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HQ9+ is an esoteric programming language created by Cliff L. Biffle. It is a joke language, not designed for serious use, but rather as a humorous critique or parody of more conventional programming languages. The HQ9+ language has only four commands: H (print "Hello, World!"), Q (print the source code of the program), 9 (print the lyrics to "99 Bottles of Beer"), and + (increment an accumulator). Despite its simplicity and lack of practical functionality, it has been implemented in various other programming languages for fun or as a coding exercise.

Ask the right questions secure the right HQ9+ talent among an increasingly shrinking pool of talent.

First 20 minutes

General HQ9+ app knowledge and experience

The first 20 minutes of the interview should seek to understand the candidate's general background in HQ9+ application development, including their experience with various programming languages, databases, and their approach to designing scalable and maintainable systems.

How would you print 'Hello, World!' in HQ9+?

You would simply use the 'H' command. HQ9+ is designed to print 'Hello, World!' with this single command.

What are the four commands in HQ9+?

The four commands in HQ9+ are H, Q, 9, and +. H prints 'Hello, World!', Q prints the source code of the program, 9 prints the lyrics to '99 Bottles of Beer', and + increments the accumulator.

Describe the difference between the 'H' and 'Q' commands in HQ9+.

The 'H' command in HQ9+ prints 'Hello, World!', while the 'Q' command prints the source code of the program itself.

How would you increment the accumulator in HQ9+?

You would use the '+' command. This increments the accumulator by one, but there is no way to access or use the value of the accumulator in HQ9+.

What is the purpose of the '9' command in HQ9+?

The '9' command in HQ9+ prints the lyrics to '99 Bottles of Beer'. This is a common coding exercise, and HQ9+ accomplishes it with a single command.

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What you’re looking for early on

Does the candidate demonstrate a clear understanding of HQ9+?

Has the candidate shown the ability to write HQ9+ code?

Has the candidate been able to debug HQ9+ code?

Does the candidate show a good problem-solving ability?

Next 20 minutes

Specific HQ9+ 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 print the source code of the program in HQ9+?

You would use the 'Q' command. This prints the source code of the program itself.

What is the purpose of the accumulator in HQ9+?

The accumulator in HQ9+ is incremented by the '+' command. However, there is no way to access or use the value of the accumulator in HQ9+.

How would you print the lyrics to '99 Bottles of Beer' in HQ9+?

You would use the '9' command. This prints the lyrics to '99 Bottles of Beer', a common coding exercise, with a single command.

What happens if you use a command that is not H, Q, 9, or + in HQ9+?

If you use a command that is not H, Q, 9, or + in HQ9+, the command is simply ignored. HQ9+ only recognizes these four commands.

Describe the difference between the '9' and '+' commands in HQ9+.

The '9' command in HQ9+ prints the lyrics to '99 Bottles of Beer', while the '+' command increments the accumulator by one.

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At this point, a skilled HQ9+ engineer should demonstrate strong problem-solving abilities, proficiency in HQ9+ 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 HQ9+.

What does the following HQ9+ code do?
H
This code prints 'Hello, World!' to the console.
What will be the output of the following HQ9+ code?
Q
This code prints the source code of the program itself.
What does the following HQ9+ code do?
9
This code prints the lyrics of '99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall'.
What will be the output of the following HQ9+ code?
++
This code increments the accumulator, but since HQ9+ has no way to output or use the value of the accumulator, it effectively does nothing.

Wrap-up questions

Final candidate for HQ9+ 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 HQ9+ application deployments. Inquire about their experience in handling system failures and their approach to debugging and troubleshooting.

How would you create a program in HQ9+ that prints 'Hello, World!', the source code of the program, and the lyrics to '99 Bottles of Beer'?

You would use the commands 'HQ9'. This would print 'Hello, World!', the source code of the program, and the lyrics to '99 Bottles of Beer' in that order.

What is the purpose of the 'H' command in HQ9+?

The 'H' command in HQ9+ prints 'Hello, World!'. This is a common first program in many programming languages, and HQ9+ accomplishes it with a single command.

How would you create a program in HQ9+ that increments the accumulator and then prints 'Hello, World!'?

You would use the commands '+H'. This would increment the accumulator by one and then print 'Hello, World!'. However, note that there is no way to access or use the value of the accumulator in HQ9+.

HQ9+ application related

Product Perfect's HQ9+ development capabilities

Beyond hiring for your HQ9+ engineering team, you may be in the market for additional help. Product Perfect provides seasoned expertise in HQ9+ projects, and can engage in multiple capacities.

HQ9+ Consultive assessments

HQ9+ Application Conversion Assessment HQ9+ Application Integration Assessment HQ9+ Data & Database Integration Assessment

Custom HQ9+ development projects

Custom HQ9+ App Conversion HQ9+ Custom App Development Process App UI Design for HQ9+ Facelifts

Hiring guide for HQ9+ Engineers

HQ9+ Developer Hiring Guide

What you’re looking for early on

The ideal back-end app developer

What you’re looking to see on the HQ9+ engineer at this point.

HQ9+ Consultive assessments

Custom HQ9+ development projects