45 Essential Web

Development Interview
Questions and Answers for
2024
Marquel Ellis

No matter what side of the interview you’re on, you want

to be prepared. Whether I’m the interviewer or
interviewee, I get acquainted with common interview
questions. If I’m in the hot seat, I feel more prepared to
give thoughtful answers. If I’m across the table, I can
make sure I ask essential, skill-vetting questions.

This is especially true for roles in web development. While

technical testing often awaits candidates, verbally
answering development questions will help you get to the
next stage. If you’re not able to articulate concepts, you
may not even make it to show off your skills.

Free Guide: 50 Common Interview

Questions [Download Now]

We want to help. That’s why we gathered a list of essential

web development interview questions. Get a sense of
what you should prepare for and how you can answer.

Table of Contents

Beginner Web Development Interview Questions

Intermediate Web Development Interview Questions
Advanced Web Development Interview Questions

Beginner Web Development Interview

Questions
When you’re interviewing for a role, you’ll likely receive a
mix of questions. Some will be geared toward beginners.
Here are some basic questions you’ll be expected to know
when you start the job search.

1. What is HTML, and why is it important in

web development?

Answer: HTML stands for HyperText Markup Language.

This coding language is used to structure web content.
Here, you can specify what content appears and where —
that includes placing images, text, and links. HTML forms
the building blocks of web pages. The latest version of
this language is HTML5.

2. What is CSS, and how does it contribute

to web development?

Answer: If HTML builds the foundational elements of a

site, CSS allows you to decorate. CSS, or Cascading Style
Sheets, is used to make your content visually appealing.
You can choose colors, fonts, spacing, and more. CSS
also allows you to build columns and grid layouts across
your site.

3. Explain the role of JavaScript in web

development.

Answer: JavaScript adds interactivity and dynamic

behavior to websites. You can use this language to create
dynamic content updates and validate information from
forms. JavaScript also powers a number of interactive
elements you see online. That includes dropdown menus
and image carousels. This client-side scripting language
runs directly in the user's web browser.

4. What is an API, and what role does it play

in web development?
Answer: APIs, or Application Programming Interfaces,
allow software applications to interact with each other. In
web development, APIs allow you to integrate different
systems and services into your project. Developers can
retrieve data from external sources through APIs. They
can then perform actions on remote servers or databases.

APIs also let you integrate third-party services into

applications. That's helpful if you need payment
gateways, map services, or email providers. This
empowers developers to leverage existing functionalities
with ease. You can then build feature-rich web
applications without starting from scratch.

5. What is AJAX, and how does it work?

Answer: AJAX stands for Asynchronous JavaScript and

XML. This technique used in web development creates
dynamic and interactive web applications.

The result? Web applications that have a smoother and

more responsive user experience. That’s because only the
necessary data or content is updated. There's no need to
reload the entire page. AJAX does this by using a
combination of JavaScript, XML, or JSON), HTML, and
CSS.

6. What does DOM stand for, and what does

it do?
Answer: DOM stands for Document Object Model. This is
a programming interface that represents the structure of
an HTML or XML document as a tree.

The DOM tree consists of nodes. Each node represents an

HTML element or other types of content in the document.
Nodes have parent-child relationships. The top-level node
is called the document node, which represents the entire
HTML or XML document.

The DOM provides a way for programs, such as

JavaScript, to access and manipulate the content of a web
page.

7. What does the term web hosting mean in

web development?

Answer: Web hosting companies provide storage and

servers, allowing customers to publish websites or
applications on the internet. Websites consist of many
files, including HTML, CSS, JavaScript, images, and
databases. These files must be stored on a server so they
can be accessed by visitors. Web hosting companies
provide the infrastructure that makes this possible.

Hosting providers allocate server space and bandwidth

for different websites. You can pick between different
plans and packages offered by the company.

8. Explain the concept of “browser

compatibility.”

Answer: Browser compatibility refers to a website’s ability

to work correctly across different web browsers. Visitors
may be using Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer, or Safari.
You want your websites and applications to work well on
all these different browsers. By guaranteeing
compatibility, you can build a better experience for all of
your users.

9. What is a responsive website, and why is

it essential?

Answer: People may visit your website from their

desktop, on the go from their phones, or on tablets of
different sizes. You want your content to look great on all
of these different screens. A responsive website makes all
of this possible.

