Zeta Software Development Engineer 2 Interview Experience

Software Development Engineer 2

June 10, 2025
13 Questions

Summary

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The Zeta interview for the Backend Software Development Engineer 2 position comprised three rounds focusing on Data Structures and Algorithms in the first round, followed by Java and DBMS in the second round, and finally, Low Level and High Level Design discussions in the third round. Overall, the interview was technically rigorous, with a balance of coding, system design, and database management questions. Candidates should be prepared to demonstrate their proficiency in Java and understanding of complex system designs.

1

ROUND 1: Data Structures and Algorithms

#1

Find All Anagrams in a String

Given a string, find all anagram groups and return the list of groups. Each group should contain words that are anagrams of each other.
string-manipulation
anagrams
grouping
Medium
#2

Valid Sudoku

Determine if a 9x9 Sudoku board is valid, meaning that each row, column, and 3x3 sub-box contains no duplicate numbers. You should return true if the board is valid, and false otherwise.
grid-validation
sudoku
constraint-satisfaction
Medium
2

ROUND 2: Java and DBMS

#1

Second-Highest Salary SQL Query

Write an SQL query to find the second-highest salary from an employee table. The table contains a column 'salary'.
sql
database
query-optimization
Easy
#2

Database Schema Design for Ride-Sharing App

How would you design a database schema for a ride-sharing application similar to Uber? Describe the entities involved and their relationships.
database-design
entity-relationships
system-design
Medium
#3

Optimizing Slow Queries

Discuss your approach to optimizing a slow SQL query. What steps would you take, and what tools would you use?
performance-tuning
sql
optimization
Medium
#4

Handling Database Deadlocks

Describe how you would handle database deadlocks in a concurrent environment. What strategies would you employ?
concurrency
deadlocks
database-management
Medium
#5

Frequent Transaction Types

Given a large dataset of user transactions, how would you design a solution to efficiently identify the most frequent transaction types?
data-analysis
frequent-item-analysis
database-design
Medium
#6

Wait vs Sleep

What is the difference between wait() and sleep() methods in Java? Discuss their applications in multithreaded programming.
java
multithreading
concurrency
Easy
#7

Thread Pool Concept and Implementation

Explain the concept of a thread pool in Java and describe how it is implemented. What are its advantages?
java
multithreading
thread-pool
Medium
#8

Preventing Deadlocks in Multithreaded Applications

How would you prevent deadlocks in a multithreaded Java application? Detail your approach and strategies.
java
deadlocks
multithreading
Medium
#9

Designing a Thread-Safe Singleton Class

How would you design a thread-safe singleton class in Java? Explain the different methods and their trade-offs.
java
singleton-pattern
design-patterns
Medium
3

ROUND 3: LLD & HLD

#1

Carpooling Services Database Design

Design a comprehensive database schema for a carpooling service. Include the specifications for the database entities and their interconnections.
system-design
database-schema
entities
Hard
#2

System Flow for Carpooling Services

Describe the system flow for a carpooling service. Explain the steps from user registration, ride matching, to payment processing.
system-flow
carpooling
service-architecture
Hard
r

ritwik chakraborty

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