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Software Engineer 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 Software Engineer interview questions and answers.

  1. What programmeming languages do you have experience with? See answer
  2. How do you ensure there are no bugs in your software or applications? See answer
  3. What were your day-to-day tasks in your previous role? See answer
  4. Was the last project you worked on successful? How did you contribute? See answer
  5. What would you do if you found a small bug in your application the night before it was supposed to launch? See answer
  6. How do you stay organised when different projects have different requirements? See answer
  7. What is the difference between functional and non-functional requirements? Do you focus more on one over the other? See answer
  8. Do you prefer to work in a startup or an established company? See answer
  9. What is the benefit of designing scalable applications and how do you do it? See answer
  10. How did you use project management tools in your previous role? See answer
  11. What skills or qualities do you have that make you a good Software Engineer?
  12. What do you look for when reviewing your team member’s code?
  13. What software development process do you use?
  14. If we asked you to write programme algorithms, which language would you do it in and why?
  15. Is there a difference between computer software and a computer programme?
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Our mission

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 Software Engineer Interview Questions and Answers

What programmeming languages do you have experience with?

The aim of this question is to assess the candidate's experience with common programmeming languages to determine whether they will require further training. What to look for in an answer:

  • Knowledge of various programmeming languages
  • Experience working with the same programmeming language you use
  • Willingness to learn new programmeming languages

Example:

"In my ten years as a software engineer, I have used Java, JavaScript, C++, C#, and Python. However, I have the most experience with Java as I frequently used it in my previous position to create new applications."

How do you ensure there are no bugs in your software or applications?

The aim of this question is to assess the candidate's analytical skills and ability to prevent or find and fix bugs in their work. What to look for in an answer:

  • Established process for finding and fixing bugs
  • Strong analytical skills
  • Ability to produce error-free work

Example:

"To lower the risk of bugs in my software or applications, I keep my code as simple as possible. Complex code is harder to test, making it more difficult to find bugs. I also split my code into separate files when possible and test each file separately. This again makes the code less complicated and makes it easier to find bugs."

What were your day-to-day tasks in your previous role?

The aim of this question is to assess the candidate's experience and understanding of the role. What to look for in an answer:

  • Experience as a software engineer
  • Understanding of the role
  • Ability to adapt to new work environments and tasks

Example:

"In my previous role, I spent most of my time coding to create and update applications for my company. I also spent an hour or two a day working on designs, scrums, or attending meetings with my team to ensure everything was running smoothly."

What skills or qualities do you have that make you a good software engineer?

The aim of this question is to assess the candidate's understanding of the role and the skills or experience they hold. What to look for in an answer:

  • Possession of qualities you are looking for in a software engineer
  • Understanding of the role
  • Honesty about their skills

Example:

"One of my best qualities as a software engineer is my experience. I have nine years of experience in software development, which I believe sets me apart from newer candidates in the industry. My technical experience has also helped me develop my soft skills, such as being a good team player, stronger communication and great time management. A good software engineer needs to have these skills."

What do you look for when reviewing your team member's code?

The aim of this question is to assess the candidate's knowledge of debugging other people's work. What to look for in an answer:

  • Attention to detail
  • Experience with debugging
  • Strong problem-solving skills

Example:

"Whenever I review my team member's code, I look at a number of things, such as its security, functionality, and readability. I look through each line of code to ensure there's no unnecessary coding or to check if anything needs to be rewritten. I also ensure their work meets the project-specific requirements to avoid it getting sent back."

Was the last project you worked on successful? How did you contribute?

The aim of this question is to assess the candidate's experience and acknowledgementof their contribution to projects. What to look for in an answer:

  • Experience in a similar role
  • Humility when discussing their contribution to a successful project
  • Ability to admit mistakes and learn from them

Example:

"The last project I worked on was creating a new computer game with my team. We came up with the concept, storyline, and design together. Then, I did all the coding on the project, inputting designs my colleague created. I tested the game multiple times, and a colleague tested it again and went through the code before we launched the game. I can only do my job as a software engineer properly with a good team, so we all contributed equally to the project."

What would you do if you found a small bug in your application the night before it was supposed to launch?

The aim of this question is to assess the candidate's honesty and ability to find bugs. What to look for in an answer:

  • Debugging experience
  • Consideration of the company's best interests
  • Honesty when admitting mistakes or errors

Example:

"If I found a small bug in my code and couldn't fix it before the launch, I would tell my supervisor and recommend we push the launch date. I wouldn't want to put out any work that isn't perfect as it reflects negatively on myself and my company."

