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Java Interview Questions

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Indeed’s Employer Resource Library helps businesses grow and manage their workforce. With over 15,000 articles in 6 languages, we offer tactical advice, how-tos and best practices to help businesses hire and retain great employees.

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Whether you are preparing to interview a candidate or applying for a job, review our list of top Java interview questions and answers.

  1. How do you maintain high-quality code when working on multiple Java projects? See answer
  2. What are three essential skills of a successful Java user? See answer
  3. Can you please explain what JVM is and how it’s used? See answer
  4. What are the crucial features of the Java programmeming language? See answer
  5. How has your education prepared you for a position using Java? See answer
  6. How do you continue to improve your Java skills? See answer
  7. Tell me about your favourite Java project. See answer
  8. What was the most challenging Java project you’ve worked on? See answer
  9. How do you keep your Java code organised so that it’s easy to work with? See answer
  10. What process do you follow when coming into an existing project and working with other people’s code? See answer
  11. How do you adjust your Java coding process when a project runs behind schedule? See answer
  12. Do you prefer to work independently or as part of a team when completing Java projects? See answer
  13. Tell me about a time you disagreed with a colleague on the best way to proceed with a Java project. See answer
  14. What process do you follow when starting a Java project from scratch? See answer
  15. What unique skills or characteristics would you bring to our team? See answer
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Indeed’s Employer Resource Library helps businesses grow and manage their workforce. With over 15,000 articles in 6 languages, we offer tactical advice, how-tos and best practices to help businesses hire and retain great employees.

Read our editorial guidelines

15 Java Interview Questions and Answers

How do you maintain high-quality code when working on multiple Java projects?

The goal of the question is to evaluate the candidate's ability to maintain a high level of quality and accuracy while managing multiple responsibilities. Their response also provides insight into their ability to prioritise and stay organised. What to look for in an answer:

  • Ability to manage multiple projects effectively
  • Desire to produce high-quality work at all times
  • Attention to detail and accuracy when working on Java coding

Example:

"When working on multiple Java projects, I review the deliverables and timelines for each project. I then set up my daily work schedule to toggle between harder and easier projects so that I can make consistent progress. I also use a calendar to track my projects and timelines to ensure I have everything covered."

What are three essential skills of a successful Java user?

The goal of the question is to evaluate the candidate's understanding of the skills required to be successful using Java. What to look for in an answer:

  • Ability to identify the essential skills of a successful Java user
  • Awareness of their professional strengths
  • Understanding of the duties and responsibilities required for the job

Example:

"The three essential skills of a successful Java user are organisation, logical reasoning, and communication. Being organised when creating Java code is important for anyone who works with the code now and in the future. Logical reasoning is critical so that others can understand why you coded in a particular way. Finally, communication is vital in order to understand the client's requirements and work well with others on the development team."

Can you please explain what JVM is and how it’s used?

The goal of the question is to evaluate the candidate's technical expertise in a basic Java concept. Their response will show their general knowledge level and their ability to explain a technical idea in an easy-to-understand manner. What to look for in an answer:

  • Understanding of the technical principles of Java
  • Ability to explain a technical concept using simple language
  • Experience implementing their knowledge in real-world situations

Example:

"JVM stands for Java Virtual Machine. It is a virtual machine or runtime environment that allows a computer to read and use Java programmes or applications. Without a Java Virtual Machine, a Java programme is inaccessible and won't work."

What are the crucial features of the Java programmeming language?

The goal of the question is to evaluate the candidate's technical expertise in using Java. Their response provides insight into their level of Java understanding and real-world use of the language. What to look for in an answer:

  • Technical expertise in the features of Java
  • Ability to explain technical concepts in easy-to-understand terminology
  • Awareness of what makes Java such a versatile computer language

Example:

"Java is one of the most popular coding languages because of many features. For example, it's easy to learn and simple to use once you understand the basics. It has built-in security features and is robust with memory management functions. It also integrates well with other computer languages."

How has your education prepared you for a position using Java?

The goal of the question is to evaluate the candidate's formal training and their ability to use their education to benefit the position. What to look for in an answer:

  • Completion of company-specific educational requirements
  • Ability to apply their training to become proficient in their job
  • Understanding of the critical skills and knowledge required for the position

Example:

"While completing my Java diploma, I implemented what I was learning by working on small contracts. These projects allowed me to develop hands-on experience and real-world application of what I was learning. Once I completed my training, I immediately got to work using my Java knowledge and skills and took on larger and more complicated projects."

How do you continue to improve your Java skills?

The goal of the question is to evaluate the candidate's interest in continuing to improve their Java skills and take part in professional development. What to look for in an answer:

  • Willingness to participate in ongoing training and skills development
  • Ability to apply what they learn into their position
  • Awareness of the importance of staying current with the latest technology, best practises, and trends

Example:

"I think it's vital that I continue to develop my Java skills and other areas of professional development. That's why I'm part of several online learning communities that offer regular training and technology updates. Then, I like to implement what I learn right away and put it into practise."

Tell me about your favourite Java project.

