Hiring guide for Caché ObjectScript Engineers

Caché ObjectScript Developer Hiring Guide

Caché ObjectScript is a proprietary, object-oriented programming language developed by InterSystems. It is used to interact with the Caché database and build applications on the Caché platform. ObjectScript is a highly dynamic language that supports procedural and object-oriented programming, and it is designed to be easy to use for rapid application development. It provides powerful data access capabilities and offers built-in support for SQL and multidimensional storage. It is primarily used in healthcare applications due to its ability to handle large amounts of data efficiently.

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

First 20 minutes

General Caché ObjectScript app knowledge and experience

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

How would you define Caché ObjectScript?
Caché ObjectScript is a powerful, dynamic scripting language used to interact with the Caché database. It supports procedural and object-oriented programming paradigms.
What are some of the main features of Caché ObjectScript?
Some of the main features include: native support for SQL, seamless integration with the Caché database, support for multi-dimensional arrays, and the ability to write web applications.
Describe the difference between Caché ObjectScript and traditional SQL.
While traditional SQL is primarily used for data manipulation in a relational database, Caché ObjectScript is designed to interact with the Caché database and supports both procedural and object-oriented programming. It also provides native SQL support.
How would you create a new class in Caché ObjectScript?
To create a new class, you would use the Class keyword followed by the name of the class. Inside the class, you can define properties and methods.
What are Caché Objects?
Caché Objects are instances of Caché classes. They are used to encapsulate data and the methods that operate on that data.
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What you’re looking for early on

Does the candidate possess a deep understanding of Caché ObjectScript and related technologies?
How well does the candidate understand object-oriented programming concepts?
Does the candidate have experience working with databases, especially InterSystems Caché database?
Is the candidate able to communicate effectively and work well in a team?

Next 20 minutes

Specific Caché ObjectScript 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 global and local variables in Caché ObjectScript.
Global variables are stored in the database and persist across different sessions, while local variables are only available within the current session.
How would you handle errors in Caché ObjectScript?
Caché ObjectScript provides a Try-Catch-Finally construct for error handling. You can also handle errors using the status codes returned by methods.
What is the purpose of the %Status system class in Caché ObjectScript?
The %Status system class is used to represent the outcome of an operation. It can be used to check if an operation was successful or if it failed.
How would you use the %SQL.Statement class in Caché ObjectScript?
The %SQL.Statement class can be used to execute SQL queries. You can create an instance of the class, prepare a SQL query, and then execute it.
What are the different types of collections in Caché ObjectScript?
Caché ObjectScript supports several types of collections, including lists, arrays, and sets.
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The ideal back-end app developer

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

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

What does the following Caché ObjectScript code do?
SET x = 5
SET y = 10
WRITE x + y
This code declares two variables, x and y, and assigns them the values 5 and 10 respectively. It then writes the sum of x and y to the standard output.
What will be the output of the following Caché ObjectScript code?
SET str = "Hello, World!"
WRITE $LENGTH(str)
This code will output the length of the string 'Hello, World!', which is 13.
What does the following Caché ObjectScript code do?
SET arr = $LISTBUILD(1, 2, 3, 4, 5)
WRITE $LIST(arr, 3)
This code creates a list with five elements and then writes the third element of the list to the standard output.
What does the following Caché ObjectScript code do?
JOB ^MyRoutine
WRITE "Job started."
This code starts a new job that runs the routine named 'MyRoutine' in the background. It then writes the message 'Job started.' to the standard output.

Wrap-up questions

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

Describe the difference between persistent and serial classes in Caché ObjectScript.
Persistent classes are stored in the database and can be accessed directly using SQL. Serial classes are used to represent complex structures within a single database field.
How would you implement inheritance in Caché ObjectScript?
Inheritance can be implemented by defining a class that extends another class using the Extends keyword.
What is the purpose of the %Library package in Caché ObjectScript?
The %Library package contains a set of standard classes that are used in Caché ObjectScript. These classes provide basic functionality like string manipulation, date and time handling, and mathematical operations.

Caché ObjectScript application related

Product Perfect's Caché ObjectScript development capabilities

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