Best 25+

Senior Java & Kotlin & Fullstack

developer interview questions and answers
Introduction
If you’re looking for a senior Java or Kotlin developer, or even a full-stack engineer, you’re
going to want to ask the right questions in order to find the best possible candidate. In
this blog post, we will provide you with 25+ of the best interview questions and answers
for these positions. These interview questions are designed to test a candidate’s skills and
knowledge, so make sure you ask them during your interview. Keep reading to get started!
1
Icebreaking
interview questions
These questions are a great way to start off an interview and help break the ice between
the interviewer and interviewee. On the other hand, you need to always check if they are
suitable in a particular case.
Icebreaking interview questions

Q01

What are your strengths

and weaknesses as a developer 
This question is a classic for a reason. It can help you get a sense of how self-aware the
candidate is and whether they are able to take criticism. It is important to define it from
day one.

Example answer:

My strengths as a developer include my attention to detail and my ability to think critically.

My weaknesses include my tendency to be perfectionistic and my lack of experience with
some newer technologies.
Icebreaking interview questions

Q02

If you could work on any project,

what would it be?
Asking this kind of interview questions can help you learn more about whether they are
interested in the software development field.

Example answer:

I would love to work on a project that involves machine learning or artificial intelligence.
I think those technologies are really fascinating and have a lot of potential.
Icebreaking interview questions

Q03

How do you debug code

when something goes wrong
This question helps you get a sense of the candidate’s debugging skills. On the other hand,
you can check how they handle working under pressure or when stumbling upon a crisis
situation.

Example answer:

I usually start by checking the code for obvious mistakes, like typos or incorrect variable
names. If that doesn’t work, I’ll try to narrow down the problem by, for example, running
the code in a debugger or looking at the logs.
Icebreaking interview questions

Q04

Why should we hire you over

the other candidates for this position 
If you ask this question, you will be able to figure out what makes the candidate unique
and why they are a good fit for the position.

Example answer:

I think I would be a great fit for this position because I have a lot of experience with, for
example, Java and Kotlin, which are both important technologies for this role. I’m also
familiar with full-stack development, so I can take on a variety of tasks.
Icebreaking interview questions

Q05

What is your favorite part of programming

in Java or Kotlin or full-stack development?
You can use this question to dig deeper into a candidate’s interests and what they are
passionate about.

Example answer:

My favorite part of programming in Java is the huge community of developers who are
always willing to help out. I also really like Kotlin’s syntax, which is more concise and
expressive than Java. As for full-stack development, I enjoy being able to work on a variety
of different tasks and technologies.
2
General
interview questions
These questions are designed to test the candidate’s skills and knowledge.
General interview questions

Q06

What is your typical workflow

for implementing a new feature
on a web platform or application?
You can use this question to get an impression of how the candidate streamlines their
workflow.

Example answer:

I usually start by coming up with a plan for how I want to implement the feature. Then, I’ll
write some test code and run it in a debugger to make sure it works. After that, I’ll start
coding the actual feature and testing it as I go.
General interview questions

Q07

How would you go about debugging

errors in your codebase, and what
are some common techniques that you use?
This question helps you get a sense of how competent the candidate is at debugging.

Example answer:

I usually start by checking the code for obvious mistakes, like typos or incorrect variable
names. If that doesn’t work, I’ll try to narrow down the problem by running the code in
a debugger or looking at the logs.
General interview questions

Q08

What are some common security risks

that occur in web development,
and how can you mitigate them?
Assess the candidate’s security awareness with this question.

Example answer:

One common security risk in web development is cross-site scripting (XSS). This happens
when an attacker injects malicious code into a website, which can then be executed by
other users. To mitigate this risk, you can use a tool like Cross-Site Scripting Guard.
General interview questions

Q09

Have you ever worked with any big data

solutions, such as Apache Hadoop or Spark?
The purpose of this question is to gauge the candidate’s knowledge of big data solutions.

Example answer:

Yes, I have worked with both Apache Hadoop and Spark. I have also worked with other
big data technologies like YARN. I’m familiar with the basics of working with big data, for
example - loading data into HDFS and running MapReduce jobs.
General interview questions

Q10

What experience do you have

with popular web frameworks
like Ruby on Rails or ExpressJS?
In this question, you are trying to determine the candidate’s experience with web
frameworks. Bonus points can be given if they spot what’s the difference between these
two.

