Product Perfect

**TRAC** is a general-purpose, procedural programming language developed at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the 1960s. It was one of the first languages to support structured programming, and its syntax has influenced many later languages, including C, C++, and Java. TRAC was used to develop a variety of applications, including the Multics operating system and the PLATO educational system. The language is no longer in widespread use, but it remains an important historical artifact in the development of computer programming languages. **References:** * [TRAC programming language](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TRAC_(programming_language)) * [History of TRAC](https://web.archive.org/web/20160304092832/http://www.multicians.org/thayer/courses/6.828/readings/tracing.html)

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

First 20 minutes

General TRAC app knowledge and experience

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

What is your experience with TRAC?

I have been working with TRAC for over 5 years now. I have used it for project management, bug tracking, and wiki functionalities.

How would you install a TRAC plugin?

To install a TRAC plugin, I would first download the plugin, then copy it to the plugins directory of the TRAC environment. After that, I would restart the TRAC web server to load the plugin.

What are the main components of TRAC?

The main components of TRAC are the wiki, the ticket system, the roadmap, the timeline, the version control system, and the search system.

How would you create a new TRAC environment?

To create a new TRAC environment, I would use the 'trac-admin' command followed by the path to the new environment and the 'initenv' command.

Describe the difference between a TRAC plugin and a TRAC extension.

A TRAC plugin is a piece of software that adds a specific feature to an existing TRAC environment, while a TRAC extension is a software module that extends the functionality of TRAC in a more general way.

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What you’re looking for early on

Does the candidate have a thorough understanding of TRAC?

Has the candidate demonstrated problem-solving abilities relevant to TRAC development?

Does the candidate have experience with Python?

Does the candidate show good communication skills?

Next 20 minutes

Specific TRAC 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 customize the TRAC interface?

To customize the TRAC interface, I would modify the CSS files and the Genshi templates that define the look and feel of the interface.

What are the steps to upgrade a TRAC environment?

To upgrade a TRAC environment, I would first backup the environment, then install the new version of TRAC, and finally use the 'trac-admin' command with the 'upgrade' option to upgrade the environment.

How would you integrate TRAC with a version control system?

To integrate TRAC with a version control system, I would use the 'trac-admin' command with the 'repository' option to add the repository to the TRAC environment.

Describe the difference between a TRAC ticket and a TRAC milestone.

A TRAC ticket is a report of an issue or a task, while a TRAC milestone is a set of tickets that represents a significant stage in the project.

How would you manage user permissions in TRAC?

To manage user permissions in TRAC, I would use the 'trac-admin' command with the 'permission' option to add, remove, or list permissions.

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

What does the following Python code do?
def greet(name):
	return 'Hello, ' + name
This code defines a function named 'greet' that takes one argument, 'name'. The function returns a string that says 'Hello, ' followed by the value of 'name'.
What will be the output of the following Python code?
print('TRAC'.lower())
The output of this code will be 'trac'. The 'lower' method converts all the uppercase characters in a string to lowercase.
What does the following Python code do?
def sort_list(my_list):
	return sorted(my_list, reverse=True)
This code defines a function named 'sort_list' that takes one argument, 'my_list'. The function returns the list sorted in descending order.
What does the following Python code do?
import threading

def print_nums():
	for i in range(5):
		print(i)

thread = threading.Thread(target=print_nums)
thread.start()
This code creates a new thread and runs the 'print_nums' function in that thread. The 'print_nums' function prints the numbers from 0 to 4.

Wrap-up questions

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

What are the steps to migrate a TRAC environment to another server?

To migrate a TRAC environment to another server, I would first backup the environment, then install TRAC on the new server, and finally restore the backup on the new server.

How would you troubleshoot a TRAC plugin that is not working?

To troubleshoot a TRAC plugin that is not working, I would first check the TRAC log for error messages, then I would verify the plugin installation, and finally I would test the plugin in a clean TRAC environment.

Describe the difference between the TRAC timeline and the TRAC roadmap.

The TRAC timeline is a chronological view of project events, while the TRAC roadmap is a visual representation of project milestones and their progress.

TRAC application related

Product Perfect's TRAC development capabilities

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

TRAC Consultive assessments

TRAC Application Conversion Assessment TRAC Application Integration Assessment TRAC Data & Database Integration Assessment

Custom TRAC development projects

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

Hiring guide for TRAC Engineers

TRAC Developer Hiring Guide

What you’re looking for early on

The ideal back-end app developer

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

TRAC Consultive assessments

Custom TRAC development projects