Responsive sites adapt their layout and design for

different screen sizes. You’ll have user-friendly
experiences, even when users are on the go — conveying
professionalism across the board.

10. How can you view the source code of a

webpage in a browser?

Answer: How you view source code varies based on your

browser and the operating system that you’re using.
However, you can often right-click anywhere on a
webpage. From the context menu, select “Inspect,”
“Inspect Element,” or a similar option.

You can also access the Developer Tools by pressing the

F12 key, Ctrl+Shift+I on Windows or Cmd+Option+I on
macO. This reveals the HTML and CSS code used on the
webpage.

11. What is a tag in HTML, and how is it

used?

Answer: In HTML, tags are markup elements used to

define the structure and content of a page. HTML tags are
enclosed within angle brackets (“< >”) and come in pairs
— an opening tag and a closing tag. Opening tags indicate
the start of an element, and closing tags signify its end.
Some self-closing HTML tags do not require a closing tag.

Let’s look at the following line of code.

<p>This is a line of <strong>code</strong> in HTML.

</p>

<p> and <strong> are two HTML tags.

12. Describe the differences between

responsive and adaptive web design.

Answer: To answer this question, let’s check out two

definitions. Responsive web design uses fluid grids and
flexible layouts to change websites for different screen
sizes.

With responsive design, the layout of the webpage adjusts

dynamically based on the device's screen size. This
means that the same HTML and CSS code are delivered
to all devices. The webpage adjusts its presentation
accordingly. Media queries are used in this process.

Meanwhile, adaptive web design involves creating

multiple versions of a website. Each version is specifically
designed and optimized for different screen sizes. This
approach detects the characteristics of the user's device
and delivers the version of the website that matches.
JavaScript is often used in this process.

13. What is a web browser, and how does it

work?

Answer: Web browsers are software applications that let

you access the internet. When you enter a website
address, your browser sends a request to a web server.
The server then sends the requested data back to the
browser. Your browser then interprets that information.
Then, what you're looking for is displayed on your screen.

14. What does WYSIWYG stand for, and how

is it used in web development?

Answer: WYSIWYG stands for “What You See Is What

You Get” — a phrase often used to refer to web design
tools that allow you to create webpages visually.
WYSIWYG editors show you how they will appear to users
while you edit. This editing experience saves time.
Additionally, non-developers can build on these platforms,
making professional-looking content with minimal coding
effort.

15. Explain the concept of “cache” in web

browsers.

Answer: The browser cache is like a temporary storage

space for web files — that includes images and
stylesheets.

Let’s say you just fixed a problem in your source code, but
it has not been resolved on your website. Clearing the
cache can resolve webpage issues by ensuring that you
have the most up-to-date version of a webpage. This
eliminates any conflicting or outdated data stored in your
browser.

16. What is a web server in the context of

web development?

Answer: Web servers refer to both software and

hardware components that host and deliver web content
to users. Servers handle requests from web browsers and
serve webpages, files, and other resources over the
internet.
Web server software, such as Apache HTTP Server or
Nginx, runs on a physical server or cloud platform. It
listens for incoming requests on specific ports and then
delivers content.

In terms of hardware, web servers can be physical

machines located in data centers or virtual machines
running on cloud infrastructure. The hardware resources
and specifications of a web server depend on the
expected traffic and workload.

17. What is a content management system

(CMS), and why might you use one in web
development?

Answer: A CMS is a software platform that simplifies

website creation and management. It’s beneficial when
you want to build and update websites without extensive
coding skills. Popular CMSs include WordPress and
Joomla.

18. What is the difference between inline

and block-level elements in HTML?

Answer: Block-level elements create line breaks before

and after themselves. These elements occupy the full
width available within their parent container. They typically
start on a new line and stack vertically on top of one
another.
Conversely, inline elements don’t create line breaks. They
occupy only the necessary width to contain their content.
These elements flow alongside other inline elements
within a line of text.

19. What is a callback function in

JavaScript?

Answer: In JavaScript, a callback function is given to

another function so that it can call it later. Callback
functions handle tasks that might take some time to finish,
like fetching data from a server or responding to a click.

Callbacks are useful in situations where you want your

program to keep running smoothly without waiting for a
time-consuming task to complete.