What software development process do you use? 

The aim of this question is to assess the candidate's knowledge of and experience with common development processes. What to look for in an answer:

  • Experience with different development processes
  • Willingness to adapt to a new development process
  • In-depth knowledge of industry terms

Example:

"I prefer to use an agile development process, as it focuses on the customer and collabouration between team members to create a successful product. In my previous role, we used this development process, and met with each other frequently to design and create software together with the user in mind. We would designate or be assigned a product owner who outlined our overall goals and vision, making it easier to design software or applications the consumer will be happy with."

How do you stay organised when different projects have different requirements?

The aim of this question is to assess the candidate's organisational skills. What to look for in an answer:

  • Ability to multi-task
  • Strong organisation skills
  • Experience with organisational tools or programmes

Example:

"At the beginning of every project, I create a word document with all of the requirements from my supervisor and the client. This gives me something to refer to whenever I have a question or need to double-check the project's requirements. I store all of the documents in a project requirements folder so they are easy to access."

If we asked you to write programmeming algorithms, which language would you do it in and why?

The aim of this question is to assess the candidate's technical knowledge. What to look for in an answer:

  • Understanding of different coding languages and when to use them
  • Experience programmeming algorithms
  • Willingness to learn different coding languages

Example:

"I have experience with most coding languages, such as Java and C++, but the one I prefer to use depends on the project. When writing programmeming algorithms, I like to use a dynamic language, such as C or C++ because it is more straightforward and versatile. My coding can be simple and to the point when using dynamically typed languages."

 Is there a difference between computer software and a computer programme?

The aim of this question is to determine whether the candidate is familiar with common industry terms. What to look for in an answer:

  • Understanding of computer software and programmes
  • Confidence in their knowledge
  • Willingness to undergo further training if necessary

Example:

"A computer programme consists of coded instructions that tell the computer what tasks to perform. You can find computer programmes within computer software along with a user guide and any further documentation. The main difference is that computer programmes are the basis of software, as software can consist of several programmes."

What is the difference between functional and non-functional requirements? Do you focus more on one over the other?

The aim of this question is to assess the candidate's industry knowledge. What to look for in an answer:

  • Understanding of functional versus non-functional requirements
  • Confidence when answering the question
  • Experience fulfiling both types of requirements

Example:

"Functional requirements determine how the software or application operates while non-functional requirements relate to user experience, security and performance. If you don't meet non-functional requirements, the software or application will still work. So if I had to choose one over the other, it would be functional requirements, but the two go hand in hand and are both important to create a safe, functional programme."

Do you prefer to work in a startup or an established company?

The aim of this question is to assess the candidate's experience and determine whether they would be a good fit for your work environment. What to look for in an answer:

  • Good fit for your company
  • Experience working in different environments
  • Ability to adapt to different workplaces

Example:

"In the past, I have worked for startups and established companies, and there are certainly benefits to both. I enjoy the predictability of working for an established company, but I also enjoy the sense of accomplishment that comes from building up a startup. Ultimately, I decided I wanted to work for a startup like yours again, as I see great potential here and want to help you reach it."

What is the benefit of designing scalable applications and how do you do it?

The aim of this question is to test the candidate's industry knowledge and design process. What to look for in an answer:

  • Strong industry knowledge
  • Ability to solve problems independently
  • Confident design approach

Example:

"Scalable applications are cheaper, both in the short-term and long-term, as the initial design process and updating the code in the future if necessary is less complex. When designing scalable applications, I choose between vertical scaling and horizontal scaling. Then, I write simple code that we can reuse throughout the coding process and in future projects. This streamlines the design process and allows the programme to run on multiple systems easily."

How did you use project management tools in your previous role?

The aim of this question is to assess the candidate's knowledge of common tools software engineers must use. What to look for in an answer:

  • Experience using the same project management tools as your company
  • Willingness to learn new project management tools
  • Knowledge of various project management tools

Example:

"In my previous role, my team and I used Basecamp project management software to keep track of our projects, making it much easier to collabourate. We used the software to build to-do lists, record our progress and performance, have discussions, and set deadlines. I also have experience with other project management tools, such as Trello, Asana and Jira. I am a quick learner, so I can easily adapt to any other project management software you use."

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