Example answer:

I have a lot of experience with Ruby on Rails and ExpressJS. I’ve worked with both
frameworks for several years, and I’m familiar with their respective APIs. I’m also familiar
with some other popular web frameworks, such as Laravel and Django.
3
Java Developer-specific
questions
Java Developer-specific questions

Q11

What is a polymorphic method,

and how can you use it in your code?
This question tests the candidate’s understanding of polymorphism.

Example answer:

A polymorphic method is a method that can be called on different types of objects. This
allows you to write code that is less specific about the type of object it is dealing with. For
example, you could call the same method on an Array and a List, even though they are
different types of objects.
Java Developer-specific questions

Q12

What is the difference between

an interface and abstract class in Java?
Candidates are tested on their knowledge of interfaces and abstract classes in this
question.

Example answer:

An interface is a type of class that defines a set of methods but does not implement them.
This allows other classes to inherit from it, and then implement the methods themselves.
An abstract class is a type of class that can only be used as a parent class. It defines a set
of methods, but does not implement them. This allows other classes to inherit from it and
then implement the methods themselves.
Java Developer-specific questions

Q13

What is a lambda expression in java,

and how can you use it?
The candidate must prove they understand lambda expressions in this question.

Example answer:

A lambda expression is a short form for an anonymous function. It allows you to write
code that takes advantage of functional programming features, such as closures and
higher-order functions. You can use lambda expressions wherever you would normally use
a regular function, if there is a case.
Java Developer-specific questions

Q14

What are some of the differences

in syntax from C to Java?
The purpose of this question is to test the candidate’s understanding of the differences in
syntax between C and in Java programming language. What is the key difference here?

Example answer:

Some of the biggest differences in syntax are that Java uses square brackets instead of
parentheses for method calls, and that semicolons are mandatory at the end of every
statement. In addition, there are some smaller changes, for example the way you declare
variables and the way you use curly braces to define blocks of code.
Java Developer-specific questions

Q15

What is the difference between

static and non-static methods in Java
Candidates are tested on their understanding of static and non-static methods in this
question.

Example answer:

A static method is a method that belongs to a class, rather than an instance of a class.
This means that you can call it without creating an instance of the class first. A non-static
method is a method that belongs to an instance of a class. In other words, this means that
you can only call it if you have an instance of the class.

Is it easy for you to answer these interview questions, fellow senior Java developer?

Come and join us at DAC.digital - we’re looking for a Remote Java developer.  
4
Kotlin-specific
questions
Kotlin-specific questions

Q16

Kotlin has a number of features that

are not found in Java. What is
your favorite feature of Kotlin, and why?
This question tests the candidate’s understanding of Kotlin. They should provide an
example of features they like in this programming language.

Example answer:

My favorite feature of Kotlin is its support for lambdas. This allows you to write code that
is more concise and expressive. It also makes it easier to use functional programming
features.
Kotlin-specific questions

Q17

What is the difference between

a class and an object in Kotlin?
The question assesses the candidate’s knowledge of classes and objects in Kotlin. If they
can point out what is the difference between these terms, it’s a good indicator for the
interview without keeping the suspense.

Example answer:

A class is a template for creating objects. It defines the properties and methods that all
instances of the class will share. An object is an instance of a class. It has its own copy of
the properties and methods defined by the class, and can also have its own local properties
and methods.
Kotlin-specific questions

Q18

Give an example of when to use

each type of variable in Kotlin
In this question, you will determine whether the candidate knows when to use classes,
vals, and vars in Kotlin.

Example answer:

Class variables are best used when you need to share a value between all instances of
a class. Val variables are best used when you need to store an immutable value. Var
variables are best used when you need to store a mutable value.
Kotlin-specific questions

Q19

How would you define a function

with multiple parameters in Kotlin
This question will test the candidates’ understanding of Kotlin function parameters.

Example answer:

You can define a function with multiple parameters by declaring a tuple type. The first
element of the tuple is the name of the function, and the remaining elements are the
parameter types. For example, you could define a function that takes two ints as parameters
like this:

fun multiply(x: Int, y: Int) {}

efine a function with multiple parameters by declaring a tuple type. The first element of the
tuple is the name of the function, and the remaining elements are the parameter types.
For example, you could define a function that takes two ints as parameters like this:

multiply(12, 34) // Returns 408

Kotlin-specific questions

Q20

What are the different types

of classes in Kotlin, and what are their purposes?
This question checks the candidate’s understanding of class types in Kotlin.

