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Unix Shell is a command-line interpreter or shell that provides a traditional user interface for the Unix operating system and for Unix-like systems. Users direct the operation of the computer by entering commands as text for a command line interpreter to execute or by creating text scripts of one or more such commands. The most common Unix Shells are Bourne shell (sh), C shell (csh), KornShell (ksh), and Bourne Again Shell (bash). It allows users to manipulate files, run programs, and perform other tasks directly.

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

First 20 minutes

General Unix Shell app knowledge and experience

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

What are the different types of Unix shells?

There are four different types of Unix shells: Bourne shell (sh), C Shell (csh), Korn Shell (ksh), and Bourne Again Shell (bash). Each of these shells has its own set of features and capabilities.

How would you create a new directory in Unix?

You can create a new directory in Unix using the 'mkdir' command followed by the name of the directory you want to create.

What is the purpose of the 'grep' command in Unix?

The 'grep' command is used in Unix to search for a specific pattern within files. It can also be used to search for patterns in the output of other commands.

Describe the difference between a hard link and a symbolic link in Unix.

A hard link is a mirror copy of the original file, while a symbolic link (or soft link) is a reference to the original file. Deleting the original file will not affect the hard link but will make the symbolic link unusable.

How would you check the disk space usage in Unix?

You can check the disk space usage in Unix using the 'df' command, which provides information about the total space, used space, and available space on your disk.

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What you’re looking for early on

Do they have a solid understanding of Unix Shell?

Have they demonstrated problem-solving skills?

What is their experience with scripting languages?

Do they have experience working on large-scale projects?

Next 20 minutes

Specific Unix Shell 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 is the use of the 'chmod' command in Unix?

The 'chmod' command is used in Unix to change the permissions of a file or directory. It allows you to set permissions for the owner, group, and others.

How would you terminate a running process in Unix?

You can terminate a running process in Unix using the 'kill' command followed by the process ID (PID). You can get the PID of a process by using the 'ps' command.

Describe the difference between 'echo' and 'printf' in Unix.

'echo' and 'printf' are both used to print output in Unix. The main difference is that 'printf' allows for better formatting and control over the output compared to 'echo'.

What is the purpose of the 'find' command in Unix?

The 'find' command in Unix is used to search for files and directories based on different criteria like name, size, type, etc. It's a powerful command that allows you to find files anywhere in the Unix file system.

How would you recursively remove directories in Unix?

You can recursively remove directories in Unix using the 'rm -r' command followed by the directory name. This command will remove the directory and its contents, including any subdirectories and their contents.

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

What does the 'ls' command do in Unix?
ls
The 'ls' command in Unix lists all files and directories in the current directory.
What does the following command do: 'grep 'foo' filename'?
grep 'foo' filename
This command searches for the string 'foo' in the file named 'filename' and prints all the lines containing this string.
What does the following command do: 'sort -n filename'?
sort -n filename
This command sorts the lines in the file named 'filename' in ascending numerical order.
What does the following command do: 'find . -name '*.txt' -exec rm {} \;'?
find . -name '*.txt' -exec rm {} \;
This command finds all .txt files in the current directory and its subdirectories and removes them.

Wrap-up questions

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

Describe the difference between '&&' and '||' operators in Unix shell scripting.

In Unix shell scripting, '&&' is a logical AND operator that executes the second command only if the first command is successful. On the other hand, '||' is a logical OR operator that executes the second command only if the first command fails.

What is the use of the 'sed' command in Unix?

'sed' or Stream Editor is a powerful text manipulation utility in Unix. It can be used to insert, delete, replace, or modify text in a file without opening it.

How would you handle errors in Unix shell scripting?

In Unix shell scripting, you can handle errors using various techniques like checking the exit status of commands, using conditional statements to verify the success of operations, and trapping errors using the 'trap' command.

Unix Shell application related

Product Perfect's Unix Shell development capabilities

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

Unix Shell Consultive assessments

Unix Shell Application Conversion Assessment Unix Shell Application Integration Assessment Unix Shell Data & Database Integration Assessment

Custom Unix Shell development projects

Custom Unix Shell App Conversion Unix Shell Custom App Development Process App UI Design for Unix Shell Facelifts

Hiring guide for Unix Shell Engineers

Unix Shell Developer Hiring Guide

What you’re looking for early on

The ideal back-end app developer

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

Unix Shell Consultive assessments

Custom Unix Shell development projects