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Common Backend Interview Questions

This document provides a summary of common backend interview questions related to REST APIs and microservices architectures. It covers topics such as HTTP methods and requests/responses, caching, authentication, authorization, service discovery, logging/monitoring, and best practices for developing RESTful web services. Key concepts discussed include PUT vs POST vs PATCH methods, payload definitions, idempotent vs safe methods, database sharding, and strategies for handling high volumes of requests.

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jai vanamala
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247 views

Common Backend Interview Questions

This document provides a summary of common backend interview questions related to REST APIs and microservices architectures. It covers topics such as HTTP methods and requests/responses, caching, authentication, authorization, service discovery, logging/monitoring, and best practices for developing RESTful web services. Key concepts discussed include PUT vs POST vs PATCH methods, payload definitions, idempotent vs safe methods, database sharding, and strategies for handling high volumes of requests.

Uploaded by

jai vanamala
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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#_ Common Backend Interview Questions

1. Difference between PUT, POST, and PATCH:

● PUT: It is used to update or create a resource. If the resource doesn't


exist, a new one will be created. It's idempotent, meaning multiple
identical requests should have the same effect as a single request.
● POST: Utilized to submit data to a resource for processing. It's
non-idempotent and may cause different results with multiple identical
requests.
● PATCH: Updates partial resource data. Unlike PUT, PATCH applies a
partial update to the resource.

2. What is a Payload in a REST API?

A payload refers to the data sent with a request or response. In a REST API,
request payload can be in the form of JSON, XML, or other formats. The
payload contains the information necessary for the server or client to
process the message.

3. What is a REST Message?

REST messages consist of requests from clients to servers and responses from
servers to clients. A REST message often contains an HTTP method, headers,
URI, and payload.

4. Core Components of an HTTP Request:

● Method: The HTTP method such as GET, POST, PUT, DELETE.


● URI: The Uniform Resource Identifier identifying the resource.
● Headers: Metadata associated with the request.
● Body: The data being sent with the request (if applicable).

5. Core Components of an HTTP Response:

● Status Line: Contains the protocol version, status code, and status
description.
● Headers: Metadata associated with the response.
● Body: The data being returned from the server.

By: Waleed Mousa


6. What is an Idempotent Method and Why is it Important?

Idempotent methods are those that have no additional effect if called more
than once with the same input parameters. They are crucial for reliability
and consistency, particularly in network environments where failures are
commonplace.

7. Difference Between Idempotent and Safe HTTP Methods:

● Idempotent Methods: These methods (GET, PUT, DELETE, HEAD, OPTIONS)


produce the same result regardless of the number of times they are
called.
● Safe Methods: These methods (GET, HEAD, OPTIONS) do not modify
resources.

8. Explain Caching in a RESTful Architecture:

Caching involves storing copies of files in strategic locations to improve


performance and efficiency. In REST, responses can be explicitly marked as
cacheable or non-cacheable. Caching mechanisms could be implemented at
various levels like browser, proxy, or server.

9. How Do You Handle Concurrent Modifications?

Concurrent modifications can be handled using optimistic locking mechanisms,


ETags, or timestamps. When a resource is read, its version is also retrieved.
Upon update, if the version has changed, it indicates a concurrent
modification.

10. Explain the OAuth 2.0 Authorization Framework:

OAuth 2.0 enables third-party applications to obtain limited access to an


HTTP service. It works by delegating user authentication to the service that
hosts the user's account and authorizing third-party applications to access
the user account.

11. How Would You Design a Rate-Limiter?

A Rate-Limiter can be designed using various algorithms like Token Bucket,


Leaky Bucket, or using a sliding log mechanism. It controls the rate of
events by delaying actions that comply with the given rate limits.

By: Waleed Mousa


12. How Can You Secure RESTful Web Services?

● Authentication: Verify the identity of the requesting user or system.


● Authorization: Check permissions of authenticated users.
● Encryption: Encrypt data transmitted over the network using protocols
like HTTPS.
● Validation: Validate input data to protect against injection attacks.