The goal of the question is to assess the candidate's work preferences by having them discuss their favourite Java project. What to look for in an answer:

  • Ability to identify the tasks or projects they most enjoy
  • Interest in continuing to develop their professional skills and knowledge
  • Desire to produce high-quality work at all times

Example:

"My favourite project I've worked on was for a small start-up company that was creating an app to support their business. I enjoyed it because I got to be involved from the very beginning. I helped plan out the app and created the project plan for the Java coding."

What was the most challenging Java project you’ve worked on?

The goal of the question is to evaluate the candidate's ability to work on challenging projects and see them through to completion. Their response also provides insight into their willingness to be accountable for their work. What to look for in an answer:

  • Interested in working on challenging projects that push their professional skills
  • Ability to commit to a project and see it through to completion
  • Ability to learn from mistakes and challenges

Example:

"The most challenging project I've worked on was for a third-party application developer. The reason it was challenging was because of the tight timeline and the collabouration with a remote team. The project allowed me to develop my project management and communication skills. I'm proud that we completed the project on time and within budget."

How do you keep your Java code organised so that it’s easy to work with?

The goal of the question is to assess the candidate's ability to remain organised and document vital areas for others on the team. What to look for in an answer:

  • Ability to follow Java organisational best practises
  • Interested in documenting critical Java code areas for others within the team
  • Experience working as part of a larger Java team

Example:

"When I'm coding, I try to use a logical structure and Java best practises for the organisation of the project. In addition, I leave notes within my coding so that others who review the code or change it later on understand my thought process."

What process do you follow when coming into an existing project and working with other people’s code?

The goal of the question is to evaluate the candidate's ability to work effectively and efficiently with pre-existing Java code. Their response provides insight into their ability to adapt to another's coding process and continue working on the project seamlessly. What to look for in an answer:

  • Ability to review existing code and become up to date quickly
  • Ability to work with pre-written Java code
  • Willingness to ask for help from other team members

Example:

"When coming into an existing Java project with pre-written code, the first thing I do is review what exists. Reviewing the code allows me to understand the previous coder's logic. I also review any notes previous users left. If I have questions, I reach out to team members for help."

How do you adjust your Java coding process when a project runs behind schedule?

The goal of the question is to evaluate the candidate's ability to minimize effects when a project runs over schedule. Their response provides insight into their ability to prioritise the critical parts of the project and their time management skills. What to look for in an answer:

  • Understanding of what parts of the Java project are critical to success
  • Ability to work under tight and stressful deadlines
  • Ability to stay focused, organised, and efficient when working

Example:

"When a project runs behind schedule, I analyse the vital components of the Java project to meet the minimum viable product requirements. I prioritise these components to ensure they're completed for the next milestone and then go back to complete the details and maximum requirements."

Do you prefer to work independently or as part of a team when completing Java projects?

The goal of the question is to evaluate the candidate's work preference of working alone or within a team. Their response also provides insight into their ability to work with others on Java projects. What to look for in an answer:

  • Awareness of their work environment preference
  • Ability to work effectively alone or within a group
  • Interested in providing high-quality work regardless of the work environment

Example:

"I'm equally comfortable working as part of a larger team or on my own. There are advantages and disadvantages to both. For example, when I work alone, I can focus intently on the task at hand, and when I'm working in a team, I'm able to provide valuable feedback and ideas to the group."

Tell me about a time you disagreed with a colleague on the best way to proceed with a Java project.

The goal of the question is to evaluate the candidate's ability to work effectively with others and manage disagreements professionally. What to look for in an answer:

  • Ability to resolve conflicts independently without mediation
  • Communication skills to ask questions, listen, and discuss issues openly
  • Desire to interact respectfully with all team members

Example:

"I recently disagreed with a colleague on a Java project we were working on together. They wanted to take one direction with the coding, and I suggested another. We sat down and sketched out both ideas to see which was more reliable, accurate, and efficient. It turned out their idea was better, so I was happy to support their way of moving forward."

What process do you follow when starting a Java project from scratch?

The goal of the question is to evaluate the candidate's approach for beginning a new Java project and their ability to organise and manage tasks, timelines, and deliverables. What to look for in an answer:

  • Ability to follow a logical process when planning a project from scratch
  • Project management skills to develop a team and project plan
  • Ability to gather information to understand the full scope of the project

Example:

"When beginning a new Java project, the first thing I do is to gather all necessary information. I need to know the full scope of the project with the timeline, budget, available resources, and deliverables. Then, I build out the project plan and hold the first project meeting."

What unique skills or characteristics would you bring to our team?

The goal of the question is to evaluate the candidate's skills or characteristics that set them apart from other applicants and how they would benefit the team. What to look for in an answer:

  • Understanding of the duties and responsibilities of the position
  • Ability to identify their unique qualities
  • Ability to apply their knowledge and skills to the benefit of the team

Example:

"As a Java developer, I have the unique quality of having experience with both back-end and full-stack development. I've also worked with large development project teams and have been a team lead multiple times with a proven track record."

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