.NET Developer Interview Questions

Responsibilities

 .NET Developer responsibilities may include:

• Designing reliable .NET code
• Testing software in order to fix potential bugs
• Communicating with other engineers to develop an application
• Building database systems
• Performing cross-functional implementation and tests

Skills

.NET is the basis of many business applications. In order to utilize their knowledge to provide the best code possible, skilled .NET Developers will:

• Communicate effectively with other engineers on their team
• Possess an eye for detail to identify errors in code
• Utilize creative thinking to automate processes
• Utilize customer feedback to fix faulty code
• Provide businesses with products that will streamline daily activities

Qualifications

Many entry-level positions require applicants to possess a bachelor’s degree in computer science or a related field. However, it is not uncommon to find self-taught developers with little to no formal education. There are many courses and certifications outside of formal education which candidates can utilize to make themselves more attractive to employers. 

However, candidates seeking higher-level managerial positions often need a master’s degree in computer science or a related field.

If you’re getting ready to interview for a position as a .NET developer, you can prepare by researching the company as much as possible. Learn about the 9 things you should research before an interview.

Salary

Salaries for .NET developers range between $87K and $154K with the median being $120K. 

Factors impacting the salary you receive as a .NET developer include:

• Degrees (associate's or equivalent technical training, bachelor's, master's)
• Years of Experience
• Location
• Reporting Structure (seniority of the manager you report to and number of direct reports)
• Level of Performance - Exceeding Expectations

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.NET Developer Interview Questions

Question: Can you explain what a .NET web service is?

Explanation: This is an example of a technical question. During an interview as a .NET developer, you can anticipate that the majority of questions will be technical in nature. The best way to answer technical questions is directly and concisely with little embellishment.

Example: “Web services are components that can be reused and enable developers to publish the application’s functions on the internet. This makes the application accessible and able to interact with other applications online. Web services are written in standard protocols, including HTTP, XML, and others. This enables them to connect across platforms and programming languages.”

Question: How do the terms class and object relate to each other, and what is the difference between them?

Explanation: This technical question asks you to compare two different terms used by .NET developers. When answering this type of question, briefly define the terms and compare any similarities or differences between them.

Example: “A class is a building block or template which defines the attributes of an object, Its behavior, and the data contained in it. An object is a single instance of a class that has individual identities, behaviors, and attributes. These two terms relate to each other because a class defines the states and properties that are common to a wide range of objects.”

Question: How does managed code differ from unmanaged code?

Explanation: This is another technical question asking you to describe the differences between the two terms used in this role. Follow the same pattern of defining the terms and then describing their differences.

Example: "Managed code is programming which runs and the common language runtime (CLR) which is a critical part of the .NET environment. Unmanaged code is code written in other languages and only runs on the platforms for which it is written. While these two are interoperable, managed code is platform independent and also takes advantage of the functionality COR provides within the .NET framework.”

Question: Can you explain inheritance and how it functions in a .NET environment?

Explanation: This is yet another technical question. As the interview progresses, the technical questions will become more specific and more difficult. This indicates the interviewer is gaining confidence in your capabilities and is willing to explore more sophisticated areas. Continue to respond to these questions in the same manner you have been.

Example: “Inheritance means a class is based on another class and is considered any child of the parent class. The child has the same attributes as the parent class. An example of this is that a parent class would be named dwelling while the child class may be called home, apartment, or condominium. All three of these will have the same attributes as the parent class dwelling. The children can only be associated with one parent.”

Question: How does an abstract class and an interface differ from each other?

Explanation: The interviewer is continuing to explore your understanding of .NET programming and the terms and concepts associated with it. The best way to prepare for this type of interview is to review the terminology, concepts, and practices common to a .NET developer. It’s also advisable to practice these questions while providing your answers out loud to build your confidence and the muscle memory associated with interviewing.

Example: “An abstract class is a base class. It provides virtual members the other entities they must use and a framework for the implementation of a functionality. While developers can declare fields from an abstract class, they cannot create objects from it. An interface can declare properties, methods, and events. It designates behaviors that implementing classes need to have.”

Question: Can you define delegate as it relates to .NET?

Explanation: While the term delegate can have many meanings, the interviewer is asking you to define it within the framework of .NET. This is an example of needing to carefully listen to the questions the interviewer is asking to provide the answers they are seeking. It demonstrates the need for active listening so you understand the question and can address it appropriately.

Example: “A delegate is a type that contains a reference to a method. Delegates can reference either single or multiple methods. It allows objects to be passed to code when the code calls for the method. The advantage of a delegate is that it doesn’t require the developer to know which method is being used when the code is compiled.”

Question: Please explain the differences between a queue and a stack.

Explanation: Again, you are being asked to compare two terms used by .NET developers. As a reminder, first define the terms and then describe the differences or similarities between them.

Example: “A queue and a stack are both collections. A stack keeps track of what is executing and contains stored value types. The value types are processed in a last-in, first-out order. A queue, on the other hand, processes value types on a first-in, first-out basis.”

Question: When is it common to use .NET web forms over ASP.NET MVC?

Explanation: By asking this question, the interviewer is trying to determine your familiarity with two different types of programming methodologies. The first is a legacy methodology and more common in the .NET framework. The others are newer methodologies that provide more functionality. Both are valid, so by expressing a preference, you are indicating which of them you typically use.

Example: “Historically, the .NET framework has been based on web forms which create web services using Microsoft’s visual studio tools. Throughout my career, I employed web forms for the majority of my programming. ASP.NET MVC is a newer development methodology known as model view controller. Its advantage is that it allows applications to be divided into discrete components, making them easier to test during development.” 

Question: Define JSON data, and describe how .NET developers can work with it?

Explanation: The interviewer will ask this question to test your knowledge of a specific component of .NET programming. Like the other technical questions, they’re looking for a definition of the term and a brief description of how it is used. When responding to questions like this, you should anticipate a follow-up question which the interviewer will use to dig deeper into the topic. This is why you keep your answers short and concise, allowing them to explore the topic in more depth or move on to something new.

Example: “JavaScript Object Notation, or JSON, enables developers to organize and store data, making it easy to access. The advantage of this is that it allows developers to manipulate feeds from other sites and use them for their code. Other uses for JSON are defining classes that parse objects and serializing value types.”

Question: Can you name three common acronyms that are used in .NET and what each one of them stands for?

Explanation: This is an odd question because it allows you the flexibility to identify several terms you use while developing code in a .NET environment. An interviewer may ask this type of question just to see where you go with this and the acronyms you identify. It provides them with an example of how you can think on your feet as well as your knowledge of specific areas within .NET.

Example: “Wow, this is a pretty wide open question. I guess I’d start with JIT which stands for just in time compiler. The compiler uses the target machine CPU to perform a .NET operation. Another common term is OOP which stands for object-oriented programming. A third term is CLI or common intermediate language. This is a compiled code library originally developed by Microsoft. I use that for security, versioning, and deployment.”

Additional .NET Developer Interview Questions

• What is session management?

• Can you write a code to divide two numbers without using a division or modulus operator?

• What is the difference between a full outer join and inner join?

• Have you ever missed a deadline? If so, how was it handled?

• What was the most difficult script you ever wrote? How long did it take to write it?