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Google Senior Software Engineer Interview Questions and Answers

Updated 1 Jul 2025

20 Interview questions

🔥 Asked by recruiter 2 times
A Senior Software Engineer was asked
Q. Write a program to solve a challenging programming and algorithm problem.
Ans. 

Program to find the maximum subarray sum using Kadane's algorithm

  • Initialize max_so_far and max_ending_here to 0

  • Iterate through the array and update max_ending_here with the maximum of current element or current element + max_ending_here

  • Update max_so_far with the maximum of max_so_far and max_ending_here

A Senior Software Engineer was asked
Q. Explain the concept of topological sort and how it can be used to determine the order of operations.
Ans. 

Topological sort is used to order a directed graph's nodes in a way that all edges go from earlier to later nodes.

  • Create a graph data structure to represent the dependencies between operations.

  • Use a depth-first search algorithm to perform the topological sort.

  • Start by selecting a node with no incoming edges as the first operation to be performed.

  • Remove this node and its outgoing edges from the graph, then repeat t...

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A Senior Software Engineer was asked
Q. How do you find the length of the largest arithmetic sequence in a binary tree?
Ans. 

Find length of largest arithmetic sequence in binary tree.

  • Traverse the tree and for each node, calculate the length of the longest arithmetic sequence that includes that node.

  • Use dynamic programming to store the length of the longest arithmetic sequence for each node.

  • The length of the longest arithmetic sequence for a node is the maximum of the lengths of the longest arithmetic sequences for its left and right chi...

A Senior Software Engineer was asked
Q. Describe an algorithm to use a robot to move boxes into sorted order based on their IDs, where the box IDs range from 1 to 1000.
Ans. 

Using a robot to sort boxes by their ID in ascending order.

  • Create a list of boxes with their IDs

  • Program the robot to pick up boxes based on their ID

  • Use a sorting algorithm to sort the list of boxes by ID

  • Program the robot to move the boxes in the sorted order

A Senior Software Engineer was asked
Q. Given an unlimited supply of coins with denominations 2 and 5, how many combinations are there to achieve a specific target amount?
Ans. 

Find the number of combinations to achieve a target with given coins of denomination 2 and 5

  • Use dynamic programming approach

  • Create a table to store the number of combinations for each target value

  • Base cases: 0 can be achieved in 1 way, all negative values can be achieved in 0 ways

  • For each coin, update the table with the number of combinations for each target value

A Senior Software Engineer was asked
Q. Given an array of numbers, find the maximum value you can obtain by jumping to any number. The value of each jump is the jump length multiplied by the value at the destination location.
Ans. 

Find the maximum value by jumping to any number and multiplying jump length by value at the location.

  • Iterate through the array and calculate the maximum value for each possible jump

  • Keep track of the maximum value found so far

  • Return the maximum value

A Senior Software Engineer was asked
Q. System Design with HLD
Ans. 

System Design with HLD involves designing the high-level architecture of a software system.

  • Understand the requirements and constraints of the system

  • Identify the components and their interactions

  • Consider scalability, reliability, and performance

  • Use design patterns and best practices

  • Create diagrams like UML or flowcharts to visualize the design

Are these interview questions helpful?
A Senior Software Engineer was asked
Q. System Design with LLD implementation
Ans. 

System design involves creating a high-level design of a software system, followed by implementing the detailed low-level design.

  • Start by understanding the requirements and constraints of the system

  • Create a high-level design that outlines the components and interactions of the system

  • Implement the detailed low-level design, considering factors like scalability, performance, and maintainability

  • Use tools like UML dia...

A Senior Software Engineer was asked
Q. Transliteration logic for European languages
Ans. 

Transliteration logic converts text from one script to another, typically preserving pronunciation.

  • Transliteration is not the same as translation, it focuses on converting characters from one script to another.

  • Commonly used for European languages like Greek, Cyrillic, and Latin scripts.

  • Transliteration rules vary by language, for example, converting Cyrillic 'ш' to Latin 'sh'.

A Senior Software Engineer was asked 2w ago
Q. High level design with lot of followup
Ans. 

Design a scalable online bookstore platform with user-friendly features and efficient inventory management.

  • Use microservices architecture for scalability and maintainability.

  • Implement a RESTful API for communication between frontend and backend.

  • Utilize a relational database (e.g., PostgreSQL) for structured data storage.

  • Incorporate caching mechanisms (e.g., Redis) to improve performance.

  • Design a user-friendly UI/U...

Google Senior Software Engineer Interview Experiences

21 interviews found

Interview experience
5
Excellent
Difficulty level
Moderate
Process Duration
Less than 2 weeks
Result
Selected Selected

I appeared for an interview in Mar 2025, where I was asked the following questions.

  • Q1. Tell. me. about your self
  • Q2. Whh. Should we choose you
  • Ans. 

    I bring a unique blend of technical expertise, problem-solving skills, and a collaborative mindset to drive impactful software solutions.

    • Proven track record of delivering high-quality software on time, such as leading a team to develop a scalable e-commerce platform.

    • Strong proficiency in multiple programming languages, including Python and Java, demonstrated by building a microservices architecture.

