Data Structures and Algorithm
You must have heard people saying, “It’s important to master Data Structures and Algorithms.” But have you ever thought about why you should have a good command of Data Structures and Algorithms?
Data Structures and Algorithms help us solve real-world problems. For example, while developing a website, you might have to use a binary tree to get the hierarchy of your web pages. Due to its utmost importance in companies, engineering college grads and working professionals can’t skip DSA.
Fortunately, candidates get more reality checks from their seniors or social platforms like LinkedIn. Even before entering the real world of job-hunting or the workplace. Almost every tech-giants like Amazon, Google, Microsoft, and Adobe conduct multiple interviews to evaluate applicants’ problem-solving skills and knowledge of data structures and algorithms.
You can learn different algorithms and solve a lot of problems by using them. For having a command of Data Structures, you need to be well versed in the basics – Arrays, Linked Lists, Stack and Queue, Strings, and finding the Time-Space Complexity for the solutions.
Also see, Repeater in Computer Network
Database Management
The Database Management System manages the data; the database engine allows data to be accessed, locked, and modified; and the database schema defines the database’s logical structure. These three foundational elements help provide concurrency, security, data integrity, and uniform data administration procedures.
Typical database administration tasks the Database Management System supports include change management, performance monitoring and tuning, security, and backup and recovery.
Most of the database management systems are even responsible for automated rollbacks and restarts as well as logging and auditing of activity in databases and the applications that access them. The Database Management System provides a centralized view of data that can be accessed by multiple users, from multiple locations, in a manipulated manner.
A Database Management System can limit what data the end user sees, as well as how that end user can view the data, providing many views of a single database schema.
End users and software programs are free from having to understand where the data is physically located or on what type of storage media it resides because the Database Management System handles all requests.
You need to be well-versed in the concepts of Database Management Systems as you might encounter situations being a Software Developer where you will have to deal with and manage Database Management Systems.
Operating System
An operating system is formally defined as a program used for managing a computer’s hardware and software applications. The operating system is activated as soon as you turn on the target device. It includes all the processes that assist us in accessing the system and its controls.
The Operating System is designed to make computation easy, by enabling multitasking. For instance, when you maximize a video for watching a video or playing a game, all the background applications are kept running by the operating system.
The Operating System also maintains and controls the antivirus, therefore, if any threat is detected all the processes are halted and the antivirus pop-up dialog is given the highest priority.
Some common Operating System questions include:
- What are semaphore variables? How are they used in a code?
- What do you mean by mutual exclusion?
- What are the conditions for a deadlock?
- Explain Banker’s Algorithm with a suitable example.
- How many levels are there in POSIX?
- What is meant by process synchronization?
Computer Networks
The interviewer might ask you a few questions based on Computer Networks if you apply for the position of network engineer, network consultant, cloud engineer, and so on. If you have mentioned networking as a skill, then be prepared with the most popular computer network questions for clearing the viva interview.
It is another important core subject of the Computer Science curriculum. Most of the networking questions are related to the OSI Model or the TCP/IP Model.
Some common Networking questions include:
- What is Routing?
- What is the purpose of the Data Link Layer of the OSI model?
- What is the key advantage of using switches?
- When does network congestion occur?
- What is a Window in networking terms?
- Does a bridge divide a network into smaller sections?
- Which LAN switching method is used in CISCO Catalyst 5000?
- What is the role of the LLC sublayer?
- How does RIP differ from IGRP?
- What are the different memories used in a CISCO router?
- What is BootP?
- What is the function of the Application Layer in networking?
- Differentiate User Mode from Privileged Mode
- What is 100BaseFX?
- Differentiate full-duplex from half-duplex.
- What is MTU?
- How does cut-through LAN switching work?
- What is latency?
- Utilizing RIP, what is the limit when it comes to the number of hops?
- What is a Frame Relay?
- How do you configure a Cisco router to route IPX?
- What are the different IPX access lists?
- Explain the benefits of VLANs.
- What is subnetting?
Get detailed information about FAANG companies here.
Must Read Product Based Companies in India.
Must Read Web Developer Interview Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I crack a product-based company interview?
You can crack the interview of a product-based company by preparing well for other computer science-based subjects apart from competitive coding and data structures and algorithms. You need to be prepared with other computer science-based subjects such as System Design, Operating systems, Database Management systems, Computer Networks, etc.
What should I learn about product-based companies?
Once you have mastered a programming language of your choice and the topic of data structures and algorithms, the next step for aspiring software developers is to invest their time in learning development. Based on your interest, you can choose from various fields of development that include Web development, Android development, and Application development.
What skills do you need for product-based companies?
Skills required for working in a good product based companies are:
1. Data Structures and Algorithms
2. High academic proficiency
3. Good coding skills
4. Multiple language proficiency
5. Knowledge of core computer subjects
6. Effective communication
7. Knowledge of networking fundamentals
How do big companies conduct interviews?
Big companies usually conduct four to five rounds of interviews. Among these rounds, the last one is definitely the Human Resource round in which the salary, the job location, and other job profile-related discussions are made. Big companies have one communication assessment in which your listening and speaking skills are evaluated. And there are multiple technical rounds, you may be asked to write code, solve some MCQs or design a system or the interviewer might just ask some questions verbally.
How do you crack the toughest coding interview?
Cracking the Coding Interviews is a highly recommended book for grokking the interviews of product-based companies so start working on that book. You need to practice a high number of questions based on data structures such as graphs, and trees using dynamic programming to get hands-on experience in problem-solving. Try to find the optimal solution for problems, do not settle for brute-force approaches.
Are the coding interviews hard?
Yes, the coding interviews are typically hard. The preliminary rounds might be easy but as you move forward the level of coding questions get tougher. The time and space complexity are also analyzed in the interview rounds of big companies.
Conclusion
Consistent preparation is definitely important but it is not sufficient for grokking the interview of any product-based company. Self-evaluation and time management are the two key concepts that help you crack any assessment or interview. You need to go through the previous interview experiences of candidates and prepare accordingly.
You can also consider our Interview Preparation Course to give your career an edge over others.
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