10+ ThoughtWorks Application Developer Interview Questions and Answers

A database for managing songs on Spotify playlists.

• Create a table for playlists with columns for name, description, and user ID

• Create a table for songs with columns for title, artist, album, and duration

• Create a table for playlist-songs with columns for playlist ID and song ID

• Use foreign keys to link tables together

• Allow for CRUD operations on playlists and songs

Create an array of song titles sorted by year of publication.

• Create an array of song objects with properties for title and year of publication.

• Sort the array by year of publication.

• Extract the titles of the songs into a separate array.

• Return the array of song titles.

Adding a new feature using SOLID principles

• Identify the new feature and its requirements

• Analyze the existing codebase and identify areas that need modification

• Apply SOLID principles to design the new feature

• Implement the feature using clean code practices

• Test the feature thoroughly to ensure it meets the requirements

To find the middle element of a linked list in a single traversal.

• Use two pointers, one moving at twice the speed of the other.

• When the faster pointer reaches the end, the slower pointer will be at the middle.

• If the linked list has even number of elements, the middle will be the second of the two middle elements.

HTTP status codes indicate the status of a web request.

• 1xx - Informational

• 2xx - Success

• 3xx - Redirection

• 4xx - Client Error

• 5xx - Server Error

• Examples: 200 OK, 404 Not Found, 500 Internal Server Error

Permutations of a string can be generated using recursion and swapping characters.

• Use recursion to generate all possible permutations

• Swap characters to create new permutations

• Store permutations in an array of strings

• Handle duplicate characters to avoid repetition

To add a 20% discount code and implement cashback in an application.

• Create a discount code field in the application where users can enter the code to avail 20% off.

• Calculate the discounted price by applying the 20% discount on the original price.

• Implement a cashback feature where users receive a certain percentage of the purchase amount back as cashback.

• Ensure that the cashback amount is credited to the user's account after the purchase is completed.

Python is used for data science due to its simplicity, readability, extensive libraries, and community support.

• Python is easy to learn and read, making it accessible for beginners and experts alike

• Python has a wide range of libraries like NumPy, Pandas, and Scikit-learn for data manipulation and analysis

• Python has a strong community support with active forums and resources for data science enthusiasts

• Python's versatility allows for integration with other tools and languages c...read more

Both Java and C have their own strengths and weaknesses, and the choice depends on the specific requirements of the project.

• Java is better for developing enterprise-level applications due to its platform independence and robustness.

• C is better for developing system-level software and applications that require high performance and low-level access to hardware.

• Java has a larger community and more libraries and frameworks available, making it easier to find solutions to common p...read more

Multithreading allows multiple threads to execute concurrently within a single process.

• Multithreading allows for parallel execution of tasks within a single process.

• Each thread has its own stack and runs independently of other threads.

• Threads share the same memory space, allowing for communication and data sharing.

• Multithreading can improve performance by utilizing multiple CPU cores efficiently.

• Examples of multithreading include web servers handling multiple client requests ...read more

Quick Sort - efficient, divide and conquer approach

• Efficient sorting algorithm with average time complexity of O(n log n)

• Uses divide and conquer approach by selecting a 'pivot' element and partitioning the array around the pivot

• Example: Sorting an array of integers in ascending order

HTTP is a protocol used for transferring data over the internet.

• HTTP stands for Hypertext Transfer Protocol.

• It is the foundation of data communication on the World Wide Web.

• HTTP works by establishing a connection between a client and a server, where the client sends a request and the server responds with the requested data.

• HTTP uses methods like GET, POST, PUT, DELETE to specify the action to be performed on a resource.

• HTTP messages consist of a header and an optional body, w...read more

HashMap in Java is a data structure that stores key-value pairs and uses hashing to efficiently retrieve values.

• HashMap uses hashing to store and retrieve key-value pairs

• It uses an array of linked lists to handle collisions

• The key's hash code is used to determine the index in the array where the key-value pair is stored

• HashMap allows one null key and multiple null values

• Example: HashMap<String, Integer> map = new HashMap<>(); map.put("apple", 5);

HashMap is a data structure commonly used in backend development for efficient key-value storage and retrieval.

• HashMap is a collection that stores key-value pairs and allows for fast retrieval of values based on keys.

• It is commonly used in backend development for caching, session management, and data storage.

• Example: HashMap employeeSalaries = new HashMap<>(); employeeSalaries.put("Alice", 50000); int salary = employeeSalaries.get("Alice");