Software Engineer, Infrastructure

Meta

Let's talk about strings. Suppose you're given two strings, text and pattern. Your task is to implement a function that efficiently determines if the pattern is a subsequence of the text. A subsequence is a sequence that can be derived from another sequence by deleting some or no elements without changing the order of the remaining elements. For example, ace is a subsequence of abcde, but aec is not. Your function should return true if the pattern is a subsequence of the text, and false otherwise. Example 1: text = abcde pattern = ace Output: true Example 2: text = abcde pattern = aec Output: false Example 3: text = abcde pattern = Output: true (An empty string is always a subsequence) Example 4: text = pattern = abc Output: false (A non-empty string cannot be a subsequence of an empty string) Consider edge cases such as empty strings and differing lengths. Discuss the time and space complexity of your solution. Aim for an optimal solution.

Meta

Let's design a system for URL shortening, like TinyURL. Consider the following: Functional Requirements: Users should be able to enter a long URL and get a shorter URL. Users should be able to access the original URL by visiting the shortened URL. The system should be highly available and handle a large number of requests. Analytics: Track the number of times a shortened URL is accessed. Non-Functional Requirements: The system should have low latency for both URL shortening and redirection. The shortened URLs should be relatively short. The system should be reliable and fault-tolerant. Considerations: How would you handle collisions (when two different long URLs map to the same short URL)? How would you design the data store to efficiently handle a large number of URLs? How would you scale the system to handle a large number of requests? What algorithms could be used for generating the short URLs? Discuss the trade-offs. Walk me through the architectural components, data model, and scaling strategies for this URL shortening service. For instance, if a user inputs https://www.example.com/very/long/path/to/resource, the system might generate a short URL like https://short.url/xyz123. When a user visits https://short.url/xyz123, they should be redirected to the original URL.

Meta

Let's explore your motivations for applying to Facebook. To give me a comprehensive understanding, please elaborate on the specific factors that attracted you to our company. Consider these points in your answer: Company Mission and Values: How do Facebook's core values and mission align with your personal beliefs and career aspirations? Provide specific examples of Facebook initiatives or projects that resonate with you and explain why. Company Culture: Describe your understanding of Facebook's work culture. What aspects of our culture appeal to you, and how do you believe you would contribute to maintaining and enhancing this environment? For example, have you heard about our emphasis on open communication, rapid iteration, or continuous learning, and how do these resonate with your work style? Specific Opportunities: Are there particular teams, roles, or projects at Facebook that excite you? Detail why you are interested in these specific opportunities and how your skills and experience would be a valuable asset to the team. For instance, are you drawn to our work in AI, VR/AR, or social networking, and what specific projects are you aware of that match your skillset? Growth and Development: What are your long-term career goals, and how do you see Facebook helping you achieve them? Discuss the opportunities for learning, growth, and professional development that you believe Facebook offers and how these align with your aspirations. Impact: What kind of impact do you hope to make at Facebook? Do you want to influence millions of users, solve complex technical challenges, or contribute to innovative products? Explain how you would like to make a difference and why you believe Facebook is the right place for you to do so. By providing a detailed and thoughtful response that covers these areas, you will give me a clear picture of your passion for Facebook and your potential to contribute to our team.