Top 10 Web Developer Interview Questions

Last Updated on 2024-10-11

Asking relevant web developer interview questions helps you determine which applicant fits your business needs. Here are the best interview questions to ask web developers.

Recruitment can be an arduous process. And, recruiting web developers only adds to the complexity of the task. As a recruiter, the best thing you can do is to prepare.

First, you have to define your requirements and the scope of work clearly. Ensure that your job description tells web developer applicants what your company needs and what the responsibilities are. At the same time, highlight what you are looking for in a candidate and what you expect of them.

The next step is to clarify what you can offer the applicants. Hence, you must set a realistic budget for the salary that you’re willing to pay. Also, take into consideration other benefits and bonuses.

To provide a competitive and attractive compensation package, you must study the current market. After, you will have to design your interview process. Do your homework to give applicants relevant exams and interview questions. 

Sounds like a lot? To help you with this task, we list down some of the top web developer interview questions to help you choose the best candidates. But before that, let us briefly discuss what a web developer is.

Web Developer: Who are they?

Before defining who web developers are, we should first know what web development is. Simply put, web development or website development is the process of designing, creating, and maintaining a website or web application.

Developers’ main programming languages in web development are HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. However, programming tools such as content management systems (CMS) help in facilitating the construction of websites.

The Web Developers

Web developers, therefore, are those responsible for designing, planning, creating, and maintaining websites and applications. They are responsible for making websites are visually appealing and easy to navigate. Additionally, they must ensure the sites and apps’ performance and capacity.

They usually fall into three types:

1. Frontend
2. Backend
3. Full Stack

These web developers have different duties. But let us focus more on the general web developer responsibilities.

Responsibilities of Web Developers

Here’s a breakdown of the primary day-to-day duties of a web developer:

• Designing, building, and maintaining websites and applications
• Timely performing website updates and maintenance
• Developing, scheduling, and validating test routines and cases
• Backing up files from sites in local directories for recovery
• Monitoring feedback for tests and corrective actions
• Ensuring that code meet industry standards
• Ensuring that code are valid and compatible with browsers, devices, and operating systems
• Analyzing technical requirements to determine users’ needs
• Collaborating with teams for conflict resolutions and need prioritization
• Using tools such as content management, authoring, and scripting

Web Developer Skills Requirements

Web development is a complicated task. That is why you should set requirements for candidates to qualify for the position. Job candidates should at least have the following skills and abilities:

• Degree in web development, IT, or related field
• Work experience in programming applications
• Mastery of JavaScript, HTML, CSS
• Knows how to use programming tools
• Proficiency in SQL
• Understanding of object-oriented programming
• Ability to document project build and maintenance
• Knowledge and understanding of programming languages and technologies
• Team player
• Outstanding oral and written communication skills
• Ability to solve complex problems
• Able to work with minimal supervision
• Creative and detail-oriented

The list above states the general information on what you should know and expect from a web developer. You can research more about web developers to make your job posting more detailed.

Finally, let us focus on which web developer interview questions you should ask job candidates.

Top 10 Web Developer Interview Questions 

Interview questions should vary according to your needs. Hence, make sure to craft questions that allow candidates to express their skills and expertise. Your job as the interviewer is to analyze their answers and decide whether they will fit the position.

Here are ten of the most asked interview questions for web developers.

1. What project made you particularly proud? Why?

Start easing the interviewee by letting them talk about their previous works. Their response should allow you to peek at how they measure success and their work methods. Did they mention their co-workers, or did they focus only on their work? Pay attention to these details.

2. Do you test your code? What do you think about self-testing code?

Good developers always test their code. They make sure that they have few errors to avoid buggy websites or applications. In this sense, a great candidate should value testing and the QA process. They know that lesser errors lead to lesser debugging and other coding crises.

3. What do you do to keep up with the latest in web development?

Web development is dynamic and constantly changing. That’s why it is vital for developers to continuously be curious and learn about new tech stacks and techniques.

You can ask them about their favorite programming-related Twitter accounts or websites. Ask them about their opinions about the latest development trends.

4. How do you create a web page or web app? What’s your workflow like?

Questions like these will let you assess how a developer approaches their work. Before they start the actual coding, do they use snippets for a basic layout? Or do they use more in-depth preparation?

5. Briefly explain CORS.

This is a more technical question. CORS or Cross-Origin Resource Sharing is a staple feature of HTML5 that developers should be familiar with. Their explanation and description of CORS would show you their familiarity and mastery of HTML5.

6. What is the purpose of each HTTP request type when using a RESTful web service?

The candidate’s answer will let you know if they understand the difference between GET, POST, CONNECT, and PATCH. If they have a basic understanding of HTML, they should be able to differentiate each request type.

7. SEO, security, performance, and maintainability are essential to web development. How do you take them into account?

These factors are very different and, at the same time, vital for a web developer. Their answers will let you know which factors will they prioritize when coding.

The developers should customize their answers if they come prepared and know your business. For example, if you are a financial institution, they should know that you prioritize security over SEO.

8. What do you say is your best soft skill?

You must remember that soft skills matter. Are you looking for a good communicator, or how about a more independent worker? Allow the candidates to tell some scenarios where they showcased their skills.

9. How would your previous teammates or managers describe you as a developer?

A developer must have self-awareness. Being aware of their strengths and weaknesses will allow them to grow. At the same time, you will have some idea if they fit your company culture. Or if you can assign them to specific teams.

10. When you can’t solve a coding problem, how do you find the answer?

You must remember that there is no wrong answer to this question. Some may ask for help from their teammates or leads. Others may prefer to research Stack Overflow or other sites to find solutions. Every web developer has a way of solving coding problems.

The questions above are just the common developer interview questions. You can add more technical or specific questions depending on your business needs.

Find the Best Web Developers at Full Scale!

As you have read from this article, there are many things to prepare and consider when hiring web developers. Do you need top developers to help you create your websites and web apps? Let us take care of finding the best developers for your project and business needs.

At Full Scale, we have a roster of talented developers that help you in every step of the web development process. Our pool of developers and other specialists are experts in different programming languages and development.

Furthermore, our developers are constantly improving their skills through further training and mentorship programs.

Consult with us today! And let us help you every step of the way.