6 answers
Andy
Student
1
Question
Updated
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Interview Questions for Full-Stack Engineers.?
Dear Full-Stack Engineers,
I am currently conducting research on careers in software development at Northcliff High in South Africa and I would like to gain insight into your experience as a Full Stack Engineer. It would be greatly appreciated if you could take some yime out of your day to answer my questions.
• What inspired you to become a full stack engineer?
• At what point in your life did you learn how to code?
• What are the best things about being a full stack engineer?
• How did you learn how to code?
• What programming languages do you use primarily?
• Do you work from home?
• On average, how many hours do you spend working in a week?
• What characteristics does one need to become a full stack engineer?
• Do you work independently or with a team?
• How do you handle deadlines and tackle unexpected issues?
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6 answers
Arush Anand
Associate Architect
20
Answers
Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
Updated
Arush’s Answer
Hi Andy,
Here’s a professional yet friendly response for your questions from my side:
1. What inspired you to become a full stack engineer?
I’ve always enjoyed solving problems and creating things that people can interact with. When I learned that full stack engineering allows you to build both the “front end” (what users see) and the “back end” (how it works behind the scenes), it felt like the perfect blend of creativity and logic.
2. At what point in your life did you learn how to code?
I started experimenting with code in high school by making small websites and tinkering with HTML and JavaScript. I became serious about coding during university, where I expanded into back-end development.
3. What are the best things about being a full stack engineer?
The variety—no two projects feel the same.
The ability to take an idea from concept to a fully working product.
Continuous learning—technology changes fast, so there’s always something new to explore.
4. How did you learn how to code?
A mix of self-study, online courses, and hands-on projects. I used platforms like freeCodeCamp, Udemy, and YouTube, and also learned a lot from contributing to open-source projects.
5. What programming languages do you use primarily?
For the front end: JavaScript (React, Vue) and HTML/CSS.
For the back end: Python (Django, Flask) and JavaScript/Node.js.
I also use SQL for databases.
6. Do you work from home?
Yes, I work remotely most of the time, but I occasionally meet my team in person for brainstorming sessions or client meetings.
7. On average, how many hours do you spend working in a week?
Around 40–45 hours, though deadlines can sometimes push it a little higher.
8. What characteristics does one need to become a full stack engineer?
Problem-solving mindset – You’ll constantly face challenges that require creative solutions.
Adaptability – Technology changes quickly.
Attention to detail – Small mistakes can break big systems.
Communication skills – Working well with both technical and non-technical people is key.
9. Do you work independently or with a team?
I work as part of a team—designers, project managers, and other developers—but I’m often responsible for building large parts of a project independently.
10. How do you handle deadlines and tackle unexpected issues?
I break big tasks into smaller, manageable milestones and keep track of progress daily. For unexpected issues, I stay calm, analyze the problem step-by-step, and communicate with my team early if delays might happen.
Regards,
Arush
Here’s a professional yet friendly response for your questions from my side:
1. What inspired you to become a full stack engineer?
I’ve always enjoyed solving problems and creating things that people can interact with. When I learned that full stack engineering allows you to build both the “front end” (what users see) and the “back end” (how it works behind the scenes), it felt like the perfect blend of creativity and logic.
2. At what point in your life did you learn how to code?
I started experimenting with code in high school by making small websites and tinkering with HTML and JavaScript. I became serious about coding during university, where I expanded into back-end development.
3. What are the best things about being a full stack engineer?
The variety—no two projects feel the same.
The ability to take an idea from concept to a fully working product.
Continuous learning—technology changes fast, so there’s always something new to explore.
4. How did you learn how to code?
A mix of self-study, online courses, and hands-on projects. I used platforms like freeCodeCamp, Udemy, and YouTube, and also learned a lot from contributing to open-source projects.
5. What programming languages do you use primarily?
For the front end: JavaScript (React, Vue) and HTML/CSS.
For the back end: Python (Django, Flask) and JavaScript/Node.js.
