Lowe's Software Engineer Interview Questions and Answers

Spring Boot simplifies CRUD operations with RESTful APIs, allowing easy data manipulation using JPA and Hibernate.

• 1. Set up Spring Boot project with dependencies: Spring Web, Spring Data JPA, and a database (e.g., H2, MySQL).

• 2. Create an entity class (e.g., `User`) with annotations like `@Entity`, `@Id`, and `@GeneratedValue`.

• 3. Develop a repository interface (e.g., `UserRepository`) extending `JpaRepository` for ...read more

Binary search is an efficient algorithm for finding an item from a sorted list by repeatedly dividing the search interval in half.

• Requires a sorted array to function correctly.

• Starts by comparing the target value to the middle element of the array.

• If the target is equal to the middle element, the search is complete.

• If the target is less than the middle element, search the left half.

• If the target is greater, search...read more

HashMap is a data structure that stores key-value pairs for efficient data retrieval.

• HashMap allows O(1) average time complexity for insertions and lookups.

• It uses a hash function to compute an index for storing values.

• Example: Inserting a key-value pair like ('apple', 1) allows quick access via 'apple'.

• Collisions are handled using techniques like chaining or open addressing.

Sort an array of strings using a single loop approach for efficiency.

• Use a modified version of the insertion sort algorithm to sort in one pass.

• Example: For an array ['banana', 'apple', 'cherry'], insert each element in its correct position.

• Maintain a sorted section of the array and insert new elements into it.

• This approach minimizes the number of comparisons and shifts needed.

Hoisting is a JavaScript mechanism where variable and function declarations are moved to the top of their containing scope during compilation.

• Hoisting applies to both variables and functions in JavaScript.

• Variables declared with 'var' are hoisted, but their initialization is not.

• Example: console.log(x); var x = 5; // Outputs 'undefined' due to hoisting.

• Function declarations are fully hoisted, allowing calls before...read more

A HashSet is a collection that uses a hash table for storage, ensuring unique elements and fast access times.

• Uses a hash table to store elements, allowing for O(1) average time complexity for add, remove, and contains operations.

• Elements are stored in buckets based on their hash code; collisions are handled using linked lists or trees.

• Example: Adding elements 'A', 'B', 'C' results in unique storage, while adding '...read more