Product Perfect

Curl is a reflective object-oriented programming language developed in the late 1980s at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). It was designed for interactive web content and applications, combining text markup, scripting, and heavy-duty computing in one unified framework. The Curl language was pioneering in its ability to handle complex web applications with high performance. Over time, it has been maintained by Curl Corporation, which was acquired by SCSK Corporation in 2009. Despite its innovative features, it has not achieved widespread adoption compared to other web technologies like HTML or JavaScript.

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

First 20 minutes

General Curl app knowledge and experience

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

How would you use Curl to send a GET request?

You can use the following command to send a GET request with Curl: 'curl https://api.example.com'. This will retrieve the content from the specified URL.

What is the purpose of the -d option in Curl?

The -d or --data option in Curl sends the specified data in a POST request to the server.

How would you use Curl to send a POST request with JSON data?

You can use the following command: 'curl -X POST -H 'Content-Type: application/json' -d '{"key":"value"}' https://api.example.com'. This sends a POST request with JSON data to the specified URL.

What does the -H option do in Curl?

The -H or --header option in Curl allows you to pass extra headers to the server when sending a request.

How would you use Curl to download a file?

You can use the -O or --remote-name option to download a file with Curl. For example: 'curl -O https://example.com/file.txt'.

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What you’re looking for early on

Has the candidate demonstrated a comprehensive understanding of Curl programming?

Is the candidate able to think logically and solve problems?

Does the candidate show a willingness to learn and adapt to new technologies?

Have they worked on any projects using Curl in the past?

Next 20 minutes

Specific Curl 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 is the difference between the -I and -i options in Curl?

The -I or --head option fetches the HTTP headers from a server, while the -i or --include option includes the HTTP headers in the output.

How would you use Curl to send a request to a server that uses HTTP Basic Auth?

You can use the -u or --user option to send a request to a server that uses HTTP Basic Auth. For example: 'curl -u username:password https://api.example.com'.

What is the purpose of the -k or --insecure option in Curl?

The -k or --insecure option allows Curl to proceed and operate even for server connections otherwise considered insecure. It allows connections to SSL sites without certificates.

How would you use Curl to follow a redirect?

You can use the -L or --location option to follow redirects. For example: 'curl -L https://example.com'.

What does the -v or --verbose option do in Curl?

The -v or --verbose option makes the operation more talkative. It outputs additional information for debugging purposes.

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

What does the following Curl command do?
curl -X GET https://api.example.com/users
This command sends a GET request to the 'https://api.example.com/users' URL. It retrieves the list of users from the specified endpoint.
What does the following Curl command do?
curl -X POST -H 'Content-type: application/json' -d '{"username":"test","password":"test"}' https://api.example.com/login
This command sends a POST request to the 'https://api.example.com/login' URL with a JSON body containing a username and password. It is used to log in to the specified endpoint.
What does the following Curl command do?
curl -X DELETE https://api.example.com/users/123
This command sends a DELETE request to the 'https://api.example.com/users/123' URL. It is used to delete the user with the ID 123 from the specified endpoint.
What does the following Curl command do?
curl -X PUT -H 'Content-type: application/json' -d '{"username":"newuser"}' https://api.example.com/users/123
This command sends a PUT request to the 'https://api.example.com/users/123' URL with a JSON body containing a new username. It is used to update the username of the user with the ID 123 at the specified endpoint.

Wrap-up questions

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

How would you use Curl to send a PUT request?

You can use the -X or --request option followed by PUT to send a PUT request. For example: 'curl -X PUT -d 'data' https://api.example.com'.

Describe the difference between the --cookie and --cookie-jar options in Curl.

The --cookie option sends cookies to the server, while the --cookie-jar option saves cookies after a request.

How would you use Curl to send a DELETE request?

You can use the -X or --request option followed by DELETE to send a DELETE request. For example: 'curl -X DELETE https://api.example.com/resource'.

Curl application related

Product Perfect's Curl development capabilities

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

Curl Consultive assessments

Curl Application Conversion Assessment Curl Application Integration Assessment Curl Data & Database Integration Assessment

Custom Curl development projects

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

Hiring guide for Curl Engineers

Curl Developer Hiring Guide

What you’re looking for early on

The ideal back-end app developer

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

Curl Consultive assessments

Custom Curl development projects