Caché ObjectScript Developer Hiring Guide

Hiring Guide for Caché ObjectScript Engineers

Ask the right questions to secure the right Caché ObjectScript talent among an increasingly shrinking pool of talent.

Caché ObjectScript is a proprietary, object-oriented programming language developed by InterSystems. It is used to interact with the Caché database and build applications on the Caché platform. ObjectScript is a highly dynamic language that supports procedural and object-oriented programming, and it is designed to be easy to use for rapid application development. It provides powerful data access capabilities and offers built-in support for SQL and multidimensional storage. It is primarily used in healthcare applications due to its ability to handle large amounts of data efficiently.

First 20 minutes

General Caché ObjectScript knowledge and experience

The next 20 minutes of the interview should attempt to focus more specifically on the development questions used, and the level of depth and skill the engineer possesses.

What are Caché Objects?

Caché Objects are instances of Caché classes. They are used to encapsulate data and the methods that operate on that data.

How would you create a new class in Caché ObjectScript?

To create a new class, you would use the Class keyword followed by the name of the class. Inside the class, you can define properties and methods.

Describe the difference between Caché ObjectScript and traditional SQL.

While traditional SQL is primarily used for data manipulation in a relational database, Caché ObjectScript is designed to interact with the Caché database and supports both procedural and object-oriented programming. It also provides native SQL support.

What are some of the main features of Caché ObjectScript?

Some of the main features include: native support for SQL, seamless integration with the Caché database, support for multi-dimensional arrays, and the ability to write web applications.

How would you define Caché ObjectScript?

Caché ObjectScript is a powerful, dynamic scripting language used to interact with the Caché database. It supports procedural and object-oriented programming paradigms.

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What youre looking for early-on

Does the candidate have a continuous learning mindset and keeps up with the latest industry trends and technologies?

This is important as technology is constantly evolving, and the candidate will need to continually learn and adapt to stay effective in their role.

Has the candidate demonstrated an ability to solve complex problems?

Problem-solving skills are key in any programming role, as the candidate will often need to find solutions to issues and bugs in the code.

Is the candidate able to communicate effectively and work well in a team?

Good communication and teamwork skills are essential in any development role, as the candidate will likely need to work closely with other developers, analysts, and stakeholders.

Does the candidate have experience working with databases, especially InterSystems Caché database?

This is important because Caché ObjectScript is primarily used for manipulating and managing data in the InterSystems Caché database.

How well does the candidate understand object-oriented programming concepts?

A solid grasp of OOP principles is necessary as Caché ObjectScript is an object-oriented language.

Does the candidate possess a deep understanding of Caché ObjectScript and related technologies?

This is critical because the candidate needs to be able to effectively write and troubleshoot code in Caché ObjectScript.

Next 20 minutes

Specific Caché ObjectScript development questions

The next 20 minutes of the interview should attempt to focus more specifically on the development questions used, and the level of depth and skill the engineer possesses.

What are the different types of collections in Caché ObjectScript?

Caché ObjectScript supports several types of collections, including lists, arrays, and sets.

How would you use the %SQL.Statement class in Caché ObjectScript?

The %SQL.Statement class can be used to execute SQL queries. You can create an instance of the class, prepare a SQL query, and then execute it.

What is the purpose of the %Status system class in Caché ObjectScript?

The %Status system class is used to represent the outcome of an operation. It can be used to check if an operation was successful or if it failed.

How would you handle errors in Caché ObjectScript?

Caché ObjectScript provides a Try-Catch-Finally construct for error handling. You can also handle errors using the status codes returned by methods.

Describe the difference between global and local variables in Caché ObjectScript.

Global variables are stored in the database and persist across different sessions, while local variables are only available within the current session.

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The ideal back-end app developer

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

A skilled Caché ObjectScript engineer should demonstrate proficiency in ObjectScript programming, an understanding of Caché database structures, and problem-solving abilities. Red flags include lack of practical experience, difficulty with technical questions or inability to articulate complex concepts clearly.

Digging deeper

Code questions

These will help you see the candidate's real-world development capabilities with Caché ObjectScript.

What does the following Caché ObjectScript code do?

SET x = 5
SET y = 10
WRITE x + y

This code declares two variables, x and y, and assigns them the values 5 and 10 respectively. It then writes the sum of x and y to the standard output.

What will be the output of the following Caché ObjectScript code?

SET str = "Hello, World!"
WRITE $LENGTH(str)

This code will output the length of the string 'Hello, World!', which is 13.

What does the following Caché ObjectScript code do?

SET arr = $LISTBUILD(1, 2, 3, 4, 5)
WRITE $LIST(arr, 3)

This code creates a list with five elements and then writes the third element of the list to the standard output.

What does the following Caché ObjectScript code do?

JOB ^MyRoutine
WRITE "Job started."

This code starts a new job that runs the routine named 'MyRoutine' in the background. It then writes the message 'Job started.' to the standard output.

What does the following Caché ObjectScript code do?

Class Person Extends %Persistent
{
Property Name As %String;
Property Age As %Integer;
}

This code defines a persistent class named 'Person' with two properties: 'Name', which is a string, and 'Age', which is an integer.

What will be the output of the following Caché ObjectScript code?

SET x = 5
TRY {
SET y = x / 0
} CATCH ex {
WRITE ex.DisplayString()
}

This code will output an error message because it attempts to divide a number by zero. The error message is caught and displayed by the CATCH block.

Wrap-up questions

Final candidate for Caché ObjectScript role questions

The final few interview questions for a Caché ObjectScript candidate should typically focus on a combination of technical skills, personal goals, growth potential, team dynamics, and company culture.

Describe the difference between data types in Caché ObjectScript and traditional SQL.

While traditional SQL has a fixed set of data types, Caché ObjectScript provides a more flexible and extensible type system. In addition to basic types like string and number, it also supports complex types like objects and collections.

How would you create a web application using Caché ObjectScript?

Caché ObjectScript provides classes and methods for creating web applications. You can define classes that generate HTML, handle HTTP requests, and interact with the database.

What is the purpose of the %Library package in Caché ObjectScript?

The %Library package contains a set of standard classes that are used in Caché ObjectScript. These classes provide basic functionality like string manipulation, date and time handling, and mathematical operations.

How would you implement inheritance in Caché ObjectScript?

Inheritance can be implemented by defining a class that extends another class using the Extends keyword.

Describe the difference between persistent and serial classes in Caché ObjectScript.

Persistent classes are stored in the database and can be accessed directly using SQL. Serial classes are used to represent complex structures within a single database field.

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Caché ObjectScript application related

Product Perfect's Caché ObjectScript development capabilities

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