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

1. Data Structures and Algorithms

Question: How would you detect a cycle in a linked list? Question: Can you explain the difference between a stack and a queue? Question: How would you implement a least recently used (LRU) cache?

2. Operating Systems

Question: Can you explain the differences between process and thread? Question: What is a deadlock and how would you prevent it? Question: How does virtual memory work?

3. System Design

Question: How would you design a global video distribution system, similar to TikTok? Question: What considerations would you keep in mind while designing a database for a social media application like TikTok? Question: How would you approach designing a real-time feature, such as live streaming?

4. Networking

Question: Can you describe how the TCP/IP model works? Question: How does a DNS resolve a URL into an IP address? Question: What is the difference between HTTP and HTTPS?

5. Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC)

Question: Can you explain the different stages of the SDLC and your experience with each? Question: How do you ensure quality and bug-free code in your development process? Question: How would you handle technical debt?

6. Databases

Question: Can you explain the differences between SQL and NoSQL databases? Question: How does indexing work in databases? Question: How would you ensure data consistency in a distributed database?

7. Scalability and Performance Optimization

Question: How would you design a system to handle a sudden spike in traffic? Question: What factors could cause a system's performance to degrade? Question: How would you approach optimizing the performance of a slow application?

8. Security

Question: How would you prevent a SQL injection attack? Question: How does HTTPS ensure secure communication over the internet? Question: Can you explain what Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) is and how to prevent it?

9. Cloud Computing

Question: What are the advantages and disadvantages of using cloud services? Question: Can you explain the difference between PaaS, SaaS, and IaaS? Question: How would you ensure data security in the cloud?

10. DevOps

Question: Can you explain the concept of continuous integration and continuous delivery (CI/CD)? Question: How does containerization help in DevOps? Question: What is your experience with infrastructure as code (IaC)?