20. Explain the difference between session

storage and local storage.

Answer: These storage options are both available in

modern web browsers to store data on the user's device.

Session storage is specific to each individual browser tab

or window within a particular browsing session. Each tab
or window maintains its own separate session storage
area. The data stored in one session storage is not
accessible by other tabs or windows.

Local storage is shared among all tabs and windows

within the same origin. This means that data stored here
can be accessed and shared across multiple tabs or
windows.

Intermediate Web Development

Interview Questions

1. What are promises, and how do they differ

from callbacks?

Answer: JavaScript uses both promises and callbacks to

handle asynchronous operations. However, these two
methods have different approaches and syntax.

Promises represent the eventual completion of an

asynchronous operation and the resulting value. A
promise can be in one of three states:

Pending, the initial state.

Fulfilled, when the operation is completed
successfully.
Rejected, when the operation failed.

Callbacks are functions passed as arguments to other

functions. Callbacks are executed when the asynchronous
operation is complete. Compared to promises, callbacks
have a looser structure. Error handling with this method
manually checks for errors.

2. What is event delegation in JavaScript?

Answer: Instead of attaching an event handler to an
element, you can use delegation to attach one event
handler to a parent element. The handler looks for events
triggered by child elements. When an event occurs,
triggers bubble up the DOM hierarchy. Eventually, the
parent element’s handler is executed.

3. Explain the concept of a RESTful API and

its key principles.

Answer: A RESTful API stands for Representational State

Transfer API. This style of building web services allows for
efficient communication between software systems. All
this is accomplished through a standard HTTP method.
The key principles of a RESTful API are:

Stateless. Each request from a client to a server

contains all the information needed to understand
and process the request. The server does not retain
any information about the client's previous requests.
Client-server. The client and server are separate
entities that communicate over a network.
Uniform interface. A standard, consistent interface
is used to communicate between the client and
server. The interface typically consists of HTTP
methods — such as GET, POST, PUT, DELETE — for
different operations.
Cacheable. Responses from the server can be
cached by the client.
Layered system. API architecture can have multiple
 layers, where each layer has a specific responsibility.
This allows for scalability, flexibility, and ease of
maintenance.
State transfer. The representation of data is
transferred between the client and server. The server
provides a representation, typically in JSON or XML
format.

4. How do databases contribute to web

development, and what’s the difference
between SQL and NoSQL databases?

Answer: Databases store and organize your site’s data.

SQL databases are like well-structured filing cabinets.
Meanwhile, NoSQL databases are more flexible, like
storage bins. SQL is great for structured data, while
NoSQL is suitable for unstructured data. Choose the
database type that aligns with your project’s data needs
and scalability.

5. What are the benefits of using a CSS

preprocessor like Sass or Less?

Answer: Using a CSS preprocessor like Sass or Less

allows you to define variables and store reusable values.
This can be helpful when trying to change colors, font
sizes, or breakpoints. Preprocessors create consistency in
your style sheet and improve the process of updating the
way your sites look.
Additionally, preprocessors allow you to nest your
selectors, keeping your code organized. Nesting reduces
the need for excessive class or ID names. With fewer
components to remember, you can more easily
understand the relationship between elements.

Preprocessors also provide mathematical operations,

functions, and operators. These functions can be used
directly within your CSS. This enables you to perform
calculations, manipulate values, or generate dynamic
styles based on conditions that you set.

6. What’s the purpose of a content delivery

network (CDN) in web development?

Answer: CDN stands for content delivery network and

provides a network of servers in multiple locations. This
makes it faster to load webpages and data-heavy
applications.

How? Let’s say you have a site visitor in South Korea. If

their closest server is in the U.S., the data needs to travel
from a far distance. If there were multiple serves, including
one in their country, content would load faster.

A CDN is like having copies of your website’s files in

multiple locations around the globe. With closer servers to
every device, performance improves.

7. Explain the role of a web framework in web

development.

Answer: A web framework provides developers with a

structured way to make web applications. It's almost like a
blueprint and toolkit that make assembling an online
experience easier. Frameworks include libraries, tools, and
pre-defined conventions to make the development
process faster.

Web frameworks often allow for code reusability, offering

modular architecture so you can duplicate sections.
Developers can write code once and reuse it in different
parts of the project. This makes maintenance a breeze.

