What are typical technical and behavioural questions for software development roles?

Breaking into or advancing within software development isn’t just about writing flawless code, it’s about showing that you can solve problems, collaborate and adapt under pressure. That’s why most interviews blend technical questions, which test your programming and design skills, with behavioural questions, which explore how you think and learn from experience.

Common Technical Questions

1. Coding Challenges

Expect to write algorithms, debug cod, or solve logic problems on the spot (often on platforms like HackerRank or in a shared editor).

Typical areas tested:

• Data structures (arrays, linked lists, stacks, queues, hash maps, trees, graphs)
• Algorithms (sorting, searching, recursion, dynamic programming, greedy approaches)
• Complexity analysis (Big-O for time and space)
• Edge case handling (null input, empty arrays, large inputs, unusual characters)

Tips for success:

• Think out loud: Explain why you’re choosing an approach
• Clarify assumptions: Ask about input constraints (e.g. size limits, null cases)
• Iterate: Start with a brute-force solution, then refine if asked

2. System Design

Mid and senior roles often include open-ended problems, like “Design a URL shortener like bit.ly.

Typical topics tested:

• Designing scalable web applications (e.g. chat apps, file storage, social media feeds)
• Core system components (APIs, databases, caching layers, load balancers, message queues)
• Trade-offs between consistency, availability, and partition tolerance (CAP theorem)
• Scalability strategies (sharding, replication, horizontal vs vertical scaling)
• Reliability and fault tolerance (failover systems, retries, redundancy)

Tips for success:

• Discuss trade-offs: SQL vs NoSQL, caching vs storage, strong vs eventual consistency
•  Prioritise clarity over completeness: Interviewers want to see structured thinking, not every last detail
• Adapt to prompts: Be ready to go deeper if the interviewer asks about scaling or bottlenecks

3. Take-Home Assignments

Some companies send short “practical” projects. A “2–3 hour” task can take much longer if you over-engineer. Balance thoroughness with time.

Typical formats:

• Building a small app or feature (e.g. a to-do list, blog API, weather app)
• Implementing a specific algorithm or data-processing task
• Refactoring or extending existing codebases
• Writing tests for a given piece of code

Tips for success:

• Timebox yourself: If they say 3 hours, don’t spend 12. Show you can deliver within realistic constraints
• Prioritise core functionality: Make sure the main requirement works, even if advanced features are incomplete
• Leave notes on trade-offs: If you skipped something for time reasons, mention it in your README (shows awareness)

Common Behavioural Questions

Behavioural interviews test how you’ve handled situations in the past as a way to predict how you’ll respond in the future. These usually start with “Tell me about a time…” and are best answered using the STAR method:

Situation – what was happening
Task – your responsibility
Action – what you did
Result – the outcome

What interviewers are looking for:

•  Self-awareness: Can you reflect honestly on challenges and growth
• Collaboration: How you work with teammates, managers, and stakeholders
• Problem-solving: How you handle pressure, conflict, or unexpected issues
•  Adaptability: Your ability to learn from setbacks and adjust
• Communication: Clear, structured storytelling

Examples you might face:

• “Tell me about a time you disagreed with a teammate.”
• “Describe a project where you failed, what did you learn?”
• “How do you handle tight deadlines?”

Tips for success:

• Prepare 4–6 strong stories in advance (team conflict, big achievement, failure, leadership moment, working under pressure). You can adapt them to different questions
• End on a positive note, even if the story is about failure, highlight what you learned and how you’ve grown
• Practice aloud, storytelling is as much about delivery as content

How to Stand Out

• Talk while coding – Explain your reasoning and ask clarifying questions
• Show your human side – Employers care about culture fit as much as technical ability
• Use STAR – Keep behavioural answers structured and outcome-focused
• Ask questions – Interviews are two-way. Ask about team culture, goals, or challenges

Final Thought

Technical questions test your problem-solving.
Behavioural questions test how you work with people.
Preparation = practice coding out loud, rehearse STAR stories and think about design trade-offs.
If you balance both sides, you’ll be ready to show you’re not just a developer who can code, but a teammate who can build, collaborate, and grow.

Here at Cavendish Professionals, placing people in roles where they can truly thrive is at the heart of what we do. We provide a range of support with interview preparation to help you put your best foot forward with future employers.