Frontend Interview Experience in Saas Labs (SDE 2)

Overview

This document outlines the interview process for a Software Development Engineer II (Frontend) position at Saas Labs. The process involved four rounds, assessing the candidate's knowledge of JavaScript, React, and problem-solving abilities through machine coding exercises. The initial two rounds were conducted using a third-party AI-based platform.

Interview Rounds

Round 1: JavaScript and React Theory (30 Minutes)

This round focused on fundamental JavaScript and React concepts. The candidate was questioned on the following topics:

• Hoisting
• Deep Copy vs. Shallow Copy
• Closures
• Intersection Observers
• React Component Lifecycle (in depth)
• Difference between Debounce and Throttle
• Client Side Rendering, Server Side Rendering, Static Site Generation, Incremental Site Regeneration
• Different types of browser storage
• Service Workers and their use cases
• Call, Bind, and Apply
• State Management tools like Redux (how they work)
• Performance Optimizations

Round 2: Machine Coding and Problem Solving

This round involved a machine coding challenge and a problem-solving question. The candidate faced technical difficulties with the provided tooling.

• Machine Coding: Build a Todo App using the useReducer hook with the following functionalities:
  • Add
  • Edit
  • Delete
  • Search
  • Toggle
  • Maintain a completed list
  • Local storage integration for browser persistence
• Problem Solving: Find the Pivot Index in an array where the sum of elements on the left is equal to the sum of elements on the right.

Key Takeaways

• A strong understanding of fundamental JavaScript and React concepts is crucial.
• The ability to implement React features using hooks, such as useReducer, is essential.
• Problem-solving skills and algorithmic thinking are key components of the assessment.
• Candidates should be prepared to handle technical challenges with testing environments and focus on delivering functionally correct code despite tooling issues.