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Backus-Naur Form (BNF), also known as Backus normal form, is a meta-language used to describe the formal grammar of programming languages. Developed in 1959 by John Backus of IBM, BNF is a context-free grammar that uses a series of production rules to define the syntax of a language. BNF has been adopted as a standard for describing the grammar of many programming languages, including Java, C++, and Python.

Ask the right questions secure the right Backus-Naur Form Meta language used in describing talent among an increasingly shrinking pool of talent.

First 20 minutes

General Backus-Naur Form Meta language used in describing app knowledge and experience

The first 20 minutes of the interview should seek to understand the candidate's general background in Backus-Naur Form Meta language used in describing application development, including their experience with various programming languages, databases, and their approach to designing scalable and maintainable systems.

Can you explain the basic structure of a BNF notation?

A BNF notation consists of a set of derivation rules, each rule is written as a sequence of symbols, which can be either terminal or non-terminal. A rule is separated by a '::=' symbol, where the left side is a non-terminal symbol and the right side is a sequence of terminal and/or non-terminal symbols.

What are terminal and non-terminal symbols in BNF?

Terminal symbols are the basic symbols from which strings are formed. Non-terminal symbols are syntactic variables that denote sets of strings. The non-terminal symbols are replaced by groups of terminal symbols according to the production rules.

How would you define a production rule in BNF?

A production rule in BNF is a rule that describes how a non-terminal symbol can be replaced by a sequence of terminal and/or non-terminal symbols. It is written as a non-terminal symbol followed by '::=' and then a sequence of terminal and/or non-terminal symbols.

What is the purpose of using BNF in programming languages?

BNF is used to formally define the syntax of programming languages. It provides a precise notation for defining the sequence of symbols that form a syntactically correct program.

Describe the difference between EBNF and BNF.

EBNF (Extended Backus-Naur Form) is an extension of BNF that includes additional syntax such as optional parts, repetitions, and grouping which are not available in BNF.

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What you’re looking for early on

Does the candidate have a deep understanding of Backus-Naur Form Meta language?

Has the candidate demonstrated the ability to solve complex problems?

Is the candidate able to communicate their thoughts and ideas effectively?

Does the candidate have experience with similar projects or tasks?

Next 20 minutes

Specific Backus-Naur Form Meta language used in describing 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.

How would you use BNF to describe the syntax of a simple arithmetic expression?

An arithmetic expression can be described in BNF as follows: ::= | '+' | '-' | '*' | '/' | '(' ')'.

What are the limitations of BNF?

BNF cannot express semantic rules, it can only describe syntax. It also cannot handle certain types of syntax such as indentation-based syntax.

How would you convert a BNF grammar to a parse tree?

A parse tree can be constructed from a BNF grammar by starting with the start symbol as the root of the tree, and then expanding the non-terminal symbols according to the production rules until only terminal symbols are left.

What is the role of BNF in compiler design?

In compiler design, BNF is used to describe the syntax of the source language. The compiler uses this description to parse the source code and generate an abstract syntax tree.

How would you handle recursion in BNF?

Recursion in BNF is handled by having a non-terminal symbol on the left side of a production rule that also appears on the right side of the rule. This allows for the definition of constructs that can be arbitrarily nested or repeated.

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At this point, a skilled Backus-Naur Form Meta language used in describing engineer should demonstrate strong problem-solving abilities, proficiency in Backus-Naur Form Meta language used in describing 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 Backus-Naur Form Meta language used in describing .

What does the following Backus-Naur Form Meta language code define?
 ::= A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z
The code defines a 'letter' in the BNF Meta language. A 'letter' can be any uppercase letter from A to Z.
What does the following Backus-Naur Form Meta language code do?
 ::= 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9
 ::=  |  
The code defines 'digit' and 'digits' in BNF Meta language. A 'digit' can be any number from 0 to 9. 'Digits' can be a single 'digit' or a 'digit' followed by 'digits', allowing for multiple digit numbers.
What will be the output of the following Backus-Naur Form Meta language code?
 ::= [] | [  ]
 ::=  |  , 
 ::=  | 
The code defines an 'array', 'elements', and 'element' in the BNF Meta language. An 'array' can be empty or contain 'elements'. 'Elements' can be a single 'element' or multiple 'elements' separated by a comma. An 'element' can be a 'letter' or an 'array', allowing for nested arrays.
What is the purpose of the following Backus-Naur Form Meta language code?
 ::=  |  
 ::=  |  
The code defines a 'thread' and 'process' in the BNF Meta language. A 'thread' can be a single 'process' or a 'process' followed by a 'thread', allowing for concurrent processes. A 'process' can be a single 'action' or an 'action' followed by a 'process', allowing for multiple actions within a process.

Wrap-up questions

Final candidate for Backus-Naur Form Meta language used in describing 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 Backus-Naur Form Meta language used in describing application deployments. Inquire about their experience in handling system failures and their approach to debugging and troubleshooting.

What is the difference between left recursion and right recursion in BNF?

Left recursion occurs when a non-terminal symbol in a production rule refers to itself at the beginning of the rule, while right recursion occurs when the non-terminal symbol refers to itself at the end of the rule.

How would you eliminate left recursion in a BNF grammar?

Left recursion can be eliminated by introducing a new non-terminal symbol and rewriting the recursive production rule to use right recursion instead.

What is the difference between a context-free grammar and a context-sensitive grammar in BNF?

A context-free grammar in BNF is a grammar where the left side of each production rule is a single non-terminal symbol, while in a context-sensitive grammar, the left side can be a sequence of symbols.

Backus-Naur Form Meta language used in describing application related

Product Perfect's Backus-Naur Form Meta language used in describing development capabilities

Beyond hiring for your Backus-Naur Form Meta language used in describing engineering team, you may be in the market for additional help. Product Perfect provides seasoned expertise in Backus-Naur Form Meta language used in describing projects, and can engage in multiple capacities.

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Hiring guide for Backus-Naur Form Meta language used in describing Engineers

Backus-Naur Form Meta language used in describing Developer Hiring Guide

What you’re looking for early on

The ideal back-end app developer

What you’re looking to see on the Backus-Naur Form Meta language used in describing engineer at this point.

Backus-Naur Form Meta language used in describing Consultive assessments

Custom Backus-Naur Form Meta language used in describing development projects