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KornShell, often abbreviated as KSH, is a high-level programming language primarily used as a command-line interface for UNIX-based systems. Developed by David Korn at Bell Labs in the early 1980s, it is a shell scripting language that combines elements of other shells including the Bourne shell (sh) and the C shell (csh). It offers features such as command history, command line editing, arrays and string manipulation capabilities. Additionally, it supports functions and offers advanced scripting features like associative arrays. Being an open-source software, it can be installed on any system free of charge.

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

First 20 minutes

General KornShell app knowledge and experience

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

How would you declare a variable in KornShell?

You can declare a variable in KornShell by simply assigning a value to a name. For example, 'VARNAME="value"'.

What are the different types of variables in KornShell?

In KornShell, there are two types of variables: environment variables and shell variables. Environment variables are available to all processes, while shell variables are only available to the current shell.

How would you make a variable global in KornShell?

You can make a variable global in KornShell by using the 'export' command. For example, 'export VARNAME'.

What is the purpose of the 'set' command in KornShell?

The 'set' command in KornShell is used to set or unset values of shell options and positional parameters.

How would you handle errors in KornShell?

In KornShell, you can handle errors using the 'trap' command. This command allows you to catch signals and execute a command or function when the signal is received.

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What you’re looking for early on

Does the candidate have a strong understanding of KornShell syntax and command structures?

Has the candidate showcased problem-solving abilities during the interview?

Can the candidate demonstrate experience with Unix/Linux operating systems?

Has the candidate shown the ability to write efficient and clean KornShell scripts?

Next 20 minutes

Specific KornShell 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 a function and a script in KornShell.

In KornShell, a script is a file that contains a sequence of commands, while a function is a named sequence of commands. Functions are defined within a script or shell session and can be called by name, while scripts are executed by calling their filename.

How would you pass arguments to a function in KornShell?

In KornShell, you can pass arguments to a function in the same way you pass arguments to a script. You simply list the arguments after the function name when you call it. Inside the function, you can access the arguments using the positional parameters '$1', '$2', etc.

What are the different types of loops in KornShell and how do they work?

In KornShell, there are three types of loops: 'for', 'while', and 'until'. The 'for' loop iterates over a list of items. The 'while' loop continues as long as a certain condition is true. The 'until' loop continues as long as a certain condition is false.

How would you read input from a user in KornShell?

In KornShell, you can read input from a user using the 'read' command. For example, 'read VARNAME' will prompt the user for input and store the input in VARNAME.

Describe the difference between '==' and 'eq' in KornShell.

'==' is a string comparison operator, while 'eq' is a numerical comparison operator. So, '==' checks if two strings are identical, while 'eq' checks if two numbers are equal.

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

What does this basic KornShell script do?
#!/bin/ksh

print "Hello, World!"
This script prints the string 'Hello, World!' to the console.
What does the following KornShell script do?
#!/bin/ksh

for i in {1..10}
do
   print $i
done
This script prints the numbers 1 through 10 to the console, each on a new line.
What will be the output of this KornShell script?
#!/bin/ksh

set -A arr a b c d e
for i in ${arr[@]}
do
   print $i
done
This script prints each element of the array 'arr' to the console, each on a new line. The array 'arr' contains the elements 'a', 'b', 'c', 'd', 'e'.
What does this KornShell script do?
#!/bin/ksh

function process {
   sleep 5
   print "Process completed"
}

process &
print "Continuing execution"
This script defines a function 'process' which sleeps for 5 seconds and then prints 'Process completed'. The function is then called in the background, allowing the script to immediately continue execution and print 'Continuing execution'.

Wrap-up questions

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

How would you handle command-line arguments in a KornShell script?

In a KornShell script, command-line arguments can be accessed using the positional parameters '$1', '$2', etc. The variable '$#' holds the number of arguments, and '$@' or '$*' holds all arguments.

What is the purpose of the 'eval' command in KornShell?

The 'eval' command in KornShell is used to construct commands. It concatenates its arguments into a single string, interprets that string as a command, and executes it.

How would you debug a KornShell script?

You can debug a KornShell script by using the '-x' option when running the script. This will print each command to the standard error before it is executed. You can also use the 'set -x' and 'set +x' commands within the script to turn debugging on and off.

KornShell application related

Product Perfect's KornShell development capabilities

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

KornShell Consultive assessments

KornShell Application Conversion Assessment KornShell Application Integration Assessment KornShell Data & Database Integration Assessment

Custom KornShell development projects

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

Hiring guide for KornShell Engineers

KornShell Developer Hiring Guide

What you’re looking for early on

The ideal back-end app developer

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

KornShell Consultive assessments

Custom KornShell development projects