Must-Know Technical Questions for Interviews & Exams

Introduction

Technical interviews are evolving, and staying updated with the latest trends is crucial for success. Whether you’re a fresh graduate or an experienced professional, mastering key technical questions can significantly boost your confidence. In this guide, we cover essential technical questions across different domains, providing explanations and insights to help you ace your next interview.

1. Programming and Data Structures

Common Questions:

• What is the difference between an array and a linked list?
• How does a hash table work?
• Explain the concept of dynamic programming with an example.
• What are time and space complexities, and why are they important?
• Implement a binary search algorithm in your preferred programming language.

2. Databases and SQL

Common Questions:

• What is normalization, and why is it important?
• Explain the differences between SQL and NoSQL databases.
• Write an SQL query to find duplicate records in a table.
• What are indexes, and how do they improve performance?
• Explain ACID properties in a database transaction.

3. Operating Systems

Common Questions:

• What is the difference between a process and a thread?
• Explain deadlock and how it can be prevented.
• What is virtual memory, and how does it work?
• How does the OS manage CPU scheduling?
• What are system calls in an operating system?

4. Networking and Cybersecurity

Common Questions:

• Explain the OSI and TCP/IP models.
• What is the difference between symmetric and asymmetric encryption?
• How does HTTPS work?
• What are firewalls, and how do they enhance security?
• Explain the concept of subnetting in networking.

5. Cloud Computing & DevOps

Common Questions:

• What is cloud computing, and what are its service models (IaaS, PaaS, SaaS)?
• Explain the differences between Docker and Kubernetes.
• What are CI/CD pipelines, and why are they important?
• How does serverless computing work?
• Explain Infrastructure as Code (IaC) with an example.

6. Machine Learning & AI

Common Questions:

• What is the difference between supervised and unsupervised learning?
• Explain the working of a neural network.
• What are precision, recall, and F1-score in machine learning?
• How does a recommendation system work?
• What is feature engineering, and why is it important?

Conclusion

Preparation is the key to cracking any technical interview. By understanding these fundamental topics and practicing relevant questions, you can confidently tackle any challenge thrown your way. Keep exploring, coding, and learning to stay ahead in the tech industry.