Hiring guide for Elixir Interoperability Engineers

Elixir Interoperability Developer Hiring Guide

Elixir is a functional programming language designed by José Valim. It was first released in 2012 and is based on Erlang, a language used in telecommunications. Elixir is designed to be interoperable with Erlang, and it can be used to build distributed applications. It is also a statically typed language, which means that errors can be caught at compile time. Sources: [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elixir_(programming_language) [2] https://elixir-lang.org/

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

First 20 minutes

General Elixir Interoperability app knowledge and experience

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

What is the role of Elixir in interoperability?
Elixir plays a crucial role in interoperability by allowing different software systems to communicate and exchange information. It provides a way to interact with other languages like Erlang, and it can also call Erlang functions directly.
How would you use Elixir to interact with an Erlang function?
You can call Erlang functions directly from Elixir by using the colon (:) operator. For example, to call the now function from the erlang module, you would write :erlang.now().
What are the benefits of Elixir's interoperability with Erlang?
The benefits include the ability to leverage Erlang's robust, scalable, and fault-tolerant features, and to use Erlang libraries and frameworks directly in Elixir.
Describe the difference between Elixir and Erlang in terms of syntax.
Elixir has a Ruby-like syntax which is more modern and user-friendly compared to Erlang's Prolog-like syntax. However, both languages are functional and share many similar concepts.
How would you handle interoperability issues in Elixir?
Interoperability issues can be handled by using Elixir's built-in interoperability features, such as the ability to call Erlang functions directly, or by using libraries and tools that provide additional interoperability support.
The hiring guide has been successfully sent to your email address.
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.

What you’re looking for early on

Has the candidate demonstrated a strong understanding of Elixir language?
Does the candidate have experience working with other languages and systems?
Can the candidate solve complex problems and think critically?
Has the candidate shown a clear understanding of interoperability concepts?

Next 20 minutes

Specific Elixir Interoperability 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 are the challenges of Elixir interoperability?
Challenges can include dealing with differences in data types and conventions between Elixir and other languages, handling errors and exceptions, and ensuring performance and efficiency.
How would you use Elixir to interact with a C library?
You can use Elixir's NIFs (Native Implemented Functions) to interact with C libraries. However, this should be done with caution as it can lead to issues with the Erlang VM.
Describe the difference between Elixir's NIFs and Ports for interoperability.
NIFs allow Elixir to call C functions directly, but can cause issues with the Erlang VM if not used carefully. Ports, on the other hand, are safer as they run in a separate OS process, but they can be slower and more complex to use.
How would you handle errors and exceptions when interacting with other languages in Elixir?
You can use Elixir's built-in error handling features, such as try, catch, and rescue, to handle errors and exceptions. Additionally, you can use libraries and tools that provide more advanced error handling capabilities.
What are the best practices for Elixir interoperability?
Best practices include using Elixir's built-in interoperability features where possible, handling errors and exceptions properly, and ensuring that interactions with other languages are efficient and performant.
The hiring guide has been successfully sent to your email address.
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.

The ideal back-end app developer

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

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

What does the following Elixir code do?
IO.puts 'Hello, World!'
This code prints the string 'Hello, World!' to the console.
What will be the output of the following Elixir code?
IO.inspect([1, 2, 3] |> Enum.reverse)
This code will output the reversed list [3, 2, 1]. It uses the pipe operator (|>) to pass the list [1, 2, 3] into the Enum.reverse function.
What does the following Elixir code do?
Enum.reduce([1, 2, 3], 0, &+/2)
This code sums the elements of the list [1, 2, 3]. It uses the Enum.reduce function with the initial accumulator value of 0 and a binary function that adds two numbers.
What does the following Elixir code do?
spawn(fn -> 2 + 2 end)
This code spawns a new process that executes the function given (which is adding 2 and 2). In Elixir, processes are lightweight and execute in their own isolated environment, not sharing any state with other processes.

Wrap-up questions

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

How would you ensure that Elixir interoperability is efficient and performant?
You can ensure efficiency and performance by using Elixir's built-in features and libraries that are optimized for performance, by writing efficient code, and by using tools and techniques for performance profiling and optimization.
Describe the difference between Elixir's interoperability with Erlang and with other languages.
Elixir has a very close relationship with Erlang and can call Erlang functions directly. Interoperability with other languages, on the other hand, may require additional tools and libraries, and may involve more complexity.
How would you use Elixir to interact with a Java library?
Interacting with a Java library from Elixir can be complex and may require using a tool like JInterface, which allows Erlang (and by extension, Elixir) to interact with Java.

Elixir Interoperability application related

Product Perfect's Elixir Interoperability development capabilities

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