Microsoft coding interviews are really challenging. The questions are difficult, specific to Microsoft, and cover a wide range of topics.
The good news is that the right preparation can make a big difference. We looked at 250 software engineer interview questions that Microsoft job candidates sent us to find out what kinds of questions were asked most often. Below, weve provided a curated list of real example questions, including free solutions.
There are also study tips and links to the best resources so that you can plan your study better and improve your chances of getting that Microsoft software engineer job.
So, you have an interview coming up about the Microsoft Build Engine (MSBuild). Well, get ready—we’re about to give you the knowledge and confidence you need to ace it! This guide has 30 important MSBuild interview questions and thoughtful answers to help you ace the interview.
1. What is MSBuild, and what are its key features?
MSBuild, the powerhouse behind building applications in the Microsoft ecosystem, is an XML-based platform that orchestrates the entire development process. It’s not just limited to Visual Studio; it can operate independently, making it a versatile tool for various scenarios.
2 What are the four fundamental building blocks of MSBuild?
The four pillars of MSBuild are
- Targets: Define the actions to be performed during the build process.
- Items: Represent the input files or data used by the build.
- Properties: Store key-value pairs that configure the build.
- Tasks: The workhorses that execute specific actions within the build process.
3 Can I build an application on a system without MSBuild installed?
Absolutely! MSBuild’s independence from Visual Studio allows for standalone builds. Simply install the msbuild.exe file, and you’re good to go.
4, What qualities should a well-designed application possess?
A well-designed application should strive for:
- Code Simplicity: Avoid overly complex code structures.
- OS Independence: Ensure the application runs seamlessly across different operating systems.
- Scalability: Design for future growth and adaptability.
- Feature-Richness: Offer a comprehensive set of functionalities.
- Fast Operations: Prioritize performance and responsiveness.
5. How do Visual Studio and MSBuild collaborate?
Visual Studio uses MSBuild to load and build programs, especially ones that need advanced features. Project files within Visual Studio contain XML code related to MSBuild. MSBuild runs the build process automatically when you work on an app in the IDE. For typical development tasks, Visual Studio automatically imports the necessary MSBuild settings.
6. How can I modify applications within Visual Studio?
Visual Studio provides a built-in XML editor for modifying MSBuild project files. This editor allows you to customize the build process to your specific needs.
7. What are the advantages of using a 64-bit version of MSBuild over the 32-bit version?
The 64-bit version of MSBuild unlocks access to more memory, enabling faster and more reliable builds. It also eliminates compatibility issues that might arise in certain application environments. Additionally, a 64-bit application built with MSBuild can still run on a 32-bit PC.
8. How do I declare properties in the MSBuild environment? What do properties represent?
To declare a property, create an element named PropertyGroup and include the property name as an element within it. Properties represent key-value pairs that configure the build process. These values often need adjustments during development due to various factors.
9. What’s the first step to using MSBuild at the command prompt?
To initiate an MSBuild build at the command prompt, simply pass the project file path to the msbuild.exe executable. You can also include command-line options to specify specific build operations.
10. Are there any prerequisites for modifying files in the MSBuild environment?
Yes, there are a few key prerequisites:
- Pre-processing: Ensure all files undergo pre-processing before reaching the compiler.
- Compressed File Creation: Build outputs should be compressed files.
- Build Output Location: Place build outputs in a separate location outside the project directory.
11. Can you provide an example of a post-processing step in MSBuild?
Stamping an assembly with a specific version is a common post-processing step in MSBuild. This is often required when performing modifications on the software or applications under development.
12. How can I run code associated with Visual Studio, MSBuild, and the IDE?
You have several options:
- Write code in Visual Studio and run it in the MSBuild environment.
- Build code in an IDE and run it in the MSBuild environment.
- Integrate code developed by different developers through various processing techniques.
- Use the command line in MSBuild to execute the code.
13. Is it possible to automate testing, compilation, and deployment of applications?
Yes, Team Foundation Build enables automated testing, compilation, and deployment. When a check-in occurs, the code is automatically compiled using MSBuild and tested.
14. What are Items in MSBuild, and how are they useful?
Items represent the input files or data used by the build process. They are categorized into different types and grouped by default. You can call any item without modifying or affecting the group. However, in certain environments, the entire group needs to be defined first. Items are often used as parameters for various tasks, making them an essential component of the build process.
15. What tasks can be performed using command-line options?
Command-line options allow developers to execute targets, set properties, and configure various build options. While these tasks can be performed through other methods, command-line options offer a simple and reliable approach.
16. Can developers write their own tasks in MSBuild?
Absolutely! Developers can create custom tasks by authoring a managed type that allows interference. However, task writing involves complexities that require careful attention to ensure accuracy and proper integration.
17. Name a few tasks in MSBuild that developers can modify when needed.
Some commonly modified tasks include:
- Csc: Compiles C# code.
- Copy: Copies files.
- Code files: Specifies the source code files.
- C# source: Defines the C# source code files.
