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ELisp++, also known as Emacs Lisp++, is a high-level, dynamic programming language that has been designed with the intention of augmenting and extending the capabilities of the GNU Emacs text editor. Its origins can be traced back to the early 1980s, where it evolved from the original Lisp programming language. Over time, ELisp++ has become an integral part of the GNU Emacs environment and serves as its primary extension language. The structure and organization of ELisp++ are well-defined and systematic, allowing for a logical flow of information. This feature encourages efficient coding practices, making it easier for programmers to understand, modify, and debug their code. It is dynamically typed which offers flexibility in terms of variable usage while still maintaining robust error checking capabilities. ELisp++ provides a comprehensive set of built-in functions that facilitate text editing tasks such as searching or replacing text, moving cursors around documents, manipulating b

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

First 20 minutes

General ELisp++ app knowledge and experience

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

How would you define a function in ELisp++?

In ELisp++, a function is defined using the 'defun' keyword followed by the function name, arguments, and body. For example: '(defun my-function (arg1 arg2) (do-something arg1 arg2))'.

What are the basic data types in ELisp++?

The basic data types in ELisp++ are integer, floating point, character, string, symbol, list, vector, hash-table, and function.

Describe the difference between 'let' and 'setq' in ELisp++.

'let' is used to create local variables, while 'setq' is used to set the value of an existing variable. 'let' variables only exist within the scope of the 'let' block, while 'setq' variables are global.

How would you implement recursion in ELisp++?

Recursion in ELisp++ is implemented by having a function call itself. For example, a function to calculate factorial could be written as: '(defun factorial (n) (if (<= n 1) 1 (* n (factorial (- n 1)))))'.

What are the uses of 'car' and 'cdr' functions in ELisp++?

'car' and 'cdr' are used to access the elements of a list. 'car' returns the first element of the list, while 'cdr' returns the rest of the list.

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What you’re looking for early on

Does the candidate have a strong understanding of ELisp++?

Has the candidate demonstrated problem-solving skills?

Is there evidence of the candidate's ability to work in a team?

Has the candidate shown an ability to learn new technologies quickly?

Next 20 minutes

Specific ELisp++ 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 'eq', 'eql', 'equal', and 'equalp' in ELisp++.

These are all comparison functions. 'eq' tests if two symbols or pointers are the same. 'eql' tests if two objects are the same and also compares numbers of the same type. 'equal' compares the contents of lists, strings, and vectors. 'equalp' is like 'equal', but it also considers equivalent numbers and characters to be equal.

How would you handle errors in ELisp++?

Errors in ELisp++ can be handled using the 'condition-case' construct, which allows you to catch and handle exceptions. For example: '(condition-case err (do-something) (error (handle-error err)))'.

What are macros in ELisp++ and how would you define one?

Macros in ELisp++ are functions that return a piece of code which is then evaluated. They are defined using the 'defmacro' keyword. For example: '(defmacro my-macro (arg) `(do-something ,arg))'.

Describe the difference between a buffer and a string in ELisp++.

A buffer in ELisp++ is a region of memory used for temporary storage during program execution, while a string is a sequence of characters. Buffers are mutable and can be modified, while strings are immutable.

How would you perform file I/O operations in ELisp++?

File I/O operations in ELisp++ can be performed using functions like 'find-file', 'save-buffer', 'insert-file-contents', and 'write-region'. For example, to read a file into a buffer, you could use '(find-file "myfile.txt")'.

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

What does the following ELisp++ code do?
(setq x '(1 2 3))
(setq y (cdr x))
The code first creates a list (1 2 3) and assigns it to the variable 'x'. Then, it assigns the tail of the list 'x' to the variable 'y'. So, 'y' will be the list (2 3).
What will be the output of the following ELisp++ code?
(setq x 10)
(setq y 20)
(setq z (+ x y))
The code first assigns the values 10 and 20 to the variables 'x' and 'y' respectively. Then, it adds 'x' and 'y' and assigns the result to the variable 'z'. So, the output will be 30.
What does the following ELisp++ code do?
(setq my-list '(1 2 3 4 5))
(setq new-list (reverse my-list))
The code first creates a list (1 2 3 4 5) and assigns it to the variable 'my-list'. Then, it reverses 'my-list' and assigns the result to the variable 'new-list'. So, 'new-list' will be the list (5 4 3 2 1).
What will be the output of the following ELisp++ code?
(setq x 10)
(setq y 20)
(setq z (max x y))
The code first assigns the values 10 and 20 to the variables 'x' and 'y' respectively. Then, it finds the maximum of 'x' and 'y' and assigns the result to the variable 'z'. So, the output will be 20.

Wrap-up questions

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

What are the different types of loops in ELisp++?

The different types of loops in ELisp++ are the 'while' loop, 'dolist' for iterating over lists, 'dotimes' for iterating a certain number of times, and 'mapcar' for applying a function to each element of a list.

Describe the difference between dynamic and lexical scoping in ELisp++.

Dynamic scoping in ELisp++ means that variables are bound to their values in the environment where they are called, not where they are defined. Lexical scoping, on the other hand, means that variables are bound to their values in the environment where they are defined.

How would you implement multi-threading in ELisp++?

Multi-threading in ELisp++ can be implemented using the 'make-thread' function to create a new thread and the 'thread-yield' function to yield execution to another thread. However, due to the Global Interpreter Lock, only one thread can execute ELisp++ code at a time.

ELisp++ application related

Product Perfect's ELisp++ development capabilities

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

ELisp++ Consultive assessments

ELisp++ Application Conversion Assessment ELisp++ Application Integration Assessment ELisp++ Data & Database Integration Assessment

Custom ELisp++ development projects

Custom ELisp++ App Conversion ELisp++ Custom App Development Process App UI Design for ELisp++ Facelifts

Hiring guide for ELisp++ Engineers

ELisp++ Developer Hiring Guide

What you’re looking for early on

The ideal back-end app developer

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

ELisp++ Consultive assessments

Custom ELisp++ development projects