Example answer:

There are three types of classes in Kotlin: singleton, object, and companion. A singleton
class is a class that can only have one instance. An object class is a class that can have
multiple instances. A companion class is a class that is attached to another class and can
only be accessed from within that other class.

Were these interview questions a piece of cake for you to answer? Seems like you’d be
a great Remote Kotlin Developer at DAC.digital, then!
5
Fullstack
questions
Fullstack questions

Q21

What is your experience with various

web development frameworks
(AngularJS, ReactJS, VueJS, etc)?
The question evaluates the candidate’s experience using web development frameworks.

Example answer:

I have experience with both AngularJS and ReactJS. I prefer ReactJS because it allows
you to create reusable components, which makes development more efficient. I am also
familiar with VueJS, but I haven’t had a chance to use it in production yet.
Fullstack questions

Q22

Have you worked with popular web

development frameworks like
Ruby on Rails or Laravel?
Candidates are tested on their familiarity with popular web development frameworks in
this question.

Example answer:

I have worked with Ruby on Rails and Laravel in the past. I prefer Ruby on Rails because it
is more concise and expressive than Laravel. However, both frameworks are good options
for developing web applications.
Fullstack questions

Q23

Have you ever built a REST API from scratch

before and if so, could you share some
of your experiences/challenges with us?
This question tests the candidate’s experience with REST API development.

Example answer:

I have developed REST APIs from scratch before, and I found it to be a challenging but
rewarding experience. For example, one challenge that I encountered was ensuring that
my API was compliant with the various specifications (e.g., JSON-LD, HAL, etc.). Another
challenge was handling errors gracefully. I was able to overcome these challenges by using
the right tools and libraries.
Fullstack questions

Q24

Do you have any experience working with

front-end libraries such as React
or Angular and if so, could you tell us
how that went for you?
With this kind of interview questions, candidates are evaluated on their React and Angular
experience.

Example answer:

I have experience working with both React and Angular. I prefer React because it allows
you to create reusable components, which makes development more efficient. I also find
that React is more performant than Angular. However, both frameworks are good options
for developing web applications.
Fullstack questions

Q25

Could you walk us through the steps involved

in setting up a server-side rendered Angular
application using NodeJS and ExpressJS?
In this question, the candidate is tested on their experience with setting up server-side
rendered Angular applications.

Example answer:

Here are the steps involved in setting up a server-side rendered Angular application using
NodeJS and ExpressJS:
• Install NodeJS and ExpressJS.
• Create a new project folder and cd into it.
• Create a package.json file and install the required dependencies.
• Create an index.js file and require the necessary modules.
• Set up your server configuration in ExpressJS.
• Mount your Angular application in ExpressJS.
• Start your server and test it out!
Dear senior full stack developer, were these interview questions easy to answer?

Come and join us as a Remote FullStack Developer.  

Over to you
Questions -- and answers -- on developer interviews are like a box full of chocolates: you
never know what you’re going to get. But that’s okay, because we’ve got you covered!
In this blog post, we’ll give you a taste of the questions – and answers! -- that you might
encounter as a potential employee, and ask as a potential HR person, in a Java or Kotlin
interview for a senior developer role.
About DAC.digital is a company born out of numerous R&D projects
completed in the past 11 years. We are a team of engineers &
problem solvers who deliver value across IoT, hardware, embedded
systems, big data, machine learning, DLT, DevOps, and software
engineering.

The solutions we deliver to our customers result from the unique

blend of research and management methodologies embedded in
software development and hardware integration processes. We
work on the intersection of technology, science, and business.

We specialize in Custom Software Solutions, SaaS applications,

Blockchain, IoT, Data Analytics, Enterprise Integration for Logistics,
Transport, Mobility, MedTech, and Agriculture industry.

DAC.digital has been named Leading Service Provider 2020 by

Clutch as one of the top IoT developers in Poland. Furthermore,
our international projects have been recognized by PwC, which
awarded us with the title “Polish Company – International
Champion” in 2020. In addition, the company’s innovative spirit
has been acknowledged by MIT Sloan Management Review,
ICAN Institute in the Master of Innovative Transformation 2021
competition, and Eagle of Innovation 2021 by Rzeczpospolita,
a Polish nationwide daily economic and legal newspaper.

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