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ISWIM (Initial System for Interactive Mathematical Applications) is a computer programming language designed in 1967 by Christopher Strachey. It was one of the first interactive programming languages, and was used to develop a number of early computer algebra systems. Sources: * [ISWIM on Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISWIM) * [ISWIM on the Computer History Museum website](https://www.computerhistory.org/software/iswim/)

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

First 20 minutes

General ISWIM app knowledge and experience

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

How would you explain the concept of ISWIM?

ISWIM, or 'If you See What I Mean', is a computer programming language that was designed to be easy to learn and use. It's a high-level language that uses a simple syntax and a strong type system to help prevent errors. It's also designed to be easy to compile and execute, making it a good choice for beginners and experienced programmers alike.

What are the key features of ISWIM?

ISWIM has several key features, including a simple syntax, a strong type system, and a high level of abstraction. It also supports functional programming, which allows for more concise and readable code. Additionally, ISWIM has a garbage collector, which automatically frees up memory that is no longer in use.

Describe the difference between ISWIM and other programming languages.

ISWIM differs from other programming languages in several ways. Firstly, it's a high-level language, which means it's more abstract and easier to read and write than low-level languages. Secondly, it has a strong type system, which helps prevent errors. Lastly, it supports functional programming, which is a programming paradigm that treats computation as the evaluation of mathematical functions and avoids changing-state and mutable data.

How would you handle errors in ISWIM?

ISWIM has a strong type system that helps prevent many common errors. However, if an error does occur, it's important to understand the error message and use it to debug the code. Additionally, it's a good practice to write tests for your code to ensure it behaves as expected.

What are the advantages of using ISWIM over other programming languages?

ISWIM has several advantages over other programming languages. Its simple syntax and strong type system make it easy to learn and use, and its support for functional programming allows for concise and readable code. Additionally, its garbage collector automatically frees up memory that is no longer in use, which can help improve performance.

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What you’re looking for early on

Does the candidate have a strong understanding of ISWIM language?

Is the candidate able to solve problems efficiently and effectively?

Does the candidate have a good grasp of data structures and algorithms?

Has the candidate demonstrated good communication skills?

Next 20 minutes

Specific ISWIM 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 optimize a piece of code in ISWIM?

Optimizing code in ISWIM involves several steps. Firstly, it's important to understand the code and identify any potential bottlenecks. Then, you can use various techniques to optimize the code, such as reducing the number of function calls, using more efficient data structures, or parallelizing the code if possible.

Describe the difference between functional and procedural programming in ISWIM.

Functional programming in ISWIM treats computation as the evaluation of mathematical functions and avoids changing-state and mutable data. On the other hand, procedural programming is a programming paradigm based on the concept of the procedure call. Procedures, also known as routines, subroutines, or functions, simply contain a series of computational steps to be carried out.

What are the limitations of ISWIM?

While ISWIM has many advantages, it also has some limitations. For example, it's not as widely used as some other languages, so there may be fewer resources and tools available. Additionally, because it's a high-level language, it may not be as efficient as low-level languages for certain tasks.

How would you implement a complex algorithm in ISWIM?

Implementing a complex algorithm in ISWIM involves breaking down the problem into smaller, manageable parts, and then writing functions to solve each part. It's important to write clear, readable code and to use the strong type system to prevent errors. Additionally, it's a good practice to write tests for your code to ensure it behaves as expected.

Describe the difference between strong and weak typing in ISWIM.

In ISWIM, strong typing means that the type of a variable is checked at compile time, and any type errors are caught before the program is run. This can help prevent many common errors. On the other hand, weak typing would mean that type checking is done at runtime, and it's possible for a variable to hold values of different types at different times.

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

What does the following code do?
{
  "name": "John",
  "age": 30,
  "city": "New York"
}
This code defines a JSON object with three properties: name, age, and city. The values of these properties are "John", 30, and "New York" respectively.
What will be the output of the following code?
{
  "employees":[
    {"firstName":"John", "lastName":"Doe"},
    {"firstName":"Anna", "lastName":"Smith"},
    {"firstName":"Peter", "lastName":"Jones"}
  ]
}
The code creates a JSON object that contains an array named 'employees'. The array has three elements, each of which is a JSON object with two properties: firstName and lastName.
What does the following code do?
{
  "books": [
    {"title": "Harry Potter", "author": "J.K. Rowling"},
    {"title": "Lord of the Rings", "author": "J.R.R. Tolkien"}
  ]
}
This code creates a JSON object that contains an array named 'books'. Each element in the 'books' array is a JSON object with two properties: title and author.
What will be the output of the following code?
{
  "person": {
    "name": "John",
    "age": 30,
    "city": "New York",
    "cars": [
      "Ford",
      "BMW",
      "Fiat"
    ]
  }
}
The code creates a JSON object named 'person' with four properties: name, age, city, and cars. The 'cars' property is an array containing three elements: "Ford", "BMW", and "Fiat".

Wrap-up questions

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

What are the best practices for testing code in ISWIM?

Testing code in ISWIM involves writing tests for each function to ensure it behaves as expected. It's important to test both normal and edge cases. Additionally, it's a good practice to use a test framework, which can automate the testing process and provide useful feedback.

How would you debug a complex piece of code in ISWIM?

Debugging a complex piece of code in ISWIM involves understanding the code, identifying the problem, and then using various techniques to solve it. This could include using a debugger, adding print statements to the code, or writing tests to isolate the problem.

Describe the difference between garbage collection in ISWIM and manual memory management.

Garbage collection in ISWIM automatically frees up memory that is no longer in use, which can help improve performance and prevent memory leaks. On the other hand, manual memory management requires the programmer to explicitly free up memory when it's no longer needed, which can be more complex and error-prone.

ISWIM application related

Product Perfect's ISWIM development capabilities

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

ISWIM Consultive assessments

ISWIM Application Conversion Assessment ISWIM Application Integration Assessment ISWIM Data & Database Integration Assessment

Custom ISWIM development projects

Custom ISWIM App Conversion ISWIM Custom App Development Process App UI Design for ISWIM Facelifts

Hiring guide for ISWIM Engineers

ISWIM Developer Hiring Guide

What you’re looking for early on

The ideal back-end app developer

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

ISWIM Consultive assessments

Custom ISWIM development projects