Hiring guide for APLX Engineers

APLX Developer Hiring Guide

APLX is a modern variant of the APL programming language, developed by MicroAPL Ltd in 2002. It is an array-oriented language, renowned for its concise and expressive syntax. APLX supports both classical APL and nested arrays, and it includes a full GUI interface for building applications. This language is designed to run on a variety of platforms, including Windows, macOS, Linux, and AIX. The information about APLX is sourced from MicroAPL Ltd's official website and various programming language repositories.

Ask the right questions secure the right APLX talent among an increasingly shrinking pool of talent.

First 20 minutes

General APLX app knowledge and experience

The first 20 minutes of the interview should seek to understand the candidate's general background in APLX application development, including their experience with various programming languages, databases, and their approach to designing scalable and maintainable systems.

How would you define the APLX programming language?
APLX is a high-level, interactive, interpreted language that uses a large range of special graphic symbols to represent functions and operators.
What are the key features of APLX?
Key features of APLX include its array-oriented programming model, dynamic typing, and interactive execution environment.
Describe the difference between scalar and non-scalar data types in APLX.
Scalar data types in APLX refer to single data items, such as numbers or characters. Non-scalar data types, on the other hand, refer to collections of data items, such as arrays.
How would you create a function in APLX?
In APLX, a function is created by defining a name for the function, followed by its arguments enclosed in parentheses, and then the function body enclosed in curly braces.
What are the uses of workspace in APLX?
In APLX, a workspace is used to store all the variables, functions, and operators that are currently in use. It allows for the saving and loading of the programming environment.
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What you’re looking for early on

Does the candidate have a solid understanding of APLX language?
Has the candidate demonstrated problem-solving skills?
Is the candidate able to communicate effectively?
Does the candidate have experience with other programming languages?

Next 20 minutes

Specific APLX development questions

The next 20 minutes of the interview should focus on the candidate's expertise with specific backend frameworks, their understanding of RESTful APIs, and their experience in handling data storage and retrieval efficiently.

Describe the difference between monadic and dyadic functions in APLX.
Monadic functions in APLX are those that take one argument, while dyadic functions take two arguments. The difference between them lies in the number of arguments they take.
How would you handle errors in APLX?
In APLX, errors can be handled using the '?TRAP' system function, which allows for the specification of error handlers.
What are the key principles of array-oriented programming in APLX?
Array-oriented programming in APLX involves operations that are applied to whole arrays without the need for explicit loops. This allows for concise and efficient code.
Describe the difference between explicit and implicit indexing in APLX.
Explicit indexing in APLX involves specifying the index of an array element directly, while implicit indexing involves using an index vector to access multiple elements at once.
How would you implement recursion in APLX?
Recursion in APLX can be implemented by having a function call itself within its own definition. Care must be taken to ensure that the recursion terminates to avoid infinite loops.
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The ideal back-end app developer

What you’re looking to see on the APLX engineer at this point.

At this point, a skilled APLX engineer should demonstrate strong problem-solving abilities, proficiency in APLX programming language, and knowledge of software development methodologies. Red flags include lack of hands-on experience, inability to articulate complex concepts, or unfamiliarity with standard coding practices.

Digging deeper

Code questions

These will help you see the candidate's real-world development capabilities with APLX.

What does the following APLX code do? `?10`
?10
This code generates a vector of the first 10 integers starting from 1. The iota (?) function in APLX is used to generate a vector of integers.
What will be the output of the following APLX code? `3 1 ? 'Hello'`
3 1 ? 'Hello'
This code will reshape the string 'Hello' into a 3x1 matrix. The reshape (?) function in APLX is used to reshape an array or collection.
What does the following APLX code do? `+/1 2 3 4 5`
+/1 2 3 4 5
This code sums up the elements of the array [1,2,3,4,5]. The reduction (+/) function in APLX is used to reduce an array or collection using a specified operation.
What does the following APLX code do? `2 ? 'Hello'`
2 ? 'Hello'
This code retrieves the third character from the string 'Hello'. The index (?) function in APLX is used to retrieve an element at a specific index from an array or collection.

Wrap-up questions

Final candidate for APLX Developer role questions

The final few questions should evaluate the candidate's teamwork, communication, and problem-solving skills. Additionally, assess their knowledge of microservices architecture, serverless computing, and how they handle APLX application deployments. Inquire about their experience in handling system failures and their approach to debugging and troubleshooting.

What are the uses of operators in APLX?
Operators in APLX are used to modify the behavior of functions. They can be used to create new functions, apply functions over arrays, and more.
Describe the difference between traditional and direct functions in APLX.
Traditional functions in APLX are defined using a separate editor and can have multiple lines of code. Direct functions, on the other hand, are defined directly in the session and are typically one-liners.
How would you optimize performance in APLX?
Performance in APLX can be optimized by using array-oriented programming techniques to avoid loops, using operators to modify function behavior, and minimizing the use of global variables.

APLX application related

Product Perfect's APLX development capabilities

Beyond hiring for your APLX engineering team, you may be in the market for additional help. Product Perfect provides seasoned expertise in APLX projects, and can engage in multiple capacities.