Product Perfect

Autocoder is a historical high-level computer programming language developed by IBM in the late 1950s for its series of IBM 1401 mainframe computers. It was an assembly language, making it easier to use than machine code, thus improving programmer efficiency. The Autocoder language played a significant role in the transition from punched-card input to magnetic-tape storage systems. Despite being superseded by more advanced languages, Autocoder's influence can be seen in modern assembly languages and early versions of COBOL. This information has been sourced from "IBM's Early Computers" (MIT Press) and "A History of Modern Computing" (MIT Press).

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

First 20 minutes

General Autocoder app knowledge and experience

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

What are the basic components of Autocoder?

The basic components of Autocoder are the source program, the compiler, the object program, and the library of subroutines.

How would you debug an Autocoder program?

Debugging an Autocoder program involves a systematic process of identifying and fixing bugs or errors. This can be done by using debugging tools, performing a step-by-step execution of the program, and using techniques like breakpoints and watchpoints.

Describe the difference between Autocoder and modern programming languages.

Autocoder is an assembly language, which means it is low-level and closer to machine code. Modern programming languages are high-level languages, which are more abstract and easier to use, but less efficient than low-level languages.

What are the key features of Autocoder?

Key features of Autocoder include its simplicity, efficiency, and the ability to directly control the hardware. It also allows for the use of macros, which can simplify coding.

How would you optimize an Autocoder program?

Optimizing an Autocoder program can involve techniques like reducing the number of instructions, minimizing I/O operations, and using efficient algorithms and data structures.

The hiring guide has been successfully sent to your email address.

Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.

What you’re looking for early on

Does the candidate have a strong understanding of Autocoder and its related systems?

Did the candidate show ability to think logically and analytically?

Can the applicant demonstrate past experience with similar programming tasks?

Is the candidate able to communicate effectively about technical concepts?

Next 20 minutes

Specific Autocoder 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.

What are the limitations of Autocoder?

Limitations of Autocoder include its low-level nature, which makes it harder to learn and use than high-level languages. It also lacks many features of modern languages, like object-oriented programming and automatic memory management.

Describe the difference between a macro and a subroutine in Autocoder.

A macro is a set of instructions that is replaced by the assembler with the corresponding code whenever it is used. A subroutine, on the other hand, is a set of instructions that is stored in a separate location and is called by the main program when needed.

How would you handle errors in Autocoder?

Handling errors in Autocoder involves using error handling routines, which can be written to handle specific types of errors, like division by zero or overflow. These routines can be called when an error occurs to handle the error and prevent the program from crashing.

What are the best practices for writing Autocoder programs?

Best practices for writing Autocoder programs include using meaningful names for variables and labels, commenting the code thoroughly, and structuring the program in a clear and logical way.

Describe the difference between absolute and relocatable programs in Autocoder.

An absolute program is one that is loaded into a specific location in memory and cannot be moved. A relocatable program, on the other hand, can be loaded into any location in memory and can be moved if necessary.

The hiring guide has been successfully sent to your email address.

Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.

At this point, a skilled Autocoder engineer should demonstrate strong problem-solving abilities, proficiency in Autocoder 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 Autocoder.

What does the following Autocoder code do?
MOVE 'HELLO' TO NAME.
This code assigns the string 'HELLO' to the variable NAME.
What will be the output of the following Autocoder code?
ADD 10, 20 GIVING RESULT.
This code adds the numbers 10 and 20 and stores the result in the variable RESULT. So, the output will be 30.
What does the following Autocoder code do?
PERFORM VARYING I FROM 1 BY 1 UNTIL I > 10
  DISPLAY 'NUMBER: ' I
END-PERFORM.
This code displays the numbers 1 to 10. It uses a loop that starts with I equal to 1 and increments I by 1 each time until I is greater than 10.
What does the following Autocoder code do?
PERFORM WITH TEST BEFORE UNTIL FLAG = 'YES'
  MOVE 'NO' TO FLAG
END-PERFORM.
This code performs a loop until the variable FLAG is equal to 'YES'. Inside the loop, it assigns 'NO' to FLAG. This is an infinite loop because FLAG will never be 'YES'.

Wrap-up questions

Final candidate for Autocoder 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 Autocoder application deployments. Inquire about their experience in handling system failures and their approach to debugging and troubleshooting.

How would you test an Autocoder program?

Testing an Autocoder program involves writing test cases that cover all possible scenarios and edge cases, and then running the program with these test cases to ensure that it behaves as expected.

What are the challenges of working with Autocoder?

Challenges of working with Autocoder include its low-level nature, which makes it harder to learn and use than high-level languages. It also lacks many features of modern languages, like object-oriented programming and automatic memory management.

Describe the difference between direct and indirect addressing in Autocoder.

In direct addressing, the address of the operand is given directly in the instruction. In indirect addressing, the instruction contains the address of a memory location that contains the actual address of the operand.

Autocoder application related

Product Perfect's Autocoder development capabilities

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

Autocoder Consultive assessments

Autocoder Application Conversion Assessment Autocoder Application Integration Assessment Autocoder Data & Database Integration Assessment

Custom Autocoder development projects

Custom Autocoder App Conversion Autocoder Custom App Development Process App UI Design for Autocoder Facelifts

Hiring guide for Autocoder Engineers

Autocoder Developer Hiring Guide

What you’re looking for early on

The ideal back-end app developer

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

Autocoder Consultive assessments

Custom Autocoder development projects