june23's avatar

Is it required to code an entire module like a basic "Instant Messenger" for example in coding interviews as quick and accurate as possible?

I have been wondering, I am sure for MAANG companies there needs to be "perfection" when it comes to coding rounds like memorizing an entire frontend or backend frameworks like Laravel so that it can be possible to code an entire module or component like a "Shopping Cart" for an E-Commerce website with out having to look into the documentation or Stackoverflow for the backend framework and type everything as fast as possible to get through the coding rounds, but for smaller or even mid sized companies that hire new web developers, entry level, are they required to pass coding rounds or coding tests to the extent where a potential candidate web developer applying for an entry level role can code with ease and quickly and fast as possible to create whatever the coding test is asking for without having to look into the documentation or google for advice? Or can junior level web developers use Google and Stackoverflow within the coding rounds? How does that work? I have seen videos on YouTube and have read some articles stating that before somewhere around 2017 and below it was easier to get a job in Web Development, but now a days you need to be like a ninja when it comes to interviews and especially coding rounds. So can anyone give advice and feedback on this, do Entry Level Developer applying for Roles need to be quick, accurate, and precise when it comes to coding rounds or do the interviewers and company just want to see what level you are at?

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martinbean's avatar

Companies like MAANG aren’t going to be testing you on frameworks like Laravel. What they will test you on are understandings of computing and networking fundamentals. The problems they’re solving are far bigger than, “Could you make this feature in Laravel?” They won’t use batteries-included frameworks like Laravel because their codebases will be so massive, in some cases older than Laravel, and will be highly-tuned for performance, scale, and various other constraints and requirements.

You’re going to be asked about algorithms, computation, parallelisation and serialisation, optimising data storage and retrieval; not “have you memorised a library and can you build this feature without Googling?”

june23's avatar

@martinbean Okay well that is good to know! But what I really wanted to know is what smaller-mid sized companies ask for, what type of tests do they give a Junior Developers, or is it the same as "algorithms, computation, parallelisation and serialisation, optimising data storage and retrieval", as you said. From what I see on websites like Careerbuilder.com or Indeed.com, they have Roles of Software Engineers and Web Developers true, but I also see Roles of Laravel Developer, Django Developer, Node Developer, etc... So I was just assuming they ask you questions on frameworks. What I want to know is, what do I have to know in order for my to pass a coding round with a smaller-mid sized company?

martinbean's avatar

@june23 You’re asking about two completely different scenarios. A MAANG company is going to have an entirely different interview process to a small-to-mid-sized company.

krisi_gjika's avatar

If you are applying for the role of "Laravel Developer" you are expected to know Laravel. Than depending on the required experience, you are expected to know things around the framework or ecosystem you will be working on.

Read the actual description and requirements of the position to have an understanding of what is expected of you. Example one position might expect you to also know some frontend framework, others might not care at all about that and expect you to know something else, it's not fixed.

june23's avatar

@krisi_gjika Okay I know this but I am confused on the part of do for example say a Role as a Laravel Backend Developer sent me an email and I pass the screening and they give me a coding test, do I need to pass the test perfectly or almost perfectly or a very high percentage, that is what is most concerning is that I have to memorize the most important things from Laravel that way I can solve any problem that they throw at me... or is this assumption a mistake?

june23's avatar

@martinbean Well how would the small-mid sized company interview process go, given your experience as a web developer?

Snapey's avatar

There is no magic number, you have to be better overall than the other candidates available at that time.

june23's avatar

@snapey Okay I can understand that, like best one out of the group. So I am guessing that means if there is a question on the interview test of "Write a Doubly Linked List" the candidate that implements the best possible implementation for it, gets passed to next interview round, correct? I mean in can be something else like "Write a function that computes the min/max of an Array" for example, but my point is the candidate that is better overall gets the job? Correct? And I am guessing there is no using Google or Stackoverflow during the tests I am guessing also.

jlrdw's avatar

but my point is the candidate that is better overall gets the job? Correct?

A good company want's someone who can take the ball an run with it. You don't have to know everything, but know how to figure out what's needed.

If the company isn't looking for such a person, it's simple I wouldn't want the job.

Snapey's avatar

Not sure what you expect as an answer from this forum?

Think about buying yourself a computer. You check reviews, you look at the specs, you consider the look and styling, you check the ergonomics, you ask around.

Why would employing someone be any different? All these have parallels in hiring. You are just focussing on "look at the specs" . So what if you don't know what a double linked list is, maybe the others don't either. You can only do what you can do. You can't revise for an interview. The best thing you can do is gain practical experience over time, and be honest about where you currently are in your development.

the candidate that is better overall gets the job? Correct?

Yes, but its more nuanced than that. The hiring company will look for the candidate that best suits their needs over the medium term. IMO what you can do immediately is less important than what you can become.

These days, knowing HOW to code something is less important than knowing why you should code something. AI can generate the right code, but you need to know what to ask for. As the interviewer I would be far more interested in your thoughts on why you would use a linked list rather than expecting you to provide actual code in Laravel for instance.

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