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MUMPS, also known as M, is a high-level, general-purpose programming language that was originally developed in the late 1960s for the healthcare industry. It's a key tool for managing and analyzing vast amounts of data, making it particularly useful in medical and scientific research settings. MUMPS stands for Massachusetts General Hospital Utility Multi-Programming System. Its key features include built-in database management, strong string handling, and the ability to handle multi-user environments. It has a unique hierarchical or multidimensional database system which allows for a flexible and efficient organization of data. MUMPS is standardized through an ANSI standard and has various implementations, both open source and commercial.

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

First 20 minutes

General MUMPS app knowledge and experience

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

How would you define the MUMPS language?

MUMPS, also known as M, is a high-level programming language that was originally developed for the healthcare industry. It is a database-oriented language that provides ACID (Atomicity, Consistency, Isolation, Durability) transactions.

What are the key features of MUMPS?

MUMPS has several key features including built-in database management, support for hierarchical databases, string and array processing, and the ability to handle a large number of concurrent users.

Describe the difference between global and local variables in MUMPS.

In MUMPS, global variables are stored in the database and are accessible from any routine, while local variables are only accessible within the routine where they are defined.

How would you create a new global variable in MUMPS?

To create a new global variable in MUMPS, you would use the SET command. For example, 'SET ^globalVar = "Hello, World!"' would create a new global variable named 'globalVar' with the value 'Hello, World!'.

What are the different data types supported by MUMPS?

MUMPS primarily supports string data types, but it can also handle numbers. It does not have explicit data types for dates, booleans, or other complex data types.

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What you’re looking for early on

Has the candidate demonstrated a strong understanding of MUMPS language and its syntax?

Has the candidate shown experience in developing and maintaining MUMPS applications?

Does the candidate display problem-solving skills and the ability to debug MUMPS code?

Did the candidate mention any experience with integration of MUMPS with other systems or languages?

Next 20 minutes

Specific MUMPS 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 perform error handling in MUMPS?

Error handling in MUMPS is typically done using the NEW and SET commands to create an error trap. The $ZTRAP special variable is used to specify the error routine.

Describe the difference between the $ORDER and $NEXT functions in MUMPS.

$ORDER is used to retrieve the next or previous subscript in an array, while $NEXT is used to retrieve the next subscript in a multi-dimensional array.

How would you implement a loop in MUMPS?

Loops in MUMPS can be implemented using the FOR command. For example, 'FOR i=1:1:10 WRITE i,!'.

What are the different types of locks in MUMPS and how would you use them?

MUMPS supports two types of locks: exclusive and shared. Exclusive locks prevent other processes from accessing a resource, while shared locks allow multiple processes to access a resource simultaneously. The LOCK command is used to implement locks.

How would you perform string manipulation in MUMPS?

String manipulation in MUMPS can be performed using various functions such as $EXTRACT, $PIECE, $LENGTH, and $FIND.

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

What does this simple MUMPS code do?
SET x=5
IF x=5
WRITE "Hello, World!"
This code sets the variable x to 5. It then checks if x is equal to 5. If it is, it writes 'Hello, World!' to the console.
What is the output of this MUMPS code?
SET x=10
SET y=20
SET z=x+y
WRITE z
The code sets two variables, x and y. It then adds the values of x and y and assigns the result to z. Finally, it writes the value of z to the console. The output will be 30.
What does this MUMPS code do with the array?
SET arr(1)=10
SET arr(2)=20
SET arr(3)=30
FOR I=1:1:3 WRITE arr(I),!
This code initializes an array with three elements and then prints each element of the array on a new line.
What does this MUMPS code do related to threading?
JOB ^MyRoutine:(:5,"MyRoutine.log")
This code initiates a new MUMPS job running the routine named 'MyRoutine'. The parameters specified allow for a 5-second delay before the job starts and specifies 'MyRoutine.log' as the log file.

Wrap-up questions

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

Describe the difference between the $DATA and $GET functions in MUMPS.

$DATA is used to check if a variable or array exists and if it has data, while $GET is used to retrieve the value of a variable or array, returning an empty string if it does not exist.

How would you implement recursion in MUMPS?

Recursion in MUMPS can be implemented by having a routine call itself. However, care must be taken to avoid infinite recursion.

What are the different types of routines in MUMPS and how would you use them?

MUMPS supports two types of routines: intrinsic and extrinsic. Intrinsic routines perform an action and do not return a value, while extrinsic routines return a value. They are used depending on whether a return value is needed.

MUMPS application related

Product Perfect's MUMPS development capabilities

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

MUMPS Consultive assessments

MUMPS Application Conversion Assessment MUMPS Application Integration Assessment MUMPS Data & Database Integration Assessment

Custom MUMPS development projects

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

Hiring guide for MUMPS Engineers

MUMPS Developer Hiring Guide

What you’re looking for early on

The ideal back-end app developer

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

MUMPS Consultive assessments

Custom MUMPS development projects