I also use SQL for databases.
6. Do you work from home?
Yes, I work remotely most of the time, but I occasionally meet my team in person for brainstorming sessions or client meetings.
7. On average, how many hours do you spend working in a week?
Around 40–45 hours, though deadlines can sometimes push it a little higher.
8. What characteristics does one need to become a full stack engineer?
Problem-solving mindset – You’ll constantly face challenges that require creative solutions.
Adaptability – Technology changes quickly.
Attention to detail – Small mistakes can break big systems.
Communication skills – Working well with both technical and non-technical people is key.
9. Do you work independently or with a team?
I work as part of a team—designers, project managers, and other developers—but I’m often responsible for building large parts of a project independently.
10. How do you handle deadlines and tackle unexpected issues?
I break big tasks into smaller, manageable milestones and keep track of progress daily. For unexpected issues, I stay calm, analyze the problem step-by-step, and communicate with my team early if delays might happen.
Regards,
Arush
Thank you so much for responding, much appreciated!
Andy
Lakshmi Umarale
Distinguished Engineer Cloud
4
Answers
Parsippany-Troy Hills, New Jersey
Updated
Lakshmi’s Answer
Hi Andy,
Your questions that you listed are really good. Apart from the general questions, prepare for a real technical interview as well.
Based on what you have done so far, they may ask you certain technical questions - front end or back end.
Lakshmi
Your questions that you listed are really good. Apart from the general questions, prepare for a real technical interview as well.
Based on what you have done so far, they may ask you certain technical questions - front end or back end.
Lakshmi
Harsha Priya Ganapathy
Independent AI, ML, DL Researcher
4
Answers
Sugar Land, Texas
Updated
Harsha Priya’s Answer
Interview Responses – Full-Stack Engineer Perspective
1. What inspired you to become a full stack engineer?
I was inspired by the versatility of full-stack engineering—the ability to build both the front-end experience and the back-end logic. Early in my career, I wanted to create complete solutions rather than just one piece of the puzzle. That curiosity and passion for solving end-to-end problems drove me into full-stack development .
2. At what point in your life did you learn how to code?
I started coding during my undergraduate years in Computer Science and Information Technology, where I first worked with C and C++ and gradually expanded to web and mobile development.
3. What are the best things about being a full stack engineer?
The best part is the flexibility—you can prototype and deliver full solutions independently. It’s also very rewarding to see a project through from idea to deployment, and it helps you collaborate effectively with both front-end designers and back-end developers.
4. How did you learn how to code?
I learned through a mix of university courses, internships, and real-world projects. I built apps during internships at HP and embedUR Systems, later moving into professional roles where I developed web apps, GUIs, and scalable applications.
5. What programming languages do you use primarily?
I primarily work with Python, Java, JavaScript, and C++. On the web side, I use React, Node.js, and Flask, while for databases, I use SQL (Postgres).
6. Do you work from home?
Yes, I have had both on-site and remote experiences. For example, as a freelance Content Engineer and Script Writer, I worked fully remote. In other roles, I combined on-site work with flexible remote collaboration.
7. On average, how many hours do you spend working in a week?
Typically around 40–45 hours, depending on project deadlines. During high-priority releases, hours can stretch longer, but work-life balance is something I try to maintain.
8. What characteristics does one need to become a full stack engineer?
Curiosity, adaptability, and problem-solving are key. You need persistence to debug, creativity to design user-friendly features, and communication skills to collaborate with teams. Also, being comfortable learning new frameworks quickly is critical.
9. Do you work independently or with a team?
Both. Many tasks like coding features or debugging are independent, but successful projects always require teamwork with designers, testers, and product managers.
10. How do you handle deadlines and tackle unexpected issues?
I use structured planning breaking tasks into smaller deliverables and tracking them with tools like JIRA and Git. For unexpected issues, I prioritize quick root-cause analysis, escalate where needed, and always keep stakeholders informed.
