Questions that have appeared at janestreet for a Software Engineer (Technical) interview.

1. Data Structures and Algorithms

Question: Can you explain the differences between a hash table and a binary search tree? In what scenarios would you use one over the other?

Question: How would you design a system to handle a large number of requests simultaneously? Describe the data structures and algorithms you would use.

Question: Can you explain how a garbage collector works? What are the pros and cons of using a garbage collector in a programming language?

2. System Design

Question: How would you design a distributed file system? What considerations would you have to make for scalability and fault tolerance?

Question: Describe the process of designing a real-time data processing system. How would you handle high latency or network failures?

Question: How would you design a system for managing large volumes of financial transactions? How would you ensure data consistency and reliability?

3. Computer Networks

Question: Can you explain how TCP/IP works? What are the main differences between TCP and UDP?

Question: How does a DNS query work? Can you describe the steps that occur when you type a URL into your browser?

Question: What is the role of a load balancer in a system architecture? How does it improve the system's performance?

4. Operating Systems

Question: Can you explain the difference between preemptive and non-preemptive scheduling in an operating system?

Question: How do processes communicate in a multi-process system? What is shared memory and message passing?

Question: What is a deadlock in an operating system? How can it be prevented or avoided?

5. Database Management

Question: Can you explain the ACID properties in a database system? Why are they important?

Question: What is a database index? How does it improve query performance?

Question: Can you explain the CAP theorem? How does it apply to distributed systems?