Dropbox | Software Engineer | Interview Experience
Interview Date: Not specified
Result: Fail
Difficulty: Average
Interview Process
The interview consisted of two coding rounds.
First Round: File Crawler
- Implement an API that takes a file path and returns all files in that path, using a helper function.
- Discuss how to scale the first function without coding.
- Based on the discussion in the second step, implement an asynchronous job with provided template code.
Second Round: Word Game
The interview involved a word guessing game with two players. One player selects a word, and the other guesses letters. Feedback is provided on whether the guessed letter is a hit (revealed in the word) or a miss (added to a miss array).
- The interviewer provided an example to ensure understanding.
- The follow-up was more challenging, as the word chooser could change the word mid-game. The candidate was required to discuss a solution and write pseudocode.
Technical Questions
- File System (Asynchronous Programming, API)
- Word Guessing Game (String Manipulation, Game, Optimization)
Tips & Insights
- Be prepared to discuss scalability and optimization strategies during coding interviews.
- Understanding the problem thoroughly before diving into coding is crucial.