18. What file format does MSBuild use, and what are its benefits?
MSBuild utilizes an XML-based project file format. This format offers several advantages, including:
- Extensibility: Easily adaptable to various build scenarios.
- Straightforwardness: Simple to understand and maintain.
- Item Description: Allows clear descriptions of items for efficient build processes.
- Configuration Information: Stores information about different build configurations and operating systems.
- Separate Build Rules: Enables developers to define and maintain build rules in a separate file.
19. How are tasks grouped in MSBuild?
Tasks are grouped into targets, which define the order of execution for specific build actions. Targets serve as entry points for exposing sections of project files and ensure a smooth build process.
20. How do I define a conditional property in MSBuild?
To define a conditional property, add an Condition attribute to the property element. When the condition evaluates to true, the property is included in the build process. Otherwise, the property and its contents are ignored. Therefore, it’s crucial to define the conditional element before the task execution.
21. How do I declare items in an MSBuild project file?
To declare an item, create an element named ItemGroup and include the item type and group as elements within it.
22. What is the key difference between properties, items, metadata, attribute names, and elements in MSBuild?
The main difference lies in their case sensitivity:
- Items, properties, and metadata names: Case-insensitive.
- Attribute names and elements: Case-sensitive.
This distinction requires developers to adhere to specific naming conventions.
23. How can I declare targets in an MSBuild project file?
Use the Target element to declare targets within the project file. You can choose from various target elements depending on your specific build requirements.
24. What is multi-targeting, and what are its benefits?
Multi-targeting refers to the process of making an application compatible with multiple platforms by compiling it for different target frameworks. This approach makes applications independent of specific framework capabilities and conditions. The primary benefit is that developers can target all supported frameworks, ensuring that the application only requires what the platform provides.
25. Where can I write and map the execution logic of a task?
Task execution logic is written in managed code and mapped to MSBuild using the Task element, which can be either pre-defined or custom-defined.
26. What parameters are accepted by tasks in the MSBuild environment?
Tasks accept parameters passed as attributes of the corresponding element. While it’s possible to make any parameter acceptable by a task, this process is complex and often requires external tools.
27. What is the advantage of grouping targets into logical sections?
Grouping targets into logical sections enhances readability and promotes code reusability. It allows developers to break down the build process into manageable steps, making it easier to understand and maintain. Additionally, it eliminates the need to copy entire code sections for repetitive tasks. Developers can create targets for building references and deploy them for other tasks.
28. How can I skip certain sections of the build process?
Targets can be used to define complex relationships between build steps. They also enable dependency analysis, allowing developers to skip irrelevant sections. However, it’s crucial to ensure that the skipping logic remains up-to-date.
29. What is the purpose of wildcard characters in MSBuild?
Wildcard
How to prepare
Now that you know what questions to expect, lets focus on how to prepare. Here are the four most important things you can do to get ready for your interviews as a Microsoft software development engineer.
3 What happens behind the scenes
Your recruiter is leading the process and taking you from one stage to the next. Heres what happens at each of the stages described above:
- Your recruiter and hiring manager will decide if you move on to the in-person interviews based on how well you did in the first round.
- After the site visit, each interviewer copies their notes into the company’s computer system, gives you a grade, and suggests that you be hired (e.g. g. “Strong hire”, “Hire”, “No hire”, “Strong no hire”). Most of the time, all interviewers must give you a “Hire” grade in order to get an offer. But sometimes, the AA interviewer and/or hiring manager may still choose to hire you even if you got a “No hire”
- You get an offer. The recruiter will get in touch with an offer within a week of the site visit, but it can take longer if everything goes well.
Also, keep in mind that recruiters and people who send you jobs don’t have much of an impact on the whole process. They can help you get an interview at the beginning but thats about it.
Here at IGotAnOffer, we believe in data-driven interview preparation and have used Glassdoor data to identify the types of questions which are most frequently asked at Microsoft.
For coding interviews, weve broken down the questions youll be asked by subcategories (e. g. Arrays / Strings , Graphs / Trees , etc. ) so that you can prioritize what to study and practice first. For system design and behavioral questions, weve listed questions that were frequently reported on Glassdoor and other resources.
Microsoft software development engineers solve some of the most difficult problems the company faces with code. Its therefore essential that they have strong problem-solving skills. Here’s where you want to show that you can think in a structured way and write code that is correct, quick, and free of bugs.
Here are the most common question types asked in Microsoft coding interviews and their frequency. Please note the list below excludes system design and behavioral questions which we cover in the next sections.
- Arrays / Strings (36% of questions, most frequent)
- Linked lists (29%)
- Graphs / Trees (20%)
- Search / Sort (6%)
- Dynamic programming (5%)
- Bit manipulation / Maths (4% of questions, least frequent)
Weve also listed common examples used at Microsoft for these different question types below. The way we asked the question was changed to match the closest Leetcode problem, and we linked to a free solution on Leetcode for each case.
Finally, we suggest that you read this guide on how to answer coding interview questions and practice with this list of coding interview examples along with the ones below.
