Java Whiteboard Questions: Examples You’re Likely to Hear

You made the move into software development, and you’re finally done with training. Now, all you need to do is land a great tech job. If you have any interest in finding a job working with Java, you’re going to need to get familiar with Java whiteboard questions. Examples of the sorts of interview questions you can expect to hear about Java can prepare you for your interview and help you land the perfect job.

We’ve put this guide together to help you get a few of those examples under your belt. While you might get asked different questions than the ones we’ve included, knowing and understanding these common questions will get you ready for any issue the hiring manager might throw your way. Before long, you’ll be ready to take on any manager and ace every whiteboard question you encounter.

Prepare to Answer Java Language Questions

Your whiteboard questions will test your skills and knowledge, and you’ll find that many of them focus on Java language knowledge. How well you know the language itself dictates how well you work in it, so it follows that you need to demonstrate mastery of Java as a whole. If you have Java knowledge as a resumé bullet point, you should be prepared to back up your claims with cold, hard, facts and figures.

Your Java language questions will center around your ability to use well-known functionalities. You’ll need to know the proper data structures and APIs to use, and you’ll need to know which functions work best in specific circumstances. You might see questions about interfaces, static variables, and Exceptions, for example. Be ready to answer common-sense questions like which version of Java is the current industry standard, too.

Brush Up on Your Problem-Solving Smarts

As a new coder, you’ll likely spend lots of time in interviews. You’ll find that many of the interviews consist of one problem-solving question after another. That’s by design—you’re applying to become a member of one of the problem-solvingest professions around today. Programmers have to tackle problem after problem and issue after issue, and if they don’t have the right skills, that can spell disaster.

You should plan on answering lots of questions that might not relate directly to Java but which allow you flex your problem-solving chops. You might get asked about converting Fahrenheit to Celsius, for example. Don’t challenge the questioner; smile, think about the question, and return a carefully considered answer. You’ll also get hit with some Java-centric problems, such as time and space complexity, O-notation, and recursive and iterative means of computing a Fibonacci number. Brush up on your Java concepts ahead of time, and you’ll do fine.

So, that’s the whole ball of wax, my compadres. When you sit down for an interview for a Java gig, you can plan on getting hit with lots of knowledge and skill questions. Our guide shows you which Java whiteboard questions and examples you’re likely to run across. With our help, you’ll knock your next Java interview out of the park.