8. Explain the concept of Progressive Web

Apps (PWAs) and their advantages.

Answer: Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) use web

technologies to provide an app-like experience to users.
PWAs combine the best features of web and mobile
applications. Here’s what that entails:

App-like experiences. PWAs are responsive and

adapt to different screen sizes and orientations. They
can also be installed on a user's home screen, have
an app-like appearance with full-screen mode, and
support offline functionality.
Speed. PWAs are designed to load quickly, allowing
users to access content immediately.
Push notifications. PWAs can deliver notifications,
 just like native mobile apps. Users can opt-in to
receive updates, alerts, or other personalized
messages.
Cross-platform compatibility. PWAs work on
multiple devices and platforms, including desktops,
tablets, and mobile devices. No matter how your
users access your project, you know they’ll have a
great experience.

9. Describe the concept of lazy loading and

its benefits.

Answer: Lazy loading means that the content of your site

loads as needed, not all at once. For example, many blogs
won’t load every image in a post right away. They’ll wait
until a reader scrolls through the article before loading
images further down the page.

By only loading essential content and deferring loading

other elements, lazy loading reduces the file size and
number of requests made during the initial page load. This
results in faster loading times and reduced bounce rates.

10. Explain the concept of web accessibility

in web development.

Answer: Web accessibility means making websites

usable by people with different ability levels. This means
folks who are differently able can still use your site and
interact with content with accessibility devices.
For example, alternative text describes images so screen
readers can interpret the content. Keyboard navigation
can help those with mobility impairments. Even high-
contrasting colors can make your site more accessible.

Follow accessibility Web Content Accessibility Guidelines

(WCAG) to make your website inclusive and accessible to
all users.

11. What is a session in web development,

and why is session management important?

Answer: Sessions allow a server to keep track of a user's

interactions with a website or web application across
requests. This allows the server to retain information
about the user and their session. When a user logs in to a
website, a session is created. The server can then store
their login credentials or unique identifiers.

Sessions allow for a personalized user experience. Your

preferences, settings, and data can be stored on the
server. Content and the behavior of the site can then be
customized to your preferences. Beyond that, sessions
allow you to securely manage sensitive information. That
means shopping cart contents, tokens, and more cannot
be tampered with.

12. Differentiate between client-side

rendering and server-side rendering in web
development.

Answer: Client-side rendering means the web browser

handles rendering; the user’s device is doing the work
here. Meanwhile, server-side rendering involves the web
server generating and sending the fully rendered page to
the browser. As a developer, you should choose the
rendering method that aligns with your project’s
performance and SEO requirements.

13. What is a web application firewall (WAF),

and why is it important for web security?

Answer: A WAF is like a security guard for web

applications. It protects them from various online threats
like DDoS attacks and SQL injection. WAFs are designed
to detect and block common web application attacks by
inspecting and filtering incoming requests. WAFs prevent
attacks from reaching the application and compromising
its security.

Further, WAFs continuously monitor web application

traffic and apply security rules to identify and block
suspicious behavior.

14. What is the purpose of the role attribute

in HTML, especially in terms of
accessibility?

Answer: The role attribute in HTML defines the purpose

of an element on a web page. For example, with the role
attribute, you can specify if an element behaves as a
button, link, heading, navigation, form element, or any
other pre-defined role.

In terms of accessibility, defining roles helps assistive

technologies understand and navigate content on your
site. For example, screen readers can tell what you want
certain web elements to do, communicating that to the
user.

15. What is the difference between a static

website and a dynamic website in web
development?

Answer: A static website displays the content to all users.

The content on a site won’t change unless you manually
make updates. Meanwhile, dynamic websites provide a
shifting experience. These sites generate or change
content without human input. Often, dynamic websites
can provide personalized experiences.

As an example, let’s think of a news site. A static news site

means the home page would be updated daily by a human
web editor. They can go in and change what’s showing for
all users. Conversely, a dynamic news site would change
on its own based on set conditions.

For instance, the first story may always be the most

recent article. After that, articles that match your interests
would show dynamically.

Advanced Web Development Interview

Questions

1. What is the difference between a

framework and a library in web
development?

Answer: A framework dictates the control flow of an

application, managing how tasks are executed and the
structure of the application. Frameworks typically have a
broader scope with pre-defined solutions and
conventions for developing applications. There are often
more rules and structures that need to be followed.