1. What inspired you to become a full stack engineer?
I was inspired by the versatility of full-stack engineering—the ability to build both the front-end experience and the back-end logic. Early in my career, I wanted to create complete solutions rather than just one piece of the puzzle. That curiosity and passion for solving end-to-end problems drove me into full-stack development .
2. At what point in your life did you learn how to code?
I started coding during my undergraduate years in Computer Science and Information Technology, where I first worked with C and C++ and gradually expanded to web and mobile development.
3. What are the best things about being a full stack engineer?
The best part is the flexibility—you can prototype and deliver full solutions independently. It’s also very rewarding to see a project through from idea to deployment, and it helps you collaborate effectively with both front-end designers and back-end developers.
4. How did you learn how to code?
I learned through a mix of university courses, internships, and real-world projects. I built apps during internships at HP and embedUR Systems, later moving into professional roles where I developed web apps, GUIs, and scalable applications.
5. What programming languages do you use primarily?
I primarily work with Python, Java, JavaScript, and C++. On the web side, I use React, Node.js, and Flask, while for databases, I use SQL (Postgres).
6. Do you work from home?
Yes, I have had both on-site and remote experiences. For example, as a freelance Content Engineer and Script Writer, I worked fully remote. In other roles, I combined on-site work with flexible remote collaboration.
7. On average, how many hours do you spend working in a week?
Typically around 40–45 hours, depending on project deadlines. During high-priority releases, hours can stretch longer, but work-life balance is something I try to maintain.
8. What characteristics does one need to become a full stack engineer?
Curiosity, adaptability, and problem-solving are key. You need persistence to debug, creativity to design user-friendly features, and communication skills to collaborate with teams. Also, being comfortable learning new frameworks quickly is critical.
9. Do you work independently or with a team?
Both. Many tasks like coding features or debugging are independent, but successful projects always require teamwork with designers, testers, and product managers.
10. How do you handle deadlines and tackle unexpected issues?
I use structured planning breaking tasks into smaller deliverables and tracking them with tools like JIRA and Git. For unexpected issues, I prioritize quick root-cause analysis, escalate where needed, and always keep stakeholders informed.
James Constantine Frangos
SOFTWARE ENGINEER SINCE 1972; NUTRITIONIST SINCE 1976.
7094
Answers
Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
Updated
James Constantine’s Answer
Good Day Andy!
• What inspired you to become a full stack engineer?
Physics teacher brought out computer cards to be marked in Fortran 1972.
• At what point in your life did you learn how to code?
Straight away 1972.
• What are the best things about being a full stack engineer?
Complete Control.
• How did you learn how to code?
Books, Libraries, These Websites:-
15 Websites to Learn to Code For Free in 2025
1. Codecademy
2. freeCodeCamp
3. Coursera
4. Udemy
5. Codewars
6. The Odin Project
7. Khan Academy
8. MIT OpenCourseWare
9. edX
10. W3Schools
11. Skillcrush
12. Code.org
13. Microsoft Learn
14. Sololearn
15.BitDegree
• What programming languages do you use primarily?
.NET 10.0 Now.
• Do you work from home?
Yes.
• On average, how many hours do you spend working in a week?
100
• What characteristics does one need to become a full stack engineer?
Persistent Learning.
• Do you work independently or with a team?
Independently.
• How do you handle deadlines and tackle unexpected issues?
Just Work Harder.
JC.
• What inspired you to become a full stack engineer?
Physics teacher brought out computer cards to be marked in Fortran 1972.
• At what point in your life did you learn how to code?
Straight away 1972.
• What are the best things about being a full stack engineer?
Complete Control.
• How did you learn how to code?
Books, Libraries, These Websites:-
15 Websites to Learn to Code For Free in 2025
1. Codecademy
2. freeCodeCamp
3. Coursera
4. Udemy
5. Codewars
6. The Odin Project
7. Khan Academy
8. MIT OpenCourseWare
9. edX
10. W3Schools
11. Skillcrush
12. Code.org
13. Microsoft Learn
14. Sololearn
15.BitDegree
• What programming languages do you use primarily?
