Hack Developer Hiring Guide

Hiring Guide for Hack Engineers

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

Hacking is the act of exploiting a computer system or a computer network to gain unauthorized access. This can be done through a variety of methods, including exploiting software vulnerabilities, social engineering, or physical access to the system. The term "hacking" has a long history, dating back to the early days of computing. In the 1960s, the term was used to describe hobbyists who enjoyed experimenting with and modifying computer systems. Today, hacking is often associated with malicious activity, such as cybercrime. However, there are also many legitimate uses for hacking, such as penetration testing and security research.

First 20 minutes

General Hack 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 generics in Hack and how would you use them?

Generics in Hack allow classes and methods to operate with different types. They are a way of creating reusable code. You can use them by defining a class or method with a type parameter, and then use that type parameter in the body of the class or method.

How would you handle errors in Hack?

Hack uses exceptions to handle errors. You can use try-catch blocks to catch exceptions and handle them appropriately.

Describe the difference between Hack and PHP.

While Hack is a dialect of PHP, it introduces static typing and other features not available in PHP. Hack also supports asynchronous programming, which PHP does not natively support.

What are the key features of Hack?

Hack has several key features including static typing, type inference, generics, nullable types, collections, and asynchronous programming support.

How would you define the Hack programming language?

Hack is a programming language for the HipHop Virtual Machine (HHVM), created by Facebook as a dialect of PHP. It is designed to be safe, fast, and to allow developers to use both dynamic and static typing.

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What youre looking for early-on

Does the candidate show a willingness to learn and adapt?

The tech industry is constantly evolving. A good candidate should show a willingness to learn new technologies and adapt to changes.

Is the candidate able to work well in a team?

Most development projects require teamwork. The candidate should be able to demonstrate their ability to work effectively in a team environment.

Does the candidate have experience with other programming languages?

While the focus is on Hack, having experience with other languages can be beneficial. It can provide a broader perspective and enhance problem-solving skills.

Is the candidate able to communicate effectively?

Communication skills are important in any role. The candidate should be able to articulate their thoughts clearly and effectively, both in writing and verbally.

Can the candidate solve complex problems?

Problem-solving skills are essential for any developer. They should be able to demonstrate their ability to think logically and solve problems efficiently.

Does the candidate have a strong understanding of Hack language?

This is crucial as the position requires a developer who is proficient in Hack. Their ability to understand and use this language effectively will directly impact their performance.

Next 20 minutes

Specific Hack 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 shapes in Hack and how would you use them?

Shapes in Hack are a way of defining complex data structures. They are similar to arrays, but they allow you to specify the keys and their types. You can use them by using the shape keyword to define the structure, and then using the keys to access the values.

How would you use lambda expressions in Hack?

Lambda expressions in Hack are anonymous functions that can be used as values. You can use them by using the ==> operator to define the function, and then passing it as a parameter to another function.

Describe the difference between collections and arrays in Hack.

Collections in Hack are a replacement for arrays. They provide a more consistent and powerful API than arrays. Unlike arrays, collections are always objects, and they have a number of methods that can be used to manipulate them.

What are nullable types in Hack and how would you use them?

Nullable types in Hack are types that can also be null. You can use them by prefixing a type with a question mark. This indicates that the value can be of the specified type, or it can be null.

How would you implement asynchronous programming in Hack?

Hack provides the async keyword to declare asynchronous functions, and the await keyword to pause execution until an asynchronous operation completes. You can use these keywords to write non-blocking code.

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The ideal back-end app developer

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

At this point, the candidate should have demonstrated strong problem-solving skills, in-depth knowledge of Hack and related technologies, and effective communication skills. Red flags include lack of clarity in explaining concepts, inability to solve problems efficiently or creatively, and unfamiliarity with Hack's unique features.

Digging deeper

Code questions

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

What does the following Hack code do?

function add(int $x, int $y): int {
  return $x + $y;
}

This code defines a function named 'add' that takes two integer parameters, adds them together, and returns the result.

What will be the output of the following Hack code?

echo Str\strip_prefix('Hacklang', 'Hack');

The output of this code will be 'lang'. The function 'strip_prefix' removes the specified prefix 'Hack' from the string 'Hacklang'.

What does the following Hack code do?

$numbers = vec[1, 2, 3, 4, 5];
$sum = C\reduce($numbers, ($a, $b) ==> $a + $b);

This code creates a vector of numbers and then uses the 'reduce' function to sum all the numbers in the vector. The result is stored in the variable 'sum'.

What does the following Hack code do?

async function get_data(): Awaitable {
  return await SleepWaitHandle::create(1000);
}

This code defines an asynchronous function named 'get_data' that returns an 'Awaitable' of type int. The function creates a new 'SleepWaitHandle' that pauses execution for 1000 milliseconds before returning.

What does the following Hack code do?

class Point {
  private float $x;
  private float $y;

  public function __construct(float $x = 0.0, float $y = 0.0) {
    $this->x = $x;
    $this->y = $y;
  }
}

This code defines a class named 'Point' with two private float properties 'x' and 'y'. The class has a constructor that takes two parameters with default values of 0.0 and assigns them to the 'x' and 'y' properties.

What will be the output of the following Hack code?

function factorial(int $n): int {
  return $n === 0 ? 1 : $n * factorial($n - 1);
}
echo factorial(5);

The output of this code will be '120'. The function 'factorial' calculates the factorial of a number using recursion. The factorial of 5 is 120.

Wrap-up questions

Final candidate for Hack role questions

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

How would you handle a large-scale Hack project?

For a large-scale Hack project, I would use a modular architecture to keep the codebase manageable, use version control to manage changes, and use automated testing to ensure the quality of the code.

What are the challenges you might face while migrating a PHP codebase to Hack?

Some of the challenges might include dealing with features of PHP that are not supported in Hack, such as certain dynamic features, and converting dynamically typed code to statically typed code.

How would you optimize a Hack application for performance?

You can optimize a Hack application by using static typing to avoid runtime type checks, using collections instead of arrays for better performance, and using asynchronous programming to avoid blocking operations.

What are the benefits of using Hack over other programming languages?

Hack combines the best features of static and dynamic typing, and it has powerful features like generics, nullable types, and asynchronous programming. It also has a fast runtime thanks to the HipHop Virtual Machine.

How would you use XHP in Hack?

XHP in Hack is a way of embedding XML-like fragments in your code. You can use it by defining an XHP class, and then using it in your code like an XML element.

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Hack application related

Product Perfect's Hack development capabilities

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