Categories: Q & A

Answers to “15 Must Know Java Interview Questions After 2 Years of Experience”

This post is in response to 15 Must Know Java Interview Questions After 2 Years of Experience.
Note: Only short responses are provided for the questions.
If you feel that more depth or a correction is needed then visit the links or leave a comment below.

Core Java Questions with answers:

  1. What is the purpose of serialization?
    Answer: Serialization is the conversion of an object to a series of bytes, so that the object can be easily saved to persistent storage or streamed across a communication link. The byte stream can then be deserialised – converted into a replica of the original object.
    Source | Example
  2. What is the difference between JDK and JRE?
    Answer: Java Development Kit (JDK) is the most widely used Java Software Development Kit. Java Runtime Environment (JRE) is an implementation of the Java Virtual Machine which executes Java programs.
    Source | JDK Wiki | JVM Wiki
  3. What is the difference between equals() and “==” ?
    Answer: Equals is intended to check logical equality and == checks if both references point to same object. (Thanks Sandeep)
    a == b;        // Compares references, not values.
    a.equals(b);  // Compares values for equality.
    

    Source

  4. When will you use Comparator and Comparable interfaces?
    Answer: java.util.Comparator and java.lang.Comparable
    java.util.Comparator compares some other class’s instances, while java.lang.Comparable compares itself with another object.
    Source | Example
  5. What is the wait/notify mechanism?
    Answer: This deals with concurrent programming. The wait() and notify() methods are designed to provide a mechanism to allow a thread to be block until a specific condition is met.
    However, java.util.concurrent should be used instead of wait() and notify() to reduce complexity.
    Source | Java API | Java Technical Article
  6. What is the difference between checked and unchecked exceptions?
    Answer:
    In general, unchecked exceptions represent defects in the program (bugs), which are normally Runtime exceptions.
    Furthermore, checked exceptions represent invalid conditions in areas outside the immediate control of the program.
    Source
  7. What is the difference between final, finally and finalize?
    Answer: “final” is the keyword to declare a constant AND prevents a class from producing subclasses. (Thanks Tom Ellis)
    “finally” is a block of code that always executes when the try block is finished, unless System.exit() was called. finalize() is an method that is invoked before an object is discarded by the garbage collector.
    Source | Final Usage |Finally Usage | Finalize()
  8. What is the difference between web server and app server?
    Answer: A Web server exclusively handles HTTP requests, whereas an application server serves business logic to application programs through any number of protocols.
    Source
  9. Explain the Struts1/Struts2/MVC application architecture?
    Answer: Struts was adopted by the Java developer community as a default web framework for developing web applications
    The MVC(Model–view–controller) an application that consist of three distinct parts. The problem domain is represented by the Model. The output to the user is represented by the View. And, the input from the user is represented by Controller.
    Source
  10. What is the difference between forward and sendredirect?
    Answer: Both method calls redirect you to new resource/page/servlet. The difference between the two is that sendRedirect always sends a header back to the client/browser, containing the data in which you wanted to be redirected.
    Source
  11. How does a 3 tier application differ from a 2 tier one?
    Answer: Tiers are the physical units of separation or deployment, while layers are the logical units of separation.
    Imagine that you’re designing an e-commerce website. A 3 tier architecture would consist of web pages, a web server and a database, with the corresponding 3 layers being the “Presentation”, “Business Logic” and “Database” layers.
    If you take the database tier and layer out then your have a 2 tier architecture.
    Source
  12. How does the version control process works?
    Answer: Initiate, pull, branch, merge, commit, push.
    (Init) Make your own repository. (Pull) Download an existing repository from a url. (Branch / Merge )Make revisions. Commit then push your modifications.




    Git Cheat Sheet

  13. What is the difference between JAR and WAR files?
    Answer: JAR files (Java ARchive) allows aggregating many files into one, it is usually used to hold Java classes in a library.
    WAR files (Web Application aRchive) stores XML, java classes, and JavaServer pages for Web Application purposes.
    Source
  14. What is a Left outer join?
    Answer: This deals with SQL. Left outer join preserves the unmatched rows from the first (left) table, joining them with a NULL row in the shape of the second (right) table.
    Source | Joins Wiki
  15. What is the difference between UNION and UNION ALL?
    Answer: This deals with SQL. UNION only selects distinct values, UNION ALL selects all values.
    Source | Example

Check out Effective Java (2nd Edition) to fresh up your Java skills.
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Larry Battle

I love to program, and discover new tech. Check out my stackoverflow and github accounts.

