Backend Developer Interview Questions (Java + Spring + More)
---
1. Core Java
- What are the main features of Java 8?
- Difference between abstract class and interface.
- What are functional interfaces and lambda expressions?
- Explain the concept of Stream API.
- How does garbage collection work in Java?
- Difference between HashMap, LinkedHashMap, and TreeMap.
- What are checked and unchecked exceptions?
- What is multithreading and how is it implemented in Java?
- Explain the concept of immutability in Java.
2. Spring Framework
- What is the Spring Framework?
- Explain the concept of Dependency Injection.
- What are the different types of dependency injection in Spring?
- What is Spring Boot and how is it different from Spring?
- What are Spring Boot starters?
- Explain the Spring Bean lifecycle.
- How does Spring handle transactions?
- What is the use of @Component, @Service, @Repository, and @Controller?
- What is Spring AOP? How is it implemented?
- How does Spring Security work?
3. Spring Boot
- How do you create a Spring Boot project?
- What is application.properties or application.yml used for?
- How does auto-configuration work in Spring Boot?
- What is actuator in Spring Boot?
- How to implement custom error handling?
- What are profiles in Spring Boot?
4. RESTful Web Services
- What is REST?
- What are HTTP methods and their uses?
- How to create a REST API using Spring Boot?
- What is the difference between @RequestParam, @PathVariable, and @RequestBody?
- What is status code 200, 201, 400, 401, 403, and 500?
- How to secure REST APIs?
5. Database & JPA
- What is JPA and how is it different from Hibernate?
- Explain the use of @Entity, @Id, and @GeneratedValue.
- What is the difference between OneToOne, OneToMany, and ManyToMany?
- How do you write custom queries in Spring Data JPA?
- What is lazy and eager loading?
- How to handle transactions in JPA?
6. Exception Handling
- How is exception handling implemented in Spring Boot?
- What is @ControllerAdvice?
- How do you create custom exceptions?
7. Testing
- What is unit testing and integration testing?
- How to write JUnit tests?
- What is Mockito and how do you use it?
- What is @MockBean and @WebMvcTest in Spring Boot?
8. Tools & DevOps Basics
- What is Maven/Gradle?
- What is Git and how do you use it?
- What is Jenkins?
- What is Docker and how can you containerize a Spring Boot application?
- What is Kubernetes? (Basic understanding is enough)
- What are CI/CD pipelines?
9. System Design (Basics)
- How would you design a URL shortening service?
- What is load balancing?
- What are microservices?
- What is the difference between monolithic and microservice architecture?
- What is service discovery in microservices?
10. Soft Skills & General
- Tell me about your most recent project.
- What challenges did you face and how did you overcome them?
- Why do you want to join our company?
- Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
---
Tips for Preparation:
- Practice coding problems on platforms like LeetCode, HackerRank.
- Revise data structures and algorithms.
- Work on building at least one full-stack project.
- Use Postman to test APIs.
- Know how to read logs and debug.
---
Good Luck with Your Interviews!