.NET 10.0 Now.
• Do you work from home?
Yes.
• On average, how many hours do you spend working in a week?
100
• What characteristics does one need to become a full stack engineer?
Persistent Learning.
• Do you work independently or with a team?
Independently.
• How do you handle deadlines and tackle unexpected issues?
Just Work Harder.
JC.
Jenny Shorter
Software Engineer
1
Answer
Indianapolis, Indiana
Updated
Jenny’s Answer
Great question Andy!
• What inspired you to become a full stack engineer?
- The real answer here is my work forced me into it. We started as being designated as "frontend" or "backend" but eventually it was mandated that all engineers must be able to build a vertical slice of functionality.
• At what point in your life did you learn how to code?
- I didn't write my first line of code until I was in my 3rd year of college/university. I switched majors multiple times and landed on Computer Science because I was working at a small startup and I wanted to become an engineer like they were. A 5-minute conversation with one of my coworkers convinced me that not only could I do it, but that I would find enjoyment in for a very long time - and he was absolutely correct. Software spans every industry, so knowing how it works allows you to work in whatever field you're passionate about.
• What are the best things about being a full stack engineer?
- The power you hold in being able to create software that runs where ever you want/need it to. It is a modern day super power. Join us if you're ready. :)
• How did you learn how to code?
- A CS101 course and lots of online learning tools like Pluralsight, and Why's Poignant Guide to Ruby.
• What programming languages do you use primarily?
- Currently I use these daily: Java (Spring app and Android dev), Groovy (mostly for tests), Javascript (legacy UI), Typescript (modern UI and customer created code execution in our platform), Python (utility things), Objective-C (iOS dev), Mongo, ElasticSearch are our database store options.
- Additional languages/technologies I've used while on other teams at my employer: Ruby, C#, Objective-C, Swift, PHP, SQL, HTML, XML, Go, and a few others I'm surely forgetting.
• Do you work from home?
- I work from home but am required to go into the office 10 days a quarter. We do release planning in office quarterly - so that usually covers my required time.
• On average, how many hours do you spend working in a week?
- Near 40 hrs... it depends if I'm on call or not. On-call rotations for my group for week long shifts that require 24 hr coverage to respond within 10 mins of an alert (which means that someone on the team will likely get woken up if something breaks overnight).
• What characteristics does one need to become a full stack engineer?
- Curiosity and patience will get you a very long way in this industry.
• Do you work independently or with a team?
- I work on a team with 6 other people and we are globally located, spanning 5 time zones in 2 countries.
• How do you handle deadlines and tackle unexpected issues?
- We have an on-call rotation to handle work that interrupts the team - like alerts and investigations for how or product work. The other folks on the team handle the planned sprint work. We use an internal ticketing system to create the work items and prioritize them accordingly.
• What inspired you to become a full stack engineer?
- The real answer here is my work forced me into it. We started as being designated as "frontend" or "backend" but eventually it was mandated that all engineers must be able to build a vertical slice of functionality.
• At what point in your life did you learn how to code?
- I didn't write my first line of code until I was in my 3rd year of college/university. I switched majors multiple times and landed on Computer Science because I was working at a small startup and I wanted to become an engineer like they were. A 5-minute conversation with one of my coworkers convinced me that not only could I do it, but that I would find enjoyment in for a very long time - and he was absolutely correct. Software spans every industry, so knowing how it works allows you to work in whatever field you're passionate about.
• What are the best things about being a full stack engineer?
- The power you hold in being able to create software that runs where ever you want/need it to. It is a modern day super power. Join us if you're ready. :)
• How did you learn how to code?
- A CS101 course and lots of online learning tools like Pluralsight, and Why's Poignant Guide to Ruby.
• What programming languages do you use primarily?
