EPL (Event Processing Language) Developer Hiring Guide

Hiring Guide for EPL (Event Processing Language) Engineers

Ask the right questions to secure the right EPL (Event Processing Language) talent among an increasingly shrinking pool of talent.

EPL (Event Processing Language) is a high-level programming language specifically designed for complex event processing (CEP). Developed by EsperTech, it allows users to process and analyze multiple streams of data in real-time. EPL's syntax is similar to SQL, making it easily accessible for developers familiar with database querying. Its primary use lies in scenarios where vast amounts of streaming data need to be processed quickly and efficiently, such as financial services or IoT applications. The language has been open-source since its inception, promoting widespread adoption across various industries.

First 20 minutes

General EPL (Event Processing Language) 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.

How would you use the 'group by' clause in EPL?

The 'group by' clause in EPL is used to group events by one or more properties. It is often used with aggregation functions to perform calculations on each group of events.

What is the purpose of the 'insert into' statement in EPL?

The 'insert into' statement in EPL is used to insert events into a named window or stream.

Describe the difference between 'window' and 'retain-union' in EPL.

'Window' is used to hold the last N events for a period of time, while 'retain-union' is used to hold all events from both named windows until they are explicitly deleted.

How would you define an event in EPL?

In EPL, an event is defined as an occurrence of a specific action or a change in state. It can be represented as a data object with a set of properties.

What are the basic components of an EPL statement?

The basic components of an EPL statement are: Event Stream, Filter, Window, Output, and Pattern.

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What youre looking for early-on

Has the candidate shown an ability to meet deadlines?

Meeting deadlines is crucial in a developer role. The candidate should provide examples of when they successfully met a deadline.

Is the candidate able to learn new technologies quickly?

The ability to learn new technologies quickly is important in a rapidly changing field like software development. The candidate should provide examples of when they had to learn a new technology quickly.

Does the candidate have experience with real-time event processing?

Experience with real-time event processing is important for an EPL developer. The candidate should be able to discuss their experience in this area.

Can the candidate work well in a team?

Teamwork is often necessary in a developer role. The candidate should show that they can communicate effectively and collaborate with others.

Has the candidate demonstrated problem-solving skills?

Problem-solving skills are important for a developer position. The candidate should be able to describe how they would approach and solve a complex problem.

Does the candidate have a strong understanding of EPL?

A strong understanding of EPL is crucial for the role. The candidate should be able to explain the language's syntax, semantics, and use cases.

Next 20 minutes

Specific EPL (Event Processing Language) 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.

How would you use the 'merge' statement in EPL?

The 'merge' statement in EPL is used to update, insert, or delete events in a named window or stream based on a condition.

Describe the difference between 'every' and 'every-distinct' in EPL.

'Every' is used to match every occurrence of an event, while 'every-distinct' is used to match every distinct occurrence of an event based on one or more properties.

What is the role of the 'having' clause in EPL?

The 'having' clause in EPL is used to filter the results of a 'group by' clause based on a condition. It is similar to the 'where' clause, but operates on the results of aggregations.

How would you handle complex event processing in EPL?

Complex event processing in EPL can be handled using patterns and subqueries to detect complex sequences of events and perform calculations on them.

What are the different types of windows in EPL and how are they used?

The different types of windows in EPL are: Sliding Window, Tumbling Window, and Batch Window. They are used to hold events for a period of time or until a certain condition is met.

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The ideal back-end app developer

What you’re looking to see on the EPL (Event Processing Language) engineer at this point.

A skilled EPL engineer should exhibit proficiency in complex event processing, strong coding abilities especially in Java or C#, and a deep understanding of database systems. Red flags include lack of practical experience, poor problem-solving skills, and difficulty explaining complex processes clearly.

Digging deeper

Code questions

These will help you see the candidate's real-world development capabilities with EPL (Event Processing Language).

What does this simple EPL statement do?

select * from StockTick

This statement selects all events from the 'StockTick' event stream.

What does this EPL statement do?

select avg(price) from StockTick.win:time(30 sec)

This statement calculates the average price of the 'StockTick' events in the last 30 seconds.

What does this EPL statement do?

select * from pattern [every a=StockTick -> b=StockTick(a.symbol = b.symbol and a.price < b.price)]

This statement selects all pairs of 'StockTick' events where the second event has the same symbol as the first and a higher price.

What does this EPL statement do?

select * from StockTick#unique(symbol) retain-union

This statement selects the most recent event for each unique symbol from the 'StockTick' event stream and retains all unique events.

What does this EPL statement do?

select a.symbol, a.price, b.price from pattern [every a=StockTick -> b=StockTick(a.symbol = b.symbol)]

This statement selects the symbol and prices from pairs of 'StockTick' events where the second event has the same symbol as the first.

What does this EPL statement do?

select * from StockTick#time(10 min) where price > (select avg(price) from StockTick#time(30 min))

This statement selects 'StockTick' events from the last 10 minutes where the price is greater than the average price of the 'StockTick' events in the last 30 minutes.

Wrap-up questions

Final candidate for EPL (Event Processing Language) role questions

The final few interview questions for a EPL (Event Processing Language) candidate should typically focus on a combination of technical skills, personal goals, growth potential, team dynamics, and company culture.

How would you optimize the performance of EPL queries?

Performance of EPL queries can be optimized by using indexed windows for faster access to events, using subqueries and joins efficiently, and minimizing the use of 'every' in patterns.

Describe the difference between 'first' and 'last' in EPL.

'First' is used to select the first event in a window or stream, while 'last' is used to select the last event. They can be used with a number to select the Nth first or last event.

What is the role of the 'context' statement in EPL?

The 'context' statement in EPL is used to define a context under which certain EPL statements should be executed. It allows for more granular control over event processing.

How would you handle time-based events in EPL?

Time-based events in EPL can be handled using time windows, timers, and temporal patterns to process events based on their timestamps.

What are the different types of joins in EPL and how are they used?

The different types of joins in EPL are: Inner Join, Outer Join, and Full Join. They are used to combine events from two or more streams based on a condition.

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EPL (Event Processing Language) application related

Product Perfect's EPL (Event Processing Language) development capabilities

Beyond hiring for your EPL (Event Processing Language) engineering team, you may be in the market for additional help. Product Perfect provides seasoned expertise in EPL (Event Processing Language) projects, and can engage in multiple capacities.