Software Engineer, Front End

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Let's explore some fundamental algorithms. Suppose you're given an unsorted array of integers. Describe how you would implement the following sorting algorithms: Bubble Sort Insertion Sort Merge Sort Quick Sort For each algorithm, explain: The basic principle behind the algorithm. The time complexity in the best, average, and worst-case scenarios. The space complexity. Whether the algorithm is stable or unstable. Provide example code snippets (in any language you prefer, but indicate which language you are using) demonstrating the core logic of each algorithm. Focus on clarity and conciseness in your code. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each sorting algorithm. When would you choose one algorithm over another, and why? For example, consider a scenario where you have a nearly sorted array. Which algorithm would perform best, and why? Imagine you're working with a very large dataset that doesn't fit into memory. Which sorting algorithm(s) could you adapt to handle this situation, and how would you do it? (Hint: Think about external sorting techniques). To illustrate, consider an array [5, 1, 4, 2, 8]. Show how each of the listed algorithms would sort this array step by step.

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Design an Autocomplete Service Let's design an autocomplete service, similar to what you'd find in Google Search or a code editor. The service should provide suggestions as the user types a query. Consider the following requirements: Functionality: The service should return the top k most relevant suggestions based on the user's input. Suggestions should be ranked by popularity (e.g., frequency of search). The system should support a large number of concurrent users. The system should be able to handle a large vocabulary of terms. The service needs to provide real-time or near real-time suggestions (low latency). The service should be fault-tolerant and highly available. Example: If a user types softw, the service might return: [software engineer, software developer, software company, software jobs]. If a user types ja, the service might return: [java, javascript, jakarta, james]. Considerations: How would you store the data to enable fast lookups? How would you handle updates to the suggestion data (e.g., new terms, updated popularity)? How would you scale the system to handle a large number of requests? What algorithms and data structures would you use? How would you optimize for latency? How would you handle different languages or character sets? How would you measure the performance of the service? Walk me through the design of this autocomplete service, considering the key components, data structures, algorithms, and scaling strategies. Describe any trade-offs you would make.

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Tell me about a time you disagreed with a manager. What was the situation, and how did you handle it? What was the outcome, and what did you learn from the experience? For example, perhaps you had a disagreement about project priorities, a technical approach, or a team management style. It could be a situation where you felt strongly about a different course of action and had to navigate the disagreement professionally. Describe the specific steps you took to communicate your perspective, understand your manager's viewpoint, and reach a resolution. What factors did you consider in deciding how to approach the situation, and what alternative approaches did you consider? How did you ensure that the disagreement didn't negatively impact your working relationship or the overall team dynamic? What would you do differently in a similar situation in the future?