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Frequently asked in all types of companies especially Indian Services companies. Frequently asked in CTS (Based on 2 feedback)

Q11. What is the use of hashcode in Java ?

Core Java

Ans. Hashcode is used for bucketing in Hash implementations like HashMap, HashTable, HashSet etc. The value received from hashcode() is used as bucket number for storing elements. This bucket number is the address of the element inside the set/map. when you do contains() then it will take the hashcode of the element, then look for the bucket where hashcode points to and if more than 1 element is found in the same bucket (multiple objects can have the same hashcode) then it uses the equals() method to evaluate if object are equal, and then decide if contain() is true or false, or decide if element could be added in the set or not.

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Very Frequently asked to fresh graduates and less experienced. Favorite question in Walk in drives. Frequently asked in Indian Services companies.

Q12. Difference between Overloading and Overriding ?

Core Java

Ans. Overloading - Similar Signature but different definition , like function overloading.

Overriding - Overriding the Definition of base class in the derived class.

Sample Code for overloading

Sample Code for overriding

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Q13. Can you give a real world example of Encapsulation and Abstraction ?

Core Java

Ans. Car Engine is an example of encapsulation and abstraction. You ignite the car using an interface called starter and least bothered about how the tire actually moves (This is abstraction). The engine encapsulates the complete process to itself only and doesn't allow you to start the other components like the radiator etc ( this is excapsulation )

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Very frequently asked across all types of companies.

Q14. Difference between HashMap and Hashtable?

Core Java

Ans. Hashtable is synchronized whereas HashMap is not.HashMap allows null values whereas Hashtable doesnt allow null values.

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Advanced level question usually asked in High end product companies. Have been asked in Google and Amazon (Based on 1 Feedback)

Q15. Describe, in general, how java's garbage collector works ?

Core Java

Ans. The Java runtime environment deletes objects when it determines that they are no longer being used. This process is known as garbage collection. The Java runtime environment supports a garbage collector that periodically frees the memory used by objects that are no longer needed. The Java garbage collector is a mark-sweep garbage collector that scans Java dynamic memory areas for objects, marking those that are referenced. After all possible paths to objects are investigated, those objects that are not marked (i.e. are not referenced) are known to be garbage and are collected.

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Advanced level question frequently asked in US based companies. Recently asked in EMC and Intuit.

Q16. Can you provide some implementation of a Dictionary having large number of words ?

Solution

Ans. Simplest implementation we can have is a List wherein we can place ordered words and hence can perform Binary Search.

Other implementation with better search performance is to use HashMap with key as first character of the word and value as a LinkedList.

Further level up, we can have linked Hashmaps like ,

hashmap {
a ( key ) -> hashmap (key-aa , value (hashmap(key-aaa,value)
b ( key ) -> hashmap (key-ba , value (hashmap(key-baa,value)
....................................................................................
z( key ) -> hashmap (key-za , value (hashmap(key-zaa,value)
}

upto n levels ( where n is the average size of the word in dictionary.

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Frequently asked to fresh graduates and less experienced.

Q17. Why do we write public static void main ? Can we use some other syntax too for main ?

Core Java

Ans. 1. public is the access modifier that makes the method accessible from anywhere, static is the keyword that makes it accessible even without creating any object, void means it doesn't return anything , String args[] is the array of argument that the method receives.

2. If we use main without the string args , it will compile correctly as Java will treat it as just another method. It wont be the method "main" which Java looks for when it looks to execute the class and hence will throw

Error: Main method not found in class , please define the main method as:
public static void main(String[] args)

3. Main is not a keyword but a special string that Java looks for while initiating the main thread.

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Frequently asked to fresh graduates.

Q18. What is ACID ?

Database

Ans. ACID stands for Atomicity, Consistency, Isolation, Durability is a set of properties of database transactions.

Atomicity means all or nothing. i.e parts of a transaction shouldn't commit if any one of them fails. Either the whole transaction should succeed or it should be complete rollback.

Consistency means that any transaction should lead database from one stabe state to another.

Isolation means that the execution of transaction results in a system state that would be obtained if transactions were executed serially.

Durability means that when a transaction is committed it forms the permanent state of database.

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Almost sure to be asked in every company using any Dependency Injection framework ( Spring, Guice etc )

Q19. What is Dependency Injection or IOC ( Inversion of Control ) ?

Design

Ans. It is a Design Pattern that facilitates loose coupling by sending the dependency information ( object references of dependent object ) while building the state of the object. Objects are designed in a manner where they receive instances of the objects from other pieces of code, instead of constructing them internally and hence provide better flexibility.

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Frequently asked question for intermediate developers. Frequently asked in HCL Technologies and EPAM.

Q20. What is Volatile keyword used for ?

Core Java

Ans. Volatile is a declaration that a variable can be accessed by multiple threads and hence shouldnt be cached.

Sample Code for volatile

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Very frequently asked.Usually among first few questions.

Q21. What is MVC ?

Design

Ans. MVC is a Design Pattern that facilititates loose coupling by segregating responsibilities in a Web application

1. Controller receives the requests and handles overall control of the request
2. Model holds majority of the Business logic, and
3. View comprise of the view objects and GUI component

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Frequently asked to fresh graduates and less experienced.

Q22. Difference between Composition and Inheritance ?

Core Java

Ans. Inheritance means a object inheriting reusable properties of the base class. Compositions means that an abject holds other objects.

In Inheritance there is only one object in memory ( derived object ) whereas in Composition , parent object holds references of all composed objects.

From Design perspective - Inheritance is "is a" relationship among objects whereas Composition is "has a" relationship among objects.

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Frequently asked in high end product companies. Frequently asked in Deloitte.

Q23. How is Hashmap internally implemented in Java ?

