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Thue, named after the Norwegian mathematician Axel Thue, is an esoteric programming language that was first introduced to the world in 2000 by John Colagioia. It is a non-deterministic language based on semi-Thue string rewriting systems, a concept initially proposed by Thue himself back in 1914. The structure and function of Thue are defined by the theories of formal languages and automata. The language is characterized by its simplicity and minimalism; it comprises only two types of statements: data declarations and production rules. A unique feature of this language lies in its rejection of conventional control structures such as loops or conditionals which are commonplace in most modern programming languages. Instead, Thue employs a system where transformations can be applied to any part of the program state at any time. In terms of functionality, Thue demonstrates Turing completeness despite its deceptively simple nature – meaning it can simulate a universal Turing machine when

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

First 20 minutes

General Thue app knowledge and experience

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

How would you describe the Thue programming language?

Thue is a non-deterministic esoteric programming language based on string rewriting systems.

What are the key components of a Thue program?

A Thue program consists of a set of production rules and an initial state.

Describe the difference between deterministic and non-deterministic programming in Thue.

In deterministic programming, the outcome is predictable and follows a set path. In non-deterministic programming like Thue, the outcome can vary even with the same input.

How would you define a production rule in Thue?

A production rule in Thue is a pair of strings separated by '::='. The first string can be replaced by the second string in the program state.

What are the uses of the '::=' operator in Thue?

The '::=' operator in Thue is used to define a production rule. It separates the two parts of the rule, the part to be replaced and the replacement.

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What you’re looking for early on

Does the candidate have a strong understanding of Thue programming language?

Has the candidate demonstrated problem-solving skills during the interview?

Is the candidate able to communicate effectively?

Does the candidate have relevant experience in Thue development?

Next 20 minutes

Specific Thue 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 handle input and output in Thue?

In Thue, input is handled by the '::=~' operator and output is handled by the '~::=' operator.

Describe the difference between '::=~' and '~::=' in Thue.

'::=~' is used for input, it reads a line from the input and appends it to the state. '~::=' is used for output, it prints the string to the right of the operator.

How would you implement a loop in Thue?

Thue does not have built-in loop constructs. Loops can be implemented using production rules that cause the state to continually change until a certain condition is met.

What are the challenges of debugging in Thue?

Debugging in Thue can be challenging due to its non-deterministic nature. The same program can produce different results each time it is run.

How would you handle errors in Thue?

Thue does not have built-in error handling. Errors must be avoided by carefully designing the production rules and initial state.

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

What does the following code do?
let str = 'Hello, World!'; console.log(str);
This code declares a string variable 'str' with the value 'Hello, World!' and then logs it to the console.
What will be the output of the following code?
let x = 10; let y = '5'; console.log(x + y);
The output will be '105'. This is because the '+' operator performs string concatenation if one of the operands is a string.
What does the following code do?
let arr = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]; let sum = arr.reduce((a, b) => a + b, 0); console.log(sum);
This code sums up all the elements in the array 'arr' using the 'reduce' method and logs the result to the console.
What does the following code do?
import threading; def print_numbers(): for i in range(1, 11): print(i); t = threading.Thread(target=print_numbers); t.start();
This code creates a new thread and runs the 'print_numbers' function in this thread. The 'print_numbers' function prints numbers from 1 to 10.

Wrap-up questions

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

Describe the difference between Thue and traditional programming languages.

Thue is a non-deterministic esoteric language based on string rewriting, unlike traditional languages which are deterministic and based on standard programming paradigms.

How would you implement conditional logic in Thue?

Conditional logic in Thue can be implemented using production rules. The presence or absence of certain strings in the state can determine which rules are applied.

What are the limitations of Thue compared to other programming languages?

Thue lacks many features of traditional languages like variables, functions, and standard control structures. It also has no built-in error handling.

Thue application related

Product Perfect's Thue development capabilities

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

Thue Consultive assessments

Thue Application Conversion Assessment Thue Application Integration Assessment Thue Data & Database Integration Assessment

Custom Thue development projects

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

Hiring guide for Thue Engineers

Thue Developer Hiring Guide

What you’re looking for early on

The ideal back-end app developer

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

Thue Consultive assessments

Custom Thue development projects