Technical interviews can feel stressful, especially if you don’t know what to expect.

The good news is that most software engineering interviews cover similar topics. Employers aren’t expecting you to know everything—they want to understand how you think, solve problems and communicate your ideas.

Whether you’re applying for a Software Developer, Frontend Developer, DevOps Engineer or Data Engineer role, these are some of the most common technical interview questions you’ll encounter.

Tell Me About Yourself

Almost every interview starts with this question.

Keep your answer focused on:

• Your experience
• The technologies you’ve worked with
• Projects you’ve enjoyed
• What you’re looking for next

Try to keep your introduction under two minutes.

Can You Tell Me About a Project You’ve Worked On?

This is one of the most important questions in any technical interview.

Be ready to explain:

• What the application does
• Your role in the project
• The technologies you used
• The biggest challenges
• How you solved them

Interviewers often spend more time discussing your real projects than asking theoretical questions.

What Technologies Have You Used?

Employers want to understand your technical background.

For example, you might discuss experience with:

• .NET
• Java
• Python
• React
• Angular
• Node.js
• SQL
• Azure
• AWS
• Docker
• Kubernetes

Be honest about your experience and avoid claiming knowledge you don’t have.

Explain REST APIs

Backend developers are commonly asked questions such as:

• What is a REST API?
• What are HTTP methods?
• What’s the difference between GET and POST?
• When would you use PUT or PATCH?
• What do common HTTP status codes mean?

Understanding APIs is essential for most modern software development roles.

Object-Oriented Programming

Common questions include:

• What is inheritance?
• What is polymorphism?
• What is encapsulation?
• What is abstraction?
• What are interfaces?
• What’s the difference between an interface and an abstract class?

You don’t need textbook definitions, but you should be able to explain these concepts clearly.

SQL and Databases

Many software interviews include SQL questions.

Examples include:

• Explain INNER JOIN and LEFT JOIN.
• What is a primary key?
• What is a foreign key?
• What is an index?
• How would you optimise a slow query?

You may also be asked to write a simple SQL query.

Data Structures and Algorithms

Some employers include coding questions covering:

• Arrays
• Lists
• Stacks
• Queues
• Hash Maps
• Trees
• Sorting
• Searching

The level of difficulty depends on the company and the seniority of the role.

Design Patterns

For mid-level and senior roles, interviewers often ask about:

• Singleton
• Factory
• Repository
• Strategy
• Observer
• Dependency Injection

Focus on explaining when you would use each pattern rather than memorising definitions.

Git and Version Control

Common questions include:

• What is Git?
• What is branching?
• What is a pull request?
• How do you resolve merge conflicts?
• What is Git rebase?

Most development teams use Git every day.

Cloud Technologies

Cloud knowledge is increasingly expected.

Common topics include:

Azure

• App Services
• Azure Functions
• Azure Storage
• Azure SQL

AWS

• EC2
• S3
• Lambda
• RDS

You don’t need expert knowledge, but understanding the basics is a big advantage.

Docker and Kubernetes

Many backend and DevOps roles include questions about:

• Docker containers
• Docker images
• Docker Compose
• Kubernetes Pods
• Deployments
• Scaling applications

Even basic experience can help you stand out.

Testing

Employers may ask:

• What is unit testing?
• What is integration testing?
• Have you written automated tests?
• Which testing frameworks have you used?

Writing reliable code is just as important as writing new features.

Debugging

A common question is:

“How would you investigate a production issue?”

A good answer might include:

• Reproducing the problem
• Checking logs
• Identifying the root cause
• Testing the fix
• Deploying safely
• Monitoring the application afterwards

Interviewers want to understand your troubleshooting approach.

Performance Optimisation

You might be asked:

• How would you improve application performance?
• How would you reduce API response times?
• Why might a database query be slow?

Real-world examples from previous projects are often more valuable than theoretical answers.

Security

Basic security knowledge is becoming increasingly important.

Common topics include:

• Authentication
• Authorization
• SQL Injection
• Cross-Site Scripting (XSS)
• Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF)
• Password hashing

You don’t need to be a security expert, but understanding the fundamentals is important.

Behavioural Questions

Technical interviews almost always include behavioural questions.

Examples include:

• Tell me about a difficult project.
• Describe a challenge you faced.
• Tell me about a mistake you made.
• How do you handle deadlines?
• Why are you looking for a new role?

These questions help employers understand how you work within a team.

Role-Specific Questions

.NET Developers

Typical topics include:

• C#
• ASP.NET Core
• Entity Framework Core
• LINQ
• Dependency Injection
• SQL Server

Java Developers

Common topics include:

• Spring Boot
• Hibernate
• JVM
• Collections
• Multithreading

Frontend Developers

Interviewers often ask about:

• JavaScript
• TypeScript
• React or Angular
• State Management
• Responsive Design
• Performance optimisation

Data Engineers

Typical questions cover:

• SQL
• Python
• ETL
• Snowflake
• Databricks
• Airflow
• Data Warehousing

DevOps Engineers

Common topics include:

• Docker
• Kubernetes
• CI/CD
• Azure
• AWS
• Terraform
• Linux

How to Prepare

Before your interview:

• Review your CV.
• Refresh your programming language knowledge.
• Practice SQL queries.
• Revisit your previous projects.
• Research the company’s technology stack.
• Practice explaining technical concepts clearly.

Remember, communication is just as important as technical knowledge.

Final Thoughts

Technical interviews aren’t about having every answer. Employers want to understand how you think, how you solve problems and how you communicate with others.

Focus on your core technologies, be ready to discuss real projects and explain your decisions clearly. Strong preparation and confidence in your experience will help you perform well in almost any technical interview.

If you’re preparing for your next opportunity, browse the latest software jobs on SoftwareVacancy and discover employers hiring across Malta.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most common technical interview question?

One of the most common questions is: “Can you tell me about a project you’ve worked on?” Employers often use your previous experience as the basis for the rest of the interview.

Do all technical interviews include coding tests?

No. Some companies use live coding or take-home tasks, while others focus on technical discussions and previous project experience.

How long does a technical interview last?

Most technical interviews last between 45 and 90 minutes, depending on the role and interview process.

What should I do if I don’t know the answer?

Be honest. Explain how you would approach the problem and demonstrate your reasoning. Interviewers often value your thought process more than a perfect answer.

Where can I find software engineering jobs in Malta?

SoftwareVacancy regularly publishes opportunities for Software Developers, Frontend Developers, Backend Developers, DevOps Engineers and Data Engineers from employers hiring across Malta.