impact of the additional features on the current timeline and resources.

Communicate transparently about the limitations of the existing project scope.

Discuss potential options, such as adding features to a future phase.

Document the discussion and confirm next steps with the client.

Immediately assess the impact of the bug on users and systems

Communicate with stakeholders about the issue and its severity

Gather relevant logs and data to understand the bug

Develop a hotfix or rollback plan to resolve the problem

Test the fix in a staging environment before redeploying

Identify key project goals and outcomes.

List all tasks and assess their impact on goals.

Evaluate resource availability for each task.

Rank tasks by urgency and importance using a matrix.

Communicate prioritization to the team clearly.

Reach out via email with a clear subject line and urgency needed.

Follow up with a phone call if no response within a reasonable time.

Gather any necessary background information to share and clarify why it's important.

Suggest a brief meeting to discuss the requirements and timelines directly.

Escalate the issue to your manager if the situation remains unresolved after follow-ups.

Assess the privacy risks associated with the feature designed.

Suggest alternative solutions that prioritize user privacy.

Communicate openly with stakeholders about the concerns.

Document the potential impacts on user privacy clearly.

Stay informed about legal standards and ethical guidelines.

Identify the problem clearly and understand its impact on the project.

Communicate with your team to gather input and brainstorm solutions.

Prioritize the potential solutions based on feasibility and urgency.

Take decisive action by choosing the best solution and implementing it.

Document the challenge and the steps taken to resolve it for future reference.