Mastering Google Front End Interview Questions for Developers
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Chapter 1: Google’s Generalist Approach
Historically, Google tends to favor generalists in their hiring process. All candidates undergo a uniform series of interviews focusing on coding, algorithms, system design, and cultural fit—referred to as "Googley behavior." The rationale is that once an engineer is part of Google, they should be adaptable enough to switch teams, learn new programming languages, and integrate seamlessly into various projects.
As specific areas of expertise emerged, Google began to implement specialized interviews for roles such as front end, mobile, QA, and machine learning. As a manager leading a web team, I have the privilege of conducting front end interviews in addition to those for general software engineers and serving on the hiring committee. It’s an engaging experience!
My approach to front end interviews diverges from traditional coding assessments. I typically have a limited time—less than an hour—so instead of presenting a single complex question, I prefer to ask a sequence of questions that progressively explore a web developer's knowledge. Surprisingly, making a website visually appealing is just the tip of the iceberg.
Section 1.1: Interview Philosophy
In my front end interview strategy, I focus less on specific frameworks and more on the candidate's comprehension of fundamental web development principles. Each question is designed to delve deeper into their understanding of web technologies, providing a clearer picture of their capabilities.
Subsection 1.1.1: Warm-Up Question
"Can you describe the CSS Box Model?"
This concept is essential for understanding layout and positioning of web elements. I expect candidates to differentiate between padding, border, and margin. To summarize, padding refers to the space within the border, while margin is the space outside it. The border can also have varying thickness.
Section 1.2: Key Concepts
How do you specify these values? Candidates should mention properties like margin-top, margin-bottom, margin-right, and margin-left, for example. I look for familiarity with the TRBL (top-right-bottom-left) mnemonic and shorthand properties such as:
- margin: 10px; // Applies 10px to all sides
- margin: 10px 20px; // 10px for top/bottom, 20px for left/right
- margin: 10px 20px 30px; // 10px top, 20px left/right, 30px bottom
I expect most candidates to handle this question well, with bonus points for those who know shorthand notations.
Chapter 2: Intermediate Questions
Middle Question: Disappearing Text
"Given some text on a webpage, how many methods can you use to make it vanish?"
This question assesses the candidate’s practical experience and creativity regarding JavaScript DOM manipulation and CSS. There are numerous valid answers, each leading to more in-depth follow-up questions.
The most straightforward methods include using display: none; or visibility: hidden;. I then ask the candidate to explain the differences between these two properties. What happens to the space occupied by the element? Do they understand inline versus block elements? Can they convert between the two?
Other techniques include:
- Removing the element from the DOM
- Setting innerText or textContent to an empty string
- Positioning the element off-screen with negative values
- Hiding it behind another element using z-index
- Matching the text color with the background to render it invisible
- Making the text transparent with opacity
A candidate familiar with these methods will likely have a wealth of experience to draw from.
Final Question: Data Transmission
"How do you send data from a webpage to a server without reloading the page?"
This may seem straightforward, but it is crucial for understanding web operations. I follow up with questions about obtaining a response to update the page and handling requests from different domains.
Candidates usually start with XMLHttpRequest or Fetch. I then ask them to detail the setup process and distinguish between request types like GET, HEAD, DELETE, and POST. We can utilize responseText to refresh the page, but what format would they use? Can they explain JSON serialization and deserialization?
Conclusion
There is no perfect question for interviews. My aim is to differentiate between candidates who are adept with frameworks like React and Angular and those who possess a profound understanding of web fundamentals. While junior developers might be proficient in JavaScript, CSS, and HTML5, seasoned engineers grasp deeper concepts such as cookies and cross-domain requests.
I hope this guide serves as a valuable resource for both interviewers and candidates. The realm of web development is vast, and my questions only skim the surface. Best of luck on your journey to becoming a web developer; the industry is in need of exceptional talent!