    • Experience in mentor...

  • Answered by AI
  • Q3. Application. high. light. your. relevant. skills. and. experiences
  • Ans. 

    Experienced Senior Software Engineer with a strong background in full-stack development and team leadership.

    • Proficient in multiple programming languages including Java, Python, and JavaScript, demonstrated through developing scalable web applications.

    • Led a team of 5 engineers in a project that improved system performance by 30%, showcasing my leadership and project management skills.

    • Implemented CI/CD pipelines using Je...

  • Answered by AI
  • Q4. What. are. Your. strengths. Can. you. work. under. Pressure
  • Ans. 

    I excel in problem-solving, collaboration, and adaptability, thriving under pressure to deliver high-quality software solutions.

    • Strong problem-solving skills: For instance, I resolved a critical bug in a production system under tight deadlines, ensuring minimal downtime.

    • Effective collaboration: I led a team project where we had to deliver a feature in two weeks, and we successfully met the deadline through teamwork.

    • Ada...

  • Answered by AI

Interview Preparation Tips

Interview preparation tips for other job seekers - Speaking slowly and clearly can help you appreciate related and confident
Interview experience
5
Excellent
Difficulty level
Moderate
Process Duration
2-4 weeks
Result
No response

I applied via Approached by Company and was interviewed in Aug 2024. There was 1 interview round.

Round 1 - Technical 

(2 Questions)

  • Q1. Get minimum from stream. Query based.
  • Ans. 

    Efficiently retrieve the minimum value from a stream of numbers using a query-based approach.

    • Use a priority queue (min-heap) to keep track of the minimum values as they come in.

    • For each new number, compare it with the current minimum and update if necessary.

    • Example: Stream = [5, 3, 8, 1]; Min = 1 after processing all.

    • Consider edge cases like empty streams or negative numbers.

  • Answered by AI
  • Q2. Minimum number of platforms for trains. Arrival n departure time is given.
  • Ans. 

    Calculate the minimum number of train platforms required based on given arrival and departure times.

    • Sort the arrival and departure times.

    • Use two pointers to traverse the sorted lists.

    • Count the number of trains at the station at any time.

    • Update the maximum count of platforms needed.

    • Example: For arrivals [10:00, 10:15, 10:30] and departures [10:10, 10:20, 10:40], 2 platforms are needed.

  • Answered by AI
Interview experience
5
Excellent
Difficulty level
Moderate
Process Duration
Less than 2 weeks
Result
Not Selected

I appeared for an interview in Nov 2024.

Round 1 - Coding Test 

DSA question.
You are given a N*N matrix with 0s and 1s. Find the longest contiguous line of 1s in any direction (vertical, horizontal, diagonal or anti-diagonal)

Round 2 - Aptitude Test 

Frontend question. Was shown a screenshot of google meet and asked to code html css for it.
Follow up questions were around improving accessibility and responsiveness.

Interview Preparation Tips

Interview preparation tips for other job seekers - For DSA, I messed up by coding the brute force solution initially. Instead you should verbally discuss brute force, explain time/space complexity and then suggest an optimised approach, and code that out first.

Try to tackle atleast one follow up. You won't get a hire call without that.
Interview experience
5
Excellent
Difficulty level
Hard
Process Duration
2-4 weeks
Result
Selected Selected

I applied via Approached by Company and was interviewed in Jul 2024. There were 4 interview rounds.

Round 1 - Coding Test 

Coding test on leetcode. easy/medium problem.

Round 2 - Coding Test 

Coding test on google docs. Question : Find the number of Lakes given a graph representation

Round 3 - Coding Test 

Design optimal query data structure that can query on key's and timestamp. Follow up : how can we implement more time series relavant feature, like searching in ranges of timestamps

Round 4 - Behavioral interview 

(2 Questions)

  • Q1. Work experience in previous companies
  • Ans. 

    I have 5 years of work experience in previous companies, primarily in developing web applications using Java and JavaScript.

    • Developed web applications using Java and JavaScript

    • Worked on database management and optimization

    • Collaborated with cross-functional teams for project delivery

  • Answered by AI
  • Q2. Time when there was a conflict with leadership
  • Ans. 

    I disagreed with leadership on project priorities, but we reached a compromise through open communication.

    • Clearly communicate concerns and reasons for disagreement

    • Listen to leadership's perspective and try to understand their reasoning

    • Work together to find a compromise that aligns with both parties' goals

  • Answered by AI

Interview Preparation Tips

Topics to prepare for Google Senior Software Engineer interview:
  • Data Structures
  • Algorithms
  • Machine coding
Interview preparation tips for other job seekers - Practice leet code, Blind 75 question list.

Be prapered for the behaviourial / googliness round.
Interview experience
5
Excellent
Difficulty level
-
Process Duration
-
Result
Not Selected
  • Q1. Coding interview with leetcode style
  • Q2. High level design with lot of followup
  • Ans. 

    Design a scalable online bookstore platform with user-friendly features and efficient inventory management.

    • Use microservices architecture for scalability and maintainability.

    • Implement a RESTful API for communication between frontend and backend.