On the other hand, a library does not dictate the

application's flow. Instead, it provides functionalities that
developers can use as needed. Libraries are more flexible
and have fewer rules that must be followed.

2. Explain the concept of serverless

architecture in web development.

Answer: Serverless architecture puts the responsibility of

managing and provisioning servers on the cloud provider
instead of the developer. Developers can then focus on
writing code without worrying about server configuration
or infrastructure maintenance. Here are two helpful
models for serverless architecture:

Backend-as-a-Service (BaaS). Instead of managing

backend infrastructure, developers leverage third-
party services to handle common tasks like storage,
authentication, and API management.
Functions-as-a-Service (FaaS). Developers break
down their applications into decoupled functions.
These functions are implemented using serverless
computing platforms like AWS Lambda, Azure
Functions, or Google Cloud Functions.

3. What are Web Components, and how do

they enhance web development?

Answer: Web Components are a set of web platform APIs

that allow developers to create reusable elements with
encapsulated functionality. They consist of three main
components:

Custom Elements APIs allow developers to define

their own HTML elements with custom behavior.
These elements can be used just like any other built-
in HTML elements.
Shadow DOMs create a scoped and isolated DOM
subtree within an element. This allows styles to be
encapsulated.
HTML Templates allow developers to define reusable
sections of markup that can be instantiated multiple
times.
4. What AI tools are you comfortable using,
and how do you incorporate them into your
development process?

Answer: This isn’t a technical question, but you should

have an answer prepared. Be honest about your
experience experimenting with ChatGPT and other
generative AI tools. Employers want to know if candidates
are agile and able to adapt to today’s changing landscape.

5. Explain the concept of GraphQL and how

it differs from RESTful APIs.

Answer: GraphQL is a query language and runtime for

APIs that presents an alternative to traditional RESTful
APIs. RESTful APIs, which have multiple endpoints with
fixed data structures. However, GraphQL has a single
endpoint. This allows clients to request specific data
through queries.

6. What are WebSockets, and how do they

enable real-time communication in web
development?

Answer: WebSockets are a communication protocol that

enables real-time bidirectional communication between a
client and a server over a single connection. Unlike other
HTTP requests, which are unidirectional and stateless,
WebSockets establish a persistent connection.
WebSockets have become an integral part of building
real-time web applications. They enable efficient, low-
latency communication between the client and the server.
They provide a foundation for interactive and engaging
web experiences.

7. What is code splitting, and how does it

optimize performance?

Answer: Code splitting, also known as module splitting, is

used in web development to optimize performance. This
process breaks down a large JavaScript bundle into
smaller, more manageable chunks.

With code splitting, you can split your code into smaller,
more focused modules. These modules can be loaded
dynamically and on demand. The required code is fetched
when needed.

8. What are service workers, and how do

they benefit web development?

Answer: Service workers are JavaScript files that run

separately in the background. They act as a proxy
between the browser and the network and are essential to
Progressive Web Apps (PWAs). Service workers bring
functionality previously restricted to native applications
into the web ecosystem.

9. Explain the concept of state management

in web development.

Answer: State management refers to the management

and manipulation of data within an application. The
process involves handling the various states (or
conditions) of an application. State management ensures
that different components have access to the relevant
data they need. By adopting state management libraries,
web developers can centralize state control.

10. What is the significance of Content

Security Policy (CSP) in web development
security?

Answer: Content Security Policy (CSP) is a pivotal

security feature in web development, providing robust
defenses against various cyber threats. This is especially
true when it comes to Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) attacks.

XSS vulnerabilities involve injecting malicious scripts into

web pages. CSP addresses this by allowing web
developers to enforce policies governing the sources of
content that can be loaded.

Furthermore, CSP facilitates reporting and debugging,

offering a mechanism for web developers to receive
reports on policy violations. These reports provide
insights into blocked resources, enabling developers to
refine and optimize CSP policies to bolster security.
Getting Prepared
Now that you’ve reviewed some commonly asked
questions, you can brush up on your responses and ace
the interview. After you feel comfortable answering these
questions verbally, it’s time to brush up on your coding
skills. If you’re lucky, a technical interview awaits right
around the corner. From there, you can impress hiring
managers by showing what you can create.