Recruitment and Hiring

8 Full-Stack Developer Interview Questions to Ace Your Tech Career

Business tech meeting in officePreview: Business tech meeting in office

If you're gearing up for a full-stack developer interview, you're likely preparing for a dynamic discussion on your technical skills and problem-solving abilities. To help you ace the interview, we've compiled eight common interview questions along with expert tips on how to answer them effectively.

1. What programming language are you most comfortable working with?

Don’t stop at just naming your preferred language, and make sure to also explain why it's your top choice. If you've learned additional languages to broaden your skill set, mention those too. Emphasise both your proficiency in front-end languages like HTML, CSS, Java and JavaScript, as well as in back-end languages such as SQL or Python. Our Java, JavaScript and Data Engineering bootcamps are brilliant options to start your career.

2. How do you select the tools and technology for your projects?

Describe your approach to selecting tools and technology in a way that shows your critical thinking skills. Draw from your experience with personal projects or online courses to illustrate your decision-making process and highlight your ability to choose the best tools for the job.

3. How would you make a website as efficient as possible?

Discussing strategies for optimising website efficiency is a good opportunity to demonstrate your problem-solving abilities. Show your practical experience by sharing examples of how you've improved website performance in the past, such as by optimising assets, reducing code duplication, or implementing browser caching.

4. Can you explain the difference between relational and non-relational databases?

Provide a simple comparison between relational and non-relational databases, then emphasise key characteristics and scenarios where one might be preferred over the other. Consider taking a course on MongoDB to enhance your understanding of NoSQL databases.

5. Can you define DevOps?

Showcase your knowledge of DevOps by explaining its principles and benefits. Highlight how DevOps practices facilitate collaboration, communication, and faster software releases. Familiarise yourself with DevOps functions and practices to impress potential employers.

6. Describe your experience with continuous integration and continuous deployment (CI/CD) pipelines.

Illustrate your familiarity with CI/CD pipelines and their role in automating tasks and streamlining workflows. Mention any projects where you've used CI/CD pipelines to catch bugs early and contribute to efficient project delivery.

7. Can you explain what an application server is?

Demonstrate your understanding of application servers and their role in hosting web applications. Highlight your ability to design and maintain applications on both the server- and client-side.

8. How do you stay updated with the latest trends and technologies in full-stack development?

Display your commitment to continuous learning by discussing your strategies for staying informed about industry trends and technologies. Mention reliable sources such as tech blogs, influencers, newsletters, and coding communities that you regularly follow.


By preparing thoughtful responses to these interview questions, you'll be well-equipped to impress hiring managers and land your dream Full-Stack Developer role. And remember, Northcoders offers comprehensive bootcamps to help you master the skills needed for a successful career in tech, including expert career support. Start your journey today!