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Chicken Scheme is a programming language, specifically an implementation of the Scheme programming language. It was first introduced in 2000 by Felix Winkelmann, a German software developer. This high-level language is known for its ability to convert Scheme source code into C programs, which can then be compiled and executed as standalone applications. It also supports cross-platform compatibility and offers a rich set of libraries for developers. The Chicken Scheme community continues to maintain and develop the language, with its latest stable release available on its official website (call-cc.org).

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

First 20 minutes

General Chicken Scheme app knowledge and experience

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

How would you define Chicken Scheme?

Chicken Scheme is a compiler that translates Scheme, a variant of Lisp, into C code which can then be compiled into a standalone executable.

What are the basic data types in Chicken Scheme?

The basic data types in Chicken Scheme include integers, real numbers, characters, strings, symbols, lists, vectors, and procedures.

How would you define a variable in Chicken Scheme?

You can define a variable in Chicken Scheme using the 'define' keyword. For example, '(define x 10)' defines a variable x with the value 10.

How would you write a simple function in Chicken Scheme?

A simple function in Chicken Scheme can be written using the 'define' keyword. For example, '(define (square x) (* x x))' defines a function that squares a number.

What are the control structures available in Chicken Scheme?

Chicken Scheme provides several control structures including conditional statements like 'if', 'cond', and 'case', and looping constructs like 'do', 'for-each', and 'map'.

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What you’re looking for early on

Does the candidate possess a deep understanding of Chicken Scheme?

Can the candidate effectively debug and solve problems in Chicken Scheme?

How well does the candidate understand the principles of functional programming?

Does the candidate display good communication skills?

Next 20 minutes

Specific Chicken Scheme 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 handle errors in Chicken Scheme?

Errors in Chicken Scheme can be handled using the 'with-exception-handler' function which allows you to specify a procedure to be called when an exception is raised.

Describe the difference between 'let' and 'let*' in Chicken Scheme.

'let' and 'let*' are both used to bind variables in Chicken Scheme. The difference is that 'let' binds all variables simultaneously, while 'let*' binds them sequentially, allowing each binding to see the bindings made before it.

How would you implement recursion in Chicken Scheme?

Recursion in Chicken Scheme can be implemented by having a function call itself. For example, a recursive function to calculate factorial can be written as '(define (factorial n) (if (<= n 1) 1 (* n (factorial (- n 1)))))'.

What are the uses of macros in Chicken Scheme?

Macros in Chicken Scheme are used to define new syntactic constructs. They allow you to extend the language by defining new forms of expressions.

How would you create a list in Chicken Scheme?

A list in Chicken Scheme can be created using the 'list' function. For example, '(list 1 2 3)' creates a list with the elements 1, 2, and 3.

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

What does this simple Chicken Scheme code do?
(define (square x) (* x x))
This code defines a function named 'square' that takes one argument 'x'. The function returns the square of 'x'.
What will be the output of the following Chicken Scheme code?
(define (factorial n) (if (zero? n) 1 (* n (factorial (- n 1))))) (factorial 5)
This code defines a recursive function to calculate the factorial of a number. It then calls this function with the argument 5. The output will be 120, which is the factorial of 5.
What does the following Chicken Scheme code do?
(define (map f lst) (if (null? lst) '() (cons (f (car lst)) (map f (cdr lst)))))
This code defines a function 'map' that applies a function 'f' to each element of a list 'lst'. It returns a new list with the results.
What does the following Chicken Scheme code do?
(define (threaded-sum lst) (let ((s (make-semaphore 1)) (sum 0)) (for-each (lambda (x) (thread-start! (make-thread (lambda () (semaphore-wait s) (set! sum (+ sum x)) (semaphore-post s))))) lst) sum))
This code defines a function 'threaded-sum' that calculates the sum of a list of numbers in a multi-threaded way. It uses a semaphore to ensure that the sum operation is thread-safe.

Wrap-up questions

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

Describe the difference between 'eq?' and 'equal?' in Chicken Scheme.

'eq?' tests whether its arguments are the same object, while 'equal?' tests whether its arguments are structurally equivalent. For example, two different lists with the same elements are 'equal?' but not 'eq?'.

How would you implement a higher-order function in Chicken Scheme?

A higher-order function in Chicken Scheme is a function that takes other functions as arguments or returns a function as its result. For example, the 'map' function is a higher-order function that applies a given function to each element of a list.

What are continuations in Chicken Scheme and how would you use them?

Continuations in Chicken Scheme represent the future of a computation. They can be used to implement advanced control structures like non-local exits, backtracking, and coroutines. You can capture the current continuation with the 'call-with-current-continuation' or 'call/cc' function.

Chicken Scheme application related

Product Perfect's Chicken Scheme development capabilities

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

Chicken Scheme Consultive assessments

Chicken Scheme Application Conversion Assessment Chicken Scheme Application Integration Assessment Chicken Scheme Data & Database Integration Assessment

Custom Chicken Scheme development projects

Custom Chicken Scheme App Conversion Chicken Scheme Custom App Development Process App UI Design for Chicken Scheme Facelifts

Hiring guide for Chicken Scheme Engineers

Chicken Scheme Developer Hiring Guide

What you’re looking for early on

The ideal back-end app developer

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

Chicken Scheme Consultive assessments

Custom Chicken Scheme development projects