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OpenEdge Advanced Business Language (ABL) is a programming language developed by Progress Software Corporation. It is primarily used for developing business applications in areas such as finance, healthcare, retail and more. OpenEdge ABL supports event-driven, procedural and object-oriented programming styles. It provides a unified environment that includes database management system (DBMS), application server, development tools and integration interfaces. The language was designed to be easy to learn and use for developers without requiring extensive knowledge of computer science concepts or low-level coding skills. Its syntax is English-like which makes it easier to read and understand the code. One of the key features of OpenEdge ABL is its database-centric approach which allows developers to directly manipulate data in the database using high-level language constructs without having to write complex SQL queries. Moreover, OpenEdge ABL supports multi-threading capabilities allowing concurrent processing tasks within an application improving performance efficiency. The language also offers strong error handling mechanisms ensuring robustness of applications built with it. Overall, OpenEdge ABL provides a comprehensive platform for building scalable enterprise-class business applications quickly and efficiently.

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

First 20 minutes

General OpenEdge ABL app knowledge and experience

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

How would you define a variable in OpenEdge ABL?

You can define a variable in OpenEdge ABL using the DEFINE VARIABLE statement. For example, 'DEFINE VARIABLE varName AS INTEGER NO-UNDO.'

What are the different data types available in OpenEdge ABL?

OpenEdge ABL supports various data types such as INTEGER, DECIMAL, CHARACTER, DATE, LOGICAL, RECID, ROWID, and more.

Describe the difference between NO-UNDO and UNDO in OpenEdge ABL.

NO-UNDO and UNDO are used to specify whether changes to a variable or a buffer can be undone. NO-UNDO means changes cannot be undone, while UNDO allows changes to be undone.

How would you handle errors in OpenEdge ABL?

Errors in OpenEdge ABL can be handled using the ON ERROR statement. This allows you to specify a block of code to be executed when an error occurs.

What is the purpose of the FIND statement in OpenEdge ABL?

The FIND statement in OpenEdge ABL is used to retrieve a single record from a database based on a specified criteria.

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What you’re looking for early on

Does the candidate have a solid understanding of OpenEdge ABL?

How well does the candidate understand database management?

Does the candidate demonstrate problem-solving skills?

How good is the candidate's communication skills?

Next 20 minutes

Specific OpenEdge ABL 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 the FIND and GET statement in OpenEdge ABL.

Both FIND and GET are used to retrieve records from a database. The difference is that FIND retrieves a single record based on a specified criteria, while GET retrieves a record based on its unique record ID.

How would you create a temp-table in OpenEdge ABL?

You can create a temp-table in OpenEdge ABL using the DEFINE TEMP-TABLE statement, followed by the table name and the fields you want to include.

What are the different types of triggers in OpenEdge ABL?

OpenEdge ABL supports various types of triggers such as database triggers, UI triggers, and procedure triggers.

Describe the difference between a procedure and a function in OpenEdge ABL.

A procedure in OpenEdge ABL is a block of code that performs a specific task and does not return a value. A function, on the other hand, is a block of code that performs a specific task and returns a value.

How would you implement a transaction in OpenEdge ABL?

Transactions in OpenEdge ABL can be implemented using the DO TRANSACTION statement. This allows you to group a set of database operations into a single unit of work.

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

What does the following OpenEdge ABL code do?
DEFINE VARIABLE i AS INTEGER NO-UNDO.
FOR i = 1 TO 10 DO:
DISPLAY i.
END.
This code defines an integer variable 'i', and then uses a for loop to display the numbers 1 through 10.
What will be the output of the following OpenEdge ABL code?
DEFINE VARIABLE myVar AS CHARACTER NO-UNDO INITIAL 'Hello, World!'.
DISPLAY myVar.
This code will output the string 'Hello, World!'
What does the following OpenEdge ABL code do?
DEFINE VARIABLE myArray AS INTEGER EXTENT 5 NO-UNDO.
myArray[1] = 10.
myArray[2] = 20.
myArray[3] = 30.
myArray[4] = 40.
myArray[5] = 50.
DISPLAY myArray.
This code defines an array of integers with 5 elements, assigns values to each element, and then displays the entire array.
What does the following OpenEdge ABL code do?
DO TRANSACTION:
CREATE customer.
ASSIGN customer.name = 'John Doe'.
END.
This code creates a new record in the 'customer' table, assigns the name 'John Doe' to the 'name' field of the record, and does this within a transaction to ensure data consistency.

Wrap-up questions

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

What is the purpose of the BUFFER-COPY statement in OpenEdge ABL?

The BUFFER-COPY statement in OpenEdge ABL is used to copy the contents of one database buffer to another.

Describe the difference between a shared and an exclusive lock in OpenEdge ABL.

A shared lock in OpenEdge ABL allows multiple users to read a record but not modify it. An exclusive lock, on the other hand, allows a user to read and modify a record, preventing other users from accessing it.

How would you create an index in OpenEdge ABL?

You can create an index in OpenEdge ABL using the CREATE INDEX statement, followed by the index name and the fields you want to include in the index.

OpenEdge ABL application related

Product Perfect's OpenEdge ABL development capabilities

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

OpenEdge ABL Consultive assessments

OpenEdge ABL Application Conversion Assessment OpenEdge ABL Application Integration Assessment OpenEdge ABL Data & Database Integration Assessment

Custom OpenEdge ABL development projects

Custom OpenEdge ABL App Conversion OpenEdge ABL Custom App Development Process App UI Design for OpenEdge ABL Facelifts

Hiring guide for OpenEdge ABL Engineers

OpenEdge ABL Developer Hiring Guide

What you’re looking for early on

The ideal back-end app developer

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

OpenEdge ABL Consultive assessments

Custom OpenEdge ABL development projects