- Currently I use these daily: Java (Spring app and Android dev), Groovy (mostly for tests), Javascript (legacy UI), Typescript (modern UI and customer created code execution in our platform), Python (utility things), Objective-C (iOS dev), Mongo, ElasticSearch are our database store options.
- Additional languages/technologies I've used while on other teams at my employer: Ruby, C#, Objective-C, Swift, PHP, SQL, HTML, XML, Go, and a few others I'm surely forgetting.
• Do you work from home?
- I work from home but am required to go into the office 10 days a quarter. We do release planning in office quarterly - so that usually covers my required time.
• On average, how many hours do you spend working in a week?
- Near 40 hrs... it depends if I'm on call or not. On-call rotations for my group for week long shifts that require 24 hr coverage to respond within 10 mins of an alert (which means that someone on the team will likely get woken up if something breaks overnight).
• What characteristics does one need to become a full stack engineer?
- Curiosity and patience will get you a very long way in this industry.
• Do you work independently or with a team?
- I work on a team with 6 other people and we are globally located, spanning 5 time zones in 2 countries.
• How do you handle deadlines and tackle unexpected issues?
- We have an on-call rotation to handle work that interrupts the team - like alerts and investigations for how or product work. The other folks on the team handle the planned sprint work. We use an internal ticketing system to create the work items and prioritize them accordingly.
Mario Ramirez
Leader, Customer Delivery
43
Answers
Mexico City, Mexico
Updated
Mario’s Answer
Hey Andy, thanks for your post! Hope you’re doing well. 😊
I just wanted to take a moment to share that it’s super important to have a baseline that helps in creating and answering interview questions, especially those that aren’t directly tied to the specific job role you’re aiming for. These are more about situations and behaviors, which really help in understanding your main role, the project’s objective, and the areas that will be impacted by the outcome. I think this approach will help us come up with more specific questions that really connect with the role.
Sharing three example that could help:
Divergent questions:
Ask listeners to imagine different scenarios, alternative ideas, and examples. They create opportunities for gaining various perspectives. For example, "What are the potential benefits of this course of action?" or "What predictions could you make about this model?" or “What are some alternatives to this approach?”
Clarifying questions
Ensure you have correctly understood the statements or viewpoints of others. They solicit more information that helps determine whether you see the meaning, value, process, or reasoning of others. Examples include, "What do you consider to be sufficient progress?" or "How did you determine that?" or "How would you want this executed?"
Refocusing questions
Return conversations to the topic at hand after an answer prompted a disconnected or erroneous response. They help examine assumptions and
seek to connect ideas logically to avoid rushing into poorly shaped solutions. For example, "How does this concern relate to the situation?” or "How is this result connected to the main issue?" or "If the problem didn't exist, how would other factors be impacted?"
Mario R
I just wanted to take a moment to share that it’s super important to have a baseline that helps in creating and answering interview questions, especially those that aren’t directly tied to the specific job role you’re aiming for. These are more about situations and behaviors, which really help in understanding your main role, the project’s objective, and the areas that will be impacted by the outcome. I think this approach will help us come up with more specific questions that really connect with the role.
Sharing three example that could help:
Divergent questions:
Ask listeners to imagine different scenarios, alternative ideas, and examples. They create opportunities for gaining various perspectives. For example, "What are the potential benefits of this course of action?" or "What predictions could you make about this model?" or “What are some alternatives to this approach?”
Clarifying questions
Ensure you have correctly understood the statements or viewpoints of others. They solicit more information that helps determine whether you see the meaning, value, process, or reasoning of others. Examples include, "What do you consider to be sufficient progress?" or "How did you determine that?" or "How would you want this executed?"
Refocusing questions
Return conversations to the topic at hand after an answer prompted a disconnected or erroneous response. They help examine assumptions and
seek to connect ideas logically to avoid rushing into poorly shaped solutions. For example, "How does this concern relate to the situation?” or "How is this result connected to the main issue?" or "If the problem didn't exist, how would other factors be impacted?"
Mario R
I appreciate this, thank you for the advice.
Andy