Hiring guide for F-Script Engineers

F-Script Developer Hiring Guide

F-Script is a high-level, dynamic programming language specifically designed for the Apple Mac OS X operating system. Introduced by Philippe Mougin in 1997, it was inspired by Smalltalk and APL languages, focusing on array programming and interactive computing. F-Script's unique integration of object-oriented design with array programming distinguishes it from other scripting languages used in Mac development. Its syntax is simple yet powerful, enabling developers to explore and manipulate live objects graphically through an object browser interface. F-Script has significantly influenced the evolution of macOS software development (Mougin & Warth 2004).

Ask the right questions secure the right F-Script talent among an increasingly shrinking pool of talent.

First 20 minutes

General F-Script app knowledge and experience

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

How would you define F-Script?
F-Script is a lightweight, object-oriented scripting layer specifically designed for the Mac OS X object system (i.e., Cocoa). It provides interactive and scripting access to Cocoa frameworks and custom Objective-C objects.
What are the key features of F-Script?
F-Script includes features like object-oriented programming support, array programming, interactive console, graphical object browser, and a simple syntax.
Describe the difference between F-Script and Python.
While both are scripting languages, F-Script is specifically designed for Cocoa and Objective-C objects, whereas Python is a general-purpose language. F-Script also supports array programming, which Python does not natively support.
How would you use F-Script for array programming?
F-Script provides a simple and powerful model for array programming. You can create arrays using the '{...}' syntax and perform operations on them using standard operators. For example, '{1, 2, 3} + 1' would result in the array '{2, 3, 4}'.
What are the benefits of using F-Script?
F-Script provides a powerful and flexible way to interact with Cocoa and Objective-C objects. It allows for interactive exploration and manipulation of objects, and its array programming model can simplify complex operations.
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What you’re looking for early on

Does the candidate demonstrate a clear understanding of F-Script syntax and semantics?
Can they provide examples of projects where they used F-Script?
Have they showcased problem-solving skills during the interview?
Do they demonstrate an understanding of object-oriented programming principles?

Next 20 minutes

Specific F-Script 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 use F-Script's interactive console?
The F-Script interactive console allows you to execute F-Script code and see the results immediately. You can use it to explore and manipulate objects, test code, and debug issues.
Describe the difference between F-Script and JavaScript.
F-Script is designed specifically for Cocoa and Objective-C objects, while JavaScript is a general-purpose language used mainly for web development. F-Script also supports array programming, which JavaScript does not natively support.
How would you use F-Script to interact with Cocoa objects?
F-Script provides a simple and powerful way to interact with Cocoa objects. You can create and manipulate objects using F-Script's object-oriented syntax, and use the interactive console to explore objects and their methods.
What are the limitations of F-Script?
F-Script is designed specifically for Cocoa and Objective-C, so it's not suitable for general-purpose programming. It also lacks some features of more mature languages, like a comprehensive standard library.
How would you use F-Script's graphical object browser?
The graphical object browser allows you to visually explore and manipulate objects. You can navigate the object hierarchy, inspect object properties, and execute methods.
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The ideal back-end app developer

What you’re looking to see on the F-Script engineer at this point.

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

What does the following F-Script code do?
3 to:5
This code generates a sequence of integers from 3 to 5, inclusive.
What is the output of the following F-Script code?
'Hello, World!' print
This code prints the string 'Hello, World!' to the console.
What does the following F-Script code do?
myArray := #(1 2 3 4 5). myArray select: [:each | each odd]
This code creates an array of integers from 1 to 5, and then selects only the odd numbers from that array.
What does the following F-Script code do?
[:a :b | a + b] future value: 1 value: 2
This code creates a future that will eventually evaluate the block with the arguments 1 and 2. The block simply adds the two arguments together.

Wrap-up questions

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

Describe the difference between F-Script and Objective-C.
F-Script is a scripting language designed for interacting with Cocoa and Objective-C objects, while Objective-C is a compiled language used to build applications. F-Script provides a more interactive and exploratory programming experience.
How would you use F-Script for debugging?
F-Script's interactive console and graphical object browser can be used to inspect and manipulate objects at runtime, making it a powerful tool for debugging. You can also execute arbitrary F-Script code to test hypotheses or fix issues.
What are the challenges of using F-Script?
F-Script's focus on Cocoa and Objective-C means it's not suitable for all tasks. Its syntax and concepts, like array programming, can also be unfamiliar to developers used to other languages.

F-Script application related

Product Perfect's F-Script development capabilities

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