Product Perfect

Elixir IEx is a functional, dynamic programming language designed for building scalable and maintainable applications. It was developed by José Valim in 2011 with the aim to enable higher extensibility and productivity in the Erlang VM while maintaining compatibility with Erlang's ecosystem. The IEx component refers to Elixir's interactive shell, which provides tools for debugging and development. Leveraging the robustness of Erlang, Elixir has been widely adopted in industries requiring high-availability systems such as telecoms and finance. Its syntax is inspired by Ruby, making it accessible for developers from different backgrounds.

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

First 20 minutes

General Elixir IEx app knowledge and experience

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

What is the primary use of IEx in Elixir?

IEx is primarily used as an interactive shell for Elixir, allowing developers to write Elixir expressions and get their results instantly.

How would you start an IEx session?

You can start an IEx session by simply typing 'iex' in your terminal.

What are some common IEx helpers?

Common IEx helpers include 'h' for help, 'c' for compile, 'r' for recompile, 'v' for retrieving the value of an expression, among others.

How would you use the 'h' helper in IEx?

You can use the 'h' helper by typing 'h' followed by the name of the function or module you need help with. For example, 'h Enum' would give you help on the Enum module.

What is the purpose of the '.iex.exs' file?

The '.iex.exs' file is used to configure the IEx environment. It is executed whenever an IEx session starts.

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What you’re looking for early on

Does the candidate have a solid understanding of Elixir IEx?

Can the candidate solve problems using Elixir IEx?

Does the candidate have experience with testing in Elixir?

How well does the candidate understand concurrent and distributed computing?

Next 20 minutes

Specific Elixir IEx 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 'i' and 'h' in IEx.

'i' provides information about the data type and structure of a given value, while 'h' provides help and documentation for a given function or module.

How would you define a module in IEx?

You can define a module in IEx using the 'defmodule' keyword, followed by the name of the module and do/end block containing the module's definitions.

What are some ways to improve your workflow in IEx?

Some ways to improve your workflow in IEx include using the '.iex.exs' file for customization, using the 'h' helper for quick access to documentation, and using the 'v' helper to retrieve previous expressions.

How would you handle errors in IEx?

You can handle errors in IEx by using the 'r' helper to recompile a module after fixing an error, and using the 's' helper to start a new IEx session without losing your current environment.

What is the purpose of the 'v' helper in IEx?

'v' is used to retrieve the value of a previous expression. For example, 'v(-1)' would give you the value of the last expression.

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

What does this simple Elixir code do?
IO.puts "Hello, World!"
This code prints the string 'Hello, World!' to the console.
What will be the output of this Elixir code?
IO.inspect(Enum.map([1, 2, 3, 4], fn x -> x * 2 end))
This code will output the list [2, 4, 6, 8]. It uses the Enum.map function to iterate over the list [1, 2, 3, 4] and multiply each element by 2.
What does this Elixir code do?
IO.inspect(Enum.filter([1, 2, 3, 4, 5], fn x -> rem(x, 2) == 0 end))
This code will output the list [2, 4]. It uses the Enum.filter function to iterate over the list [1, 2, 3, 4, 5] and select only the elements that are even.
What does this Elixir code do?
spawn(fn -> 1 + 2 end)
This code spawns a new process that executes the function, which adds 1 and 2. However, the result of the function is not captured or used.

Wrap-up questions

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

Describe the difference between 'c' and 'r' in IEx.

'c' is used to compile a file, while 'r' is used to recompile a module. The 'r' helper is useful when you've made changes to a module and want to reload it in the IEx environment.

How would you use the 's' helper in IEx?

The 's' helper is used to start a new IEx session without losing your current environment. You can use it by typing 's' in the IEx prompt.

What are some advanced features of IEx?

Some advanced features of IEx include the ability to customize the IEx environment, the ability to handle errors and recompile modules, and the ability to start new IEx sessions without losing your current environment.

Elixir IEx application related

Product Perfect's Elixir IEx development capabilities

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

Elixir IEx Consultive assessments

Elixir IEx Application Conversion Assessment Elixir IEx Application Integration Assessment Elixir IEx Data & Database Integration Assessment

Custom Elixir IEx development projects

Custom Elixir IEx App Conversion Elixir IEx Custom App Development Process App UI Design for Elixir IEx Facelifts

Hiring guide for Elixir IEx Engineers

Elixir IEx Developer Hiring Guide

What you’re looking for early on

The ideal back-end app developer

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

Elixir IEx Consultive assessments

Custom Elixir IEx development projects