Clojure Interview Questions for Developers

Clojure is a Lisp descendent that utilizes a functional programming paradigm and incorporates popular technologies like the Java Virtual Machine (JVM), JavaScript engines, and the .NET runtime. It’s often used for web development, data processing and analysis, and distributed systems.

Like other Lisp dialects, Clojure is homoiconic, meaning that its code is represented as data structures within the language itself. This property allows for powerful metaprogramming capabilities, enabling developers to create macros and domain-specific languages (DSLs) that extend the language in unique and expressive ways.

Our team has crafted pragmatic coding tasks and interview inquiries specifically designed to gauge the Clojure abilities of developers during coding interviews. Moreover, we have assembled a collection of top guidelines to guarantee that your interview questions effectively measure the candidates’ expertise in Clojure.

Clojure example question

Help us design a parking lot

Hey candidate! Welcome to your interview. Boilerplate is provided. Feel free to change the code as you see fit. To run the code at any time, please hit the run button located in the top left corner.

Goals: Design a parking lot using object-oriented principles

Here are a few methods that you should be able to run:

• Tell us how many spots are remaining
• Tell us how many total spots are in the parking lot
• Tell us when the parking lot is full
• Tell us when the parking lot is empty
• Tell us when certain spots are full e.g. when all motorcycle spots are taken
• Tell us how many spots vans are taking up

Assumptions:

• The parking lot can hold motorcycles, cars and vans
• The parking lot has motorcycle spots, car spots and large spots
• A motorcycle can park in any spot
• A car can park in a single compact spot, or a regular spot
• A van can park, but it will take up 3 regular spots
• These are just a few assumptions. Feel free to ask your interviewer about more assumptions as needed

Best interview practices for Clojure roles

When conducting successful Clojure interviews, it’s crucial to take into account various aspects, such as the candidate’s background and the particular engineering position. To ensure a productive interview experience, we suggest implementing the following best practices:

• Design technical questions that mirror real-world business situations within your organization. This method will effectively engage the candidate and help evaluate their fit with your team.
• Foster a collaborative atmosphere by encouraging candidates to ask questions throughout the interview.
• If your candidates will be working on full stack applications, it may be helpful for them to have knowledge of ClojureScript.

Furthermore, adhering to standard interview practices is essential when carrying out Clojure interviews. This includes tailoring the question difficulty to suit the candidate’s capabilities, giving prompt updates on their application status, and offering them the chance to inquire about the evaluation process and cooperation with you and your team.