13. Explain the Role of Middleware in Backend Development:

Middleware functions are those that have access to the request object,
response object, and the next function in the application's request-response
cycle. They can execute any code, modify the request and response objects,
end the request-response cycle, or call the next function in the stack.

14. What are the Principles of a Twelve-Factor App?

The Twelve-Factor App methodology is a set of best practices to build modern


web applications, or software-as-a-service apps. The principles include
codebase, dependencies, config, backing services, build-release-run,
processes, port binding, concurrency, disposability, dev/prod parity, logs,
and admin processes.

15. Explain Database Sharding and its Advantages:

Database sharding involves breaking a large database into smaller, more


manageable pieces or "shards". Each shard holds a subset of the data and
operates independently of the others. Advantages include improved
performance, easier scalability, and enhanced management capabilities.

16. How Do You Handle Long-Running Transactions?

For long-running transactions, it's important to consider:

● Breaking the transaction into smaller, manageable pieces.


● Using asynchronous processing mechanisms.
● Implementing appropriate timeout and retry logic.
● Applying compensation transactions for rollback mechanisms if necessary.

17. How Can Microservices Communication be Secured?

Microservices communication can be secured through:

● Mutual TLS (mTLS) for encrypted communication and identity verification.

By: Waleed Mousa


● API Gateways to enforce security policies.
● JSON Web Tokens (JWT) or OAuth 2.0 for authentication and authorization.
● Network policies and segmentation to control traffic between services.

18. Describe the CAP Theorem:

The CAP theorem states that it's impossible for a distributed data store to
simultaneously provide more than two out of the following three guarantees:
Consistency, Availability, and Partition tolerance.

19. How Do You Design a System to Handle 10 Million Requests Per


Second?

This involves multiple considerations:


● Load balancing to distribute incoming network traffic across multiple
servers.
● Data partitioning and sharding for effective data management and
retrieval.
● Implementing caching mechanisms to reduce database load.
● Utilizing Content Delivery Networks (CDN) to serve static assets.
● Employing auto-scaling to handle traffic spikes.

20. Explain the Differences Between Monolithic and Microservices


Architecture:

Monolithic architecture is a traditional model where all application code is


within a single codebase. Microservices architecture breaks down a
traditional application into smaller, self-contained services, which can be
developed, deployed, and scaled independently.

21. Discuss Strategies for Service Discovery in a Microservices


Architecture:

Service Discovery is essential in microservices architectures for locating


services at runtime. Strategies include using a DNS, a service registry like
Eureka, or a service mesh like Istio or Linkerd.

22. What are the Different Types of Database Indexes and How Do They
Work?

Indexes are database structures that improve query speed. Types include:

● Single-level index: A simple index with a reference to the data.

By: Waleed Mousa


● Multi-level index: An index on another index.
● Clustered index: The physical ordering of data storage is rearranged.
● Non-clustered index: Logical ordering does not match physical ordering.

23. How Do You Implement Authentication in a Microservices


Architecture?

Authentication can be implemented using:

● JWT (JSON Web Tokens): Stateless, and can be verified by microservices


without needing to check a central authority every time.
● OAuth 2.0: Delegated authorization mechanism, useful for providing
third-party apps access.
● Single Sign-On (SSO): Allows users to authenticate once and gain access
to different services.

24. What Strategies Would You Use for Efficient Logging and Monitoring
in Distributed Systems?

Effective logging and monitoring in distributed systems can be achieved


through:
● Centralized logging using tools like ELK stack or Graylog.
● Implementing tracing using OpenTracing or OpenTelemetry.
● Utilizing monitoring solutions like Prometheus, Grafana, or New Relic.
● Ensuring logs are structured and include necessary context for
debugging.

25. Best Practices in Developing a RESTful Web Service:

● Use nouns to represent resources and verbs for actions.


● Implement stateless operations.
● Leverage standard HTTP methods.
● Utilize status codes correctly.
● Version your API.
● Handle errors gracefully and provide helpful error messages.
● Use OAuth for security.

By: Waleed Mousa

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