I cracked Swiggy — SDE (Frontend Engineer ) Interview Experience

Overview

The interview process for a Frontend Engineer position at Swiggy involved a comprehensive assessment of the candidate's technical and problem-solving skills. The candidate, possessing 1.5 years of internship experience and a background from a Tier-3 college, discovered the opportunity through getjobs.today. The evaluation spanned four rounds, including an online coding assessment, technical interviews focusing on React and JavaScript, a machine coding round, and a behavioral interview with the hiring manager.

Interview Rounds

Round 1: Online Coding Assessment (HackerRank)

• Format: 60-minute online coding test.
• The assessment included three questions of varying difficulty.
  • Question 1: Implementation of a function to identify the first non-repeating character in a string using JavaScript. This assessed knowledge of hash maps.
  • Question 2: Development of a function to flatten a nested array without leveraging built-in methods, requiring recursion.
  • Question 3: Determination of the maximum length of a chain of pairs from a provided list.
• The candidate focused on writing clean and efficient code, ultimately completing all questions, receiving a hint on the third.
• Outcome: The candidate advanced to the next stage.

Round 2: Technical Interview (React & JavaScript)

• Format: 1-hour video call with a Senior Engineer.
• The interview centered on React and JavaScript proficiency.
• Questions Asked:
  • Explanation of the React component lifecycle methods: componentDidMount, componentDidUpdate, and useEffect, accompanied by practical examples.
  • Implementation of a debounce function, with an explanation of its utility in preventing redundant API calls.
  • Description of techniques for optimizing the rendering of large lists in React, including lazy loading and virtualization using libraries like react-window.
  • Coding Task: Development of a custom hook for data fetching with a loading indicator.
• The candidate articulated a clear understanding of each concept and illustrated them with relevant examples.

Round 3: Machine Coding Round

• Format: 90-minute video call with a Lead Engineer.
• The candidate was tasked with designing a simplified version of Splitwise.
• Task Breakdown:
  • Design five features for an expense splitting application.
  • Explanation of the functionality and trade-offs associated with each design decision.
  • Discussion of scalability considerations and server load balancing strategies for real-time updates.
• The candidate demonstrated the ability to handle most features but initially faced challenges in communicating the solution flow, overcoming them with guidance.

Round 4: Behavioral & Hiring Manager Round

• Format: 45-minute video call with the Hiring Manager.
• The interview focused on the candidate's past projects, motivations for joining Swiggy, and adaptability.
• Questions Asked:
  • Detailed explanation of a recent project.
  • Reasons for choosing Swiggy and enthusiasm for the role.
  • Methods for staying current with frontend technologies.
• The candidate emphasized their experience in challenging startup projects and their interest in contributing to Swiggy's impactful work.

Key Takeaways

• Preparation involved consistent coding practice on platforms like LeetCode and HackerRank.
• A strong understanding of JavaScript and React, especially lifecycle methods, hooks, and performance optimization, is crucial.
• Practicing basic system design principles for frontend applications, with a focus on scalability and performance, is beneficial.
• Mock interviews are valuable for improving communication and coding skills in a live setting.
• The candidate secured an offer, highlighting the effectiveness of thorough preparation and a genuine interest in the company's mission.