Core Java

Ans. https://medium.com/javarevisited/internal-working-of-hashmap-in-java-97aeac3c7beb#:~:text=HashMap%20internally%20uses%20HashTable%20implementation,the%20entries%20into%20the%20map.

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Q24. What things you would care about to improve the performance of Application if its identified that its DB communication that needs to be improved ?

Solution

Ans. 1. Query Optimization ( Query Rewriting , Prepared Statements )

2. Restructuring Indexes.

3. DB Caching Tuning ( if using ORM )

4. Identifying the problems ( if any ) with the ORM Strategy ( If using ORM )

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Frequently asked at HCL Technologies ( Based on 3 feedback )

Q25. Difference between Checked and Unchecked exceptions ?

Core Java

Ans. Checked exceptions are the exceptions for which compiler throws an errors if they are not checked whereas unchecked exceptions are caught during run time only and hence can't be checked.

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Q26. Difference between Vector and ArrayList ?

Core Java

Ans. Vectors are synchronized whereas Array lists are not.

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Q27. Can we call the garbage collector explicitly ?

Core Java

Ans. Yes, We can call garbage collector directly but it doesn't guarantees that the gc will start executing immediately. This gc( ) method appears in both Runtime and System classes of java.lang package.

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Q28. If you are given a choice to implement the code to either Insert a Record or Update if already exist, Which approach will you follow ?

1. Insert into the DB Table. If exception occurs, update the existing record.
2. Check if the record exists and update it if it exists, If not insert a new record.

Solution

Ans. In first case, there would be 2 DB calls in worst case and 1 in best case. In 2nd approach there will be always 2 DB calls.

Decision on the approach should depend on the following considerations -

1. How costly is the call to DB ? Are we using indices , hibernate etc

If calls to DB are costly , 1st approach should be the choice.

2. Exception Book keeping load upon exception.

The benefit of saving 1st call in approach 1 should be bigger than the Book keeping for the exception.

3. Probability of the exception in first apparoach.

If the DB Table is almost empty, it makes sense to follow Approach 1 as majority of the 1st calls will pass through without exception.

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Very Frequently asked.

Q29. Explain throw, throws , try and catch in Java ?

Core Java

Ans. throw is used to re throw an exception.throws is used to declare that the method throws the respective exceptions.try block is used to identify if the respective block has thrown any exception.catch is used to catch the exception that has been thrown by the respective try block.

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This question can be asked in different variants like performace improvement of an application, improving performance for DB communication etc.

Q30. What are the ways in which execution time of the code can be improved ?

Solution

Ans. This depends on entirely upon the code type. For example

1.If its just logic, we can try it to short circuit or put the if / switch case with maximum probability in the beginning.

2. Can use faster data structures, for eg - random retrieval instead of sequence / iterator

3. Working with primitive types or even bytes instead of Objects, even though it may result in marginal improvement.

4. If its service call, then service call with bulk load can help

5. If DB Operation, then with use of Indices , Views or using ORM , cache etc.

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Q31. Difference between GET and POST Requests ?

Web Service

Ans. GET is supposed to get information from the server. Client sends the minimal information so that Server can respond with the response body on basis of request. For example - You want to get complete employment record for employee id 123

POST is supposed to send the information for submission. Payload or a Body is usually sent so that it can be persisted on the server. For example - Sending the complete information of an employee ( id, name , dept etc ) to the server for persisting it.

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Q32. What is coupling and Cohesion ?

Design

Ans. Coupling is the degree of interdependence between software modules, a measure of how closely connected two modules are or the strength of the relationships between modules.

Cohesion refers to the degree to which the elements of a module belong together. Cohesion measures the strength of relationship between pieces of functionality within a given module.

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Q33. Why java doesn't support multiple Inheritance ?

or

Explain Java Diamond Problem.

Core Java

Ans. class A {
void test() {
System.out.println("test() method");
}
}

class B {
void test() {
System.out.println("test() method");
}
}

Suppose if Java allows multiple inheritance like this,

class C extends A, B {
}

A and B test() methods are inheriting to C class.

So which test() method C class will take? As A & B class test() methods are different , So here we would Facing Ambiguity.

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Usually asked to entry level software developers.

Q34. Write a program to swap two variables without using third

Core Java

Ans. public static void main(String[] args) {
   int num1 = 1;
   int num2 = 2;
   num1 = num1^num2;
   num2 = num1^num2;
   num1 = num1^num2;
   System.out.print("num1 = " + num1 +", num2 = "+num2);
}

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Q35. What is a class loader ? What are the different class loaders used by JVM ?

Core Java

Ans. Part of JVM which is used to load classes and interfaces.

Bootstrap , Extension and System are the class loaders used by JVM.

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Q36. How can we manage Error Messages in the web application ?

Solution

Ans. Within message.properties file.

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Q37. What is an Externalizable interface ?

Ans. Externalizable interface is used to write the state of an object into a byte stream in compressed format.

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Q38. What are the design considerations while making a choice between using interface and abstract class ?

Core Java

Ans. Keep it as a Abstract Class if its a "Is a" Relationsship and should do subset/all of the functionality. Keep it as Interface if its a "Should Do" relationship.

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Q39. What is Externalizable interface?

Core Java

Ans. Externalizable is an interface which contains two methods readExternal and writeExternal. These methods give you a control over the serialization mechanism.

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Q40. Write a Program to check if 2 strings are Anagrams ?

Core Java

Ans. public void checkIfAnagram(String str1,String str2){
boolean anagram = true;
for(char c:str1.toCharArray()){
if(!str2.contains(String.valueOf(c))){
System.out.println("Strings are Anagrams");
anagram = false;
}

if(anagram == true){
System.out.println("Strings are not Anagrams");
}
}
}

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