1. Arrays / Strings (36% of questions, most frequent)
- “Given an input string, reverse the string word by word. ” (Solution).
- “Given a list of integers nums and an integer target, bring back the indices of the two numbers that add up to target.” You can assume that each input has a single answer, and you can’t use the same element more than once. ” (Solution).
- You are given a 2D board and a word. Check to see if the word is in the grid. Letters from cells that are sequentially adjacent can be put together to make a word. “Adjacent” cells are those that are next to each other horizontally or vertically. You can only use the same letter cell once. ” (Solution).
- “Given an unsorted list of integers, find the smallest positive integer that is missing.” Your algorithm should take O(n) time and always need more space. ” (Solution).
- “Given a C++ program, remove comments from it. The program source is a list, and the i-th line of the source code is in source[i]. This is what the original source code string looked like after the newline character was cut out. ” (Solution).
- You are given a matrix with m rows and n columns. You need to return all of its elements in spiral order. ” (Solution).
- “Given a list of characters (chars), use the following algorithm to shrink it: start with an empty string (s) For each set of characters in chars that repeat in a row: If the length of the set is 1, add the character to s. Otherwise, append the character followed by the groups length. The compressed string s shouldn’t be sent back separately; it should be saved in the character array chars instead. Keep in mind that group lengths of 10 or more will be split into more than one character in chars. Give back the new length of the array when you’re done changing it. ” (Solution).
- “Given a string, find the length of the longest substring T that has no more than k unique characters.” ” (Solution).
2. Linked lists (29%)
- “Given a linked list, turn the nodes around k at a time and return the list that has been changed.” There is a number k that is greater than or equal to the length of the linked list. Number of nodes should not be a multiple of k. If it is, left-out nodes at the end should stay the same. ” (Solution).
- “Given a linked list, each node has an extra random pointer that could lead to any node in the list or to null.” Return a deep copy of the list. ” (Solution).
- “There is a set of k linked lists given to you. Each list is arranged in ascending order.” Together, sort all the linked lists into one, and then send it back. ” (Solution).
- In a linked list, swap every two next to each other nodes and return the list’s head. It’s not possible to change the values in list nodes; you can only change nodes itself. ” (Solution).
- “If you give me the head of a linked list, sort it in ascending order and return the list.” Can you sort the linked list in O(n logn) time and O(1) memory? e. constant space)?” (Solution).
3. Graphs / Trees (20%)
- “Make the binary tree given preorder and inorder traversal of a tree.” Note: You can assume that the tree doesn’t have any duplicates. ” (Solution).
- “Serialize and deserialize N-ary tree” (Solution)
- “Given a node in a binary search tree, find the BST node that comes after it in the order given.” ” (Solution).
- “Check to see if a given binary tree is a valid binary search tree (BST)” ” (Solution).
- “Find the root node reference of a BST and the key. Delete the node in the BST that has the key.” Return the root node reference (possibly updated) of the BST. Delete can be broken down into two main steps: 1) Look for a node to get rid of 2) If the node is found, delete the node. To follow up, can you figure it out in O(height of tree) time?” (Solution)
- “Given a directed, acyclic graph of N nodes. Find all the paths that can lead from node 0 to node N-1 and return them in any order. Following is the graph: the nodes are 0 and 1. , graph. length – 1. There is an edge (i, j) between nodes i and j in graph[i]. ” (Solution).
4. Search / Sort (6%)
- There is a 2D grid map with 1s for land and 0s for water. Find all the islands on the map. An island is made by connecting nearby land either horizontally or vertically. It is surrounded by water. You could think that all four edges of the grid are covered with water. ” (Solution).
- “You have been given a perfect binary tree. All of its leaves are on the same level, and each parent has two children.” Fill up each next pointer so it points to the next right node. The next pointer should be set to NULL if there is no next right node. Initially, all next pointers are set to NULL. ” (Solution).
- Give two sorted arrays, nums1 and nums2, with sizes m and n, respectively. Find the middle value of the two arrays. ” (Solution).
- “Write a fast algorithm that looks for a value in an m x n matrix.” The following are some facts about this matrix: [1] The integers in each row are arranged from left to right. [2] The first number in each row is bigger than the last number in the row before it. ” (Solution) .
5. Dynamic programming (5%)
- “Given an integer array nums, find the subarray that ends in a number and has the largest sum, and return that sum.” ” (Solution).
- “Given n positive integers that represent an elevation map with 1 inch bars, figure out how much water it can hold after it rains.” ” (Solution).
- “Make regular expression matching work with support for given an input string (s) and a pattern (p) and *. The matching should cover the entire input string (not partial). ” (Solution).
6. Bit manipulation / Maths (4% of questions, least frequent)
- “Given an array of strings arr. String s is made up of a subsequence of arr that each have their own unique characters. Return the maximum possible length of s. ” (Solution).
- “In a list of integers that isn’t empty, every item shows up twice except for one.” Find that single one. ” (Solution).
What the Microsoft Interview is like — with sample questions
FAQ
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