View Comments

  • thanks for sharing . i think u missed a few important question

    what is a green thread in java.

    difference b/w clonable interface and remote interface

    what is a marker interface in java.

    • Hi Shashiranjan,

      1) green thread in java:

      There are two types of thereads are available . They are native threads and green threads.
      This native threads used by the os to perform the multi-threading and also these threads are managed by the kernal. The os use the pthread library to generate the native threads.

      The green threads are created by the programmer to execute our code in java. Sun microsystem proves only creation of green threads in java.

      It is not possiblt to swithch the native threads. But it is possiblt ot switch the green threads by using yield(),wait() and etc..

      2) Clonable interface:
      This Clonable marked interface is used to creating the exact copy of exiting object.

      Remote interface:

      Remote interface is used to creating the remote object that is shared by the mulitplt vertiul michines through RMI.

      3) marker interface in java:

      Which interface does not contain any methods those interfaces is called as marker interface or tagged interface. Thse interfaces are used to provide the some instruction to jvm.
      For example take the Serializable interface. Whenever any object provide the implementation to this interface the jvm allows the serialization on that object.

  • here's some more:

    +1
    0
    vote
    Answer #1

    Hey!
    I’ll try to give you some examples, differentiated by the level of the candidate applying:

    **UPDATE**: If you are a junior java developer or an aspiring one, I strongly recommend you to take first the OCJP certification before going to an interview. This can increase your chances to succes big time, as well as your entry salary – proven and tested by myself! :)

    1) Junior java developer
    a) Basic ocjp (former scjp) questions:
    – What does static, final mean, purposes;
    – How many accesibility modifiers exist? Please describe them.
    – Why do you need a main method?
    – How many constructors can you have?
    – Define overwriting and overloading
    – Give java API implementations for overwriting and overloading
    – Describe the String class – unique properties
    – StringBuilder vs StringBuffer
    – Collections : please describe, give some examples and compare them to eachother
    – ArrayList vs Vector
    – HashMap vs HashTable
    – What’s a tree
    – What’s a map
    – Multithreading: describe the management in java
    – What’s a semaphone?
    – How many states are there for threads?
    – Describe the usage for synchronized word (2)
    – Serialization in java – a descrition and usage
    – Garbage collection in java – description and usage
    – Can you guarantee the garbage collection process?
    b) Simple design pattern questions:
    – Singleton please describe main features and coding
    – Factory please describe main features and coding
    – Have you used others? please describe them

    2) Intermediate and Senior level – depending on rate of good responses, additional questions to 1):
    http://centraladvisor.com/programming-2/java/java-developer-interview

  • Hi Shashiranjan,

    1) green thread in java:

    There are two types of thereads are available . They are native threads and green threads.
    This native threads used by the os to perform the multi-threading and also these threads are managed by the kernal. The os use the pthread library to generate the native threads.

    The green threads are created by the programmer to execute our code in java. Sun microsystem proves only creation of green threads in java.

    It is not possiblt to swithch the native threads. But it is possiblt ot switch the green threads by using yield(),wait() and etc..

    3) marker interface in java:

    Which interface does not contain any methods those interfaces is called as marker interface or tagged interface. Thse interfaces are used to provide the some instruction to jvm.
    For example take the Serializable interface. Whenever any object provide the implementation to this interface the jvm allows the serialization on that object.

  • Problem : How Will you access the method of the sub class without creating the objcect of the SuperClass and the chances should be made into line between //....// area only... i.e. in single line. ( obj.add(); )

    public class SuperClass {
    public void add() {
    System.out.print("add() method from the Super Class");
    }
    }

    class SubClass extends SuperClass {
    public void add() {
    System.out.println("add() method from the SubClass.");
    }

    public static void main(String args[]) {
    SubClass obj=new SubClass();

    //..........................................................................//

    obj.add(); // add() method from SubClass.

    //..........................................................................//
    }
    }

  • Hi programmers

    I found a good way to make money

    a good place to exposure yourself as a freelancer to employers

    any skill's in programming or designing or any other skills are Good to make money

    this is my weblog: http://howcanifindwork.wordpress.com/

    I wrote something about that in there. something to share experiences in this work with others.

  • What is the difference between checked and unchecked exceptions?

    Checked exceptions must be treated, while unchecked exceptions doesn't.

  • hi all,

    i very thanks to admin, and i feel it needs to add some more questions for our aspirants .

    thank you

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