Hiring guide for Objective-Smalltalk Engineers

Objective-Smalltalk Developer Hiring Guide

Objective-Smalltalk is a computer programming language that extends the syntax and semantics of Smalltalk-80 with the meta-object protocol of Objective-C. It was developed by Marcel Weiher, a renowned software engineer, who aimed to create a more dynamic and flexible language. The language is known for its unique approach to object-oriented programming, emphasizing message passing over method invocation. Objective-Smalltalk has been used in various applications, including the development of software for Apple's macOS and iOS platforms. The language's development and features are documented in numerous academic papers and technical reports, providing a rich resource for programmers and researchers alike.

Ask the right questions secure the right Objective-Smalltalk talent among an increasingly shrinking pool of talent.

First 20 minutes

General Objective-Smalltalk app knowledge and experience

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

What are the key features of Objective-Smalltalk?
Some key features of Objective-Smalltalk include: dynamic typing, message passing, late binding, and the ability to add methods to existing classes.
How would you declare a variable in Objective-Smalltalk?
In Objective-Smalltalk, you declare a variable using the 'var' keyword, followed by the variable name. For example: var myVariable.
Describe the difference between static typing and dynamic typing in Objective-Smalltalk.
Static typing means the type of a variable is known at compile time. In contrast, dynamic typing in Objective-Smalltalk means the type is known at runtime, allowing more flexibility.
What are the benefits of message passing in Objective-Smalltalk?
Message passing in Objective-Smalltalk allows for high-level abstractions and polymorphism. It also enables loose coupling between objects, making the code more modular and easier to maintain.
How would you handle exceptions in Objective-Smalltalk?
In Objective-Smalltalk, you can handle exceptions using the 'try' and 'catch' keywords. The 'try' block contains the code that might throw an exception, and the 'catch' block contains the code to handle the exception.
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What you’re looking for early on

Has the candidate demonstrated a strong understanding of Objective-Smalltalk?
Does the candidate have experience with software development methodologies?
Has the candidate provided examples of past projects where they've used Objective-Smalltalk?
Is the candidate able to solve problems and debug in Objective-Smalltalk?

Next 20 minutes

Specific Objective-Smalltalk 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.

What are the principles of late binding in Objective-Smalltalk?
Late binding in Objective-Smalltalk means that the method to be invoked in response to a message is determined at runtime, not at compile time. This allows for greater flexibility and dynamism in the code.
How would you implement inheritance in Objective-Smalltalk?
Inheritance in Objective-Smalltalk is implemented by defining a new class that inherits from an existing class. This is done using the ':' operator. For example, 'ClassB : ClassA' means ClassB inherits from ClassA.
Describe the difference between a class method and an instance method in Objective-Smalltalk.
A class method in Objective-Smalltalk is a method that's associated with the class itself, not instances of the class. An instance method, on the other hand, is associated with instances of the class.
What are the advantages of adding methods to existing classes in Objective-Smalltalk?
Adding methods to existing classes in Objective-Smalltalk allows for greater flexibility and code reuse. It also enables the modification of classes without altering their source code, which can be useful in many scenarios.
How would you implement polymorphism in Objective-Smalltalk?
Polymorphism in Objective-Smalltalk is implemented through message passing. Different classes can respond to the same message in different ways, allowing for a single interface to be used with different types of objects.
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The ideal back-end app developer

What you’re looking to see on the Objective-Smalltalk engineer at this point.

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

What does the following Objective-Smalltalk code do?
NSString *name = @'John Doe';
NSLog(@'Hello, %@', name);
This code declares a string variable named 'name' and assigns it the value 'John Doe'. It then uses NSLog to print out 'Hello, John Doe' to the console.
What will be the output of the following Objective-Smalltalk code?
NSArray *array = @[@1, @2, @3, @4, @5];
NSLog(@'Count: %lu', [array count]);
This code declares an array with 5 integers and then logs the count of the array. The output will be 'Count: 5'.
What will be the output of the following Objective-Smalltalk code?
NSMutableArray *array = [@[@1, @2, @3, @4, @5] mutableCopy];
[array removeObjectAtIndex:2];
NSLog(@'Array: %@', array);
This code initializes a mutable array with 5 integers, removes the object at index 2, and then logs the array. The output will be 'Array: (1, 2, 4, 5)'.
What does the following Objective-Smalltalk code do?
@synchronized(self) {
// critical section
}
This code synchronizes access to the 'self' object for the enclosed block, ensuring that the 'critical section' is executed by only one thread at a time.

Wrap-up questions

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

Describe the difference between early binding and late binding in Objective-Smalltalk.
Early binding in Objective-Smalltalk means the method to be invoked in response to a message is determined at compile time. Late binding, on the other hand, means the method is determined at runtime, allowing for greater flexibility.
What are the principles of dynamic typing in Objective-Smalltalk?
Dynamic typing in Objective-Smalltalk means the type of a variable is known at runtime, not at compile time. This allows for greater flexibility and dynamism in the code.
How would you handle memory management in Objective-Smalltalk?
Memory management in Objective-Smalltalk is handled through automatic garbage collection. The garbage collector automatically frees up memory that's no longer in use, reducing the risk of memory leaks.

Objective-Smalltalk application related

Product Perfect's Objective-Smalltalk development capabilities

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