Senior Staff Software Engineer, Infrastructure, Google Cloud Data Management

Google

You are given a singly linked list. How do you traverse it in reverse order using O(1) memory? For example, given the list 1 -> 2 -> 3 -> 4 -> null, your traversal should output 4, 3, 2, 1. Explain your approach and provide a code example. Consider the constraints of not modifying the linked list structure itself. Can you adapt your approach if modifying the list structure is permitted, and what would be the trade-offs?

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API Design Question: E-commerce Product Catalog Let's design a simplified API for an e-commerce product catalog. Imagine you're building the backend for a website like Amazon or Etsy, focusing specifically on how products are stored and retrieved. This API will allow client applications (like web browsers or mobile apps) to browse, search, and view product details. Define the Core Entities: What are the essential attributes of a Product? Consider attributes like product_id, name, description, price, category, image_url, and inventory_count. Are there other attributes you would include? Justify your choices. Design the API Endpoints: Propose the main API endpoints for interacting with the product catalog. Focus on the following functionalities. Provide example requests and responses (in JSON format) for each endpoint: Retrieve a product by ID: (/products/{product_id}) Search for products: (/products?keyword=example&category=example) List products by category: (/categories/{category_name}/products) Considerations: How would you handle pagination for large product lists? How would you implement filtering and sorting options in the search endpoint? (e.g., filter by price range, sort by popularity). How would you handle different image sizes and formats? Example Scenario: A user searches for red shoes on the website. Describe how the API would be used to fulfill this request, including the specific endpoint called, the parameters passed, and the format of the expected response.

Google

Tell me about a time you had to work with a signed contract. Describe the situation, your role, and the outcome. What were the key clauses or provisions that were most relevant to the situation? What challenges, if any, did you face in interpreting or adhering to the contract terms? How did you ensure that your actions were in compliance with the contract, and what steps did you take to mitigate potential risks or disputes? For example, consider a scenario where you were managing a project with a vendor, and the contract outlined specific deliverables, timelines, and payment terms. A conflict arose when the vendor failed to meet a critical deadline, potentially impacting the project's overall timeline and budget. How did you leverage the contract to address the issue, protect your company's interests, and find a resolution that was fair to both parties? Or, imagine you were involved in a negotiation where the other party wanted to change certain terms after the contract was signed. How did you handle the situation, ensuring that any modifications were properly documented and agreed upon by all parties involved? What did you learn from this experience, and how has it influenced your approach to working with contracts in subsequent projects or situations?