    • Utilize a relational database (e.g., PostgreSQL) for structured data storage.

    • Incorporate caching mechanisms (e.g., Redis) to improve performance.

    • Design a user-friendly UI/UX for...

  • Answered by AI
Interview experience
3
Average
Difficulty level
Moderate
Process Duration
Less than 2 weeks
Result
Not Selected

I appeared for an interview in Jan 2025, where I was asked the following questions.

  • Q1. Android Ble related stuff
  • Q2. Basic android question
Interview experience
5
Excellent
Difficulty level
Hard
Process Duration
4-6 weeks
Result
Not Selected

I applied via Approached by Company and was interviewed in May 2024. There were 3 interview rounds.

Round 1 - Coding Test 

Data structures, Algorithms

Round 2 - Coding Test 

Data Structures, Algorithms

Round 3 - Technical 

(1 Question)

  • Q1. Design a IP blocking system
  • Ans. 

    Design an IP blocking system to prevent unauthorized access to a network.

    • 1. Maintain a list of blacklisted IP addresses.

    • 2. Implement a firewall to block incoming traffic from blacklisted IPs.

    • 3. Regularly update the blacklist based on security threats.

    • 4. Consider implementing rate limiting to prevent brute force attacks.

    • 5. Monitor and log blocked IP addresses for analysis.

  • Answered by AI

Skills evaluated in this interview

Interview experience
3
Average
Difficulty level
Hard
Process Duration
4-6 weeks
Result
No response

I applied via Approached by Company and was interviewed in May 2024. There was 1 interview round.

Round 1 - Technical 

(1 Question)

  • Q1. Design object store like amazon s3
  • Ans. 

    Design an object storage system similar to Amazon S3, focusing on scalability, durability, and accessibility.

    • Use a distributed architecture to ensure high availability and fault tolerance.

    • Implement a RESTful API for easy integration and access, e.g., using HTTP methods like GET, PUT, DELETE.

    • Utilize object versioning to manage changes and maintain data integrity.

    • Incorporate security features like encryption at rest and ...

  • Answered by AI

Interview Preparation Tips

Interview preparation tips for other job seekers - Look at Grokking System Design Advance
Interview experience
5
Excellent
Difficulty level
-
Process Duration
-
Result
-
Round 1 - Technical 

(2 Questions)

  • Q1. Clone the tree as mirror image
  • Ans. 

    Clone a tree by creating a mirror image of it

    • Traverse the original tree in a post-order manner

    • Create a new node for each visited node and assign its value

    • Recursively set the left child of the new node as the mirrored right child of the original node

    • Recursively set the right child of the new node as the mirrored left child of the original node

  • Answered by AI
  • Q2. DP Problem with 2d
  • Ans. 

    Dynamic programming problem involving a 2D array

    • Break down the problem into subproblems and store the results in a 2D array

    • Consider using top-down or bottom-up approach depending on the problem

    • Examples: Longest Common Subsequence, Minimum Path Sum

  • Answered by AI

Skills evaluated in this interview

Interview experience
5
Excellent
Difficulty level
-
Process Duration
-
Result
-
Round 1 - Coding Test 

Live coding test similar to leet code

Round 2 - Technical 

(2 Questions)

  • Q1. My previous experiece
  • Q2. My currrent experience

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Google Interview FAQs

How many rounds are there in Google Senior Software Engineer interview?
Google interview process usually has 2-3 rounds. The most common rounds in the Google interview process are Coding Test, Technical and Resume Shortlist.
How to prepare for Google Senior Software Engineer interview?
Go through your CV in detail and study all the technologies mentioned in your CV. Prepare at least two technologies or languages in depth if you are appearing for a technical interview at Google. The most common topics and skills that interviewers at Google expect are Software Design, Architecture, Clinical SAS Programming, Software Testing and Data Structures and Algorithms.
What are the top questions asked in Google Senior Software Engineer interview?

Some of the top questions asked at the Google Senior Software Engineer interview -

  1. Find the maximum value given an array with numbers and you can jump to any numb...read more
  2. What you do when your wifi is not connected with other device and you didn't ge...read more
  3. Use robot to move boxes in sorted order according to box id. Box id is in range...read more
How long is the Google Senior Software Engineer interview process?

The duration of Google Senior Software Engineer interview process can vary, but typically it takes about less than 2 weeks to complete.

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Overall Interview Experience Rating

4.4/5

based on 25 interview experiences

Difficulty level

Easy 6%
Moderate 71%
Hard 24%

Duration

Less than 2 weeks 53%
2-4 weeks 24%
4-6 weeks 12%
6-8 weeks 6%
More than 8 weeks 6%
View more
Google Senior Software Engineer Salary
based on 1.2k salaries
₹38.6 L/yr - ₹72.2 L/yr
213% more than the average Senior Software Engineer Salary in India
View more details

Google Senior Software Engineer Reviews and Ratings

based on 19 reviews

4.4/5

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4.3

Skill development

4.4

Work-life balance

4.2

Salary

4.2

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4.8

Company culture

3.8

Promotions

4.0

Work satisfaction

Explore 19 Reviews and Ratings
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