Getting hired as a Software Development Engineer (SDE) at Amazon is no easy feat. With an acceptance rate of less than 2%, even experienced programmers find it challenging to clear the Amazon SDE 2 interview process.
In this comprehensive guide, I will share everything you need to know to crack the SDE 2 interview at Amazon, including an overview of the interview process, frequently asked coding questions, tips for system design rounds, and how to ace the behavioral interview.
Overview of the Amazon SDE 2 Interview Process
The SDE 2 interview at Amazon aims to evaluate your skills in four key areas
- Coding and problem-solving
- Systems design
- Leadership principles
- Analytical and object-oriented programming
Here are the main rounds you can expect in the SDE 2 interview loop
Online Assessment
- 1.5 hour remote coding round via Amazon Chime
- 1-2 coding questions focused on data structures and algorithms
- Assessed on approach, ability to handle edge cases
- Leadership principles discussion
Technical Phone Screen
- Systems design and coding questions
- Design is low-level, coding is Leetcode medium/hard
On-site Interviews
- 3-4 rounds covering coding, systems design, leadership
- Coding: 1-2 rounds of Leetcode medium/hard
- Systems design: Low-level and high-level
- Leadership/behavioral: STAR format responses
Commonly Asked Amazon SDE 2 Coding Interview Questions
Coding questions form a major part of the SDE 2 interview. Here are some of the most frequently asked coding questions:
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LRU Cache: Implement an LRU cache and execute GET and SET operations. Focus on optimizing time and space complexity.
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Word Ladder Given beginWord and endWord, transform beginWord to endWord by changing one letter at a time using words from the dictionary Return minimum number of steps
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3Sum: Given an integer array, find all triplets that sum to zero. Handle duplicates efficiently.
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Gas Station: Given arrays of gas and cost, return index of starting station to complete a circular route.
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Island Problem: Given a matrix of 0s and 1s, find size of the largest island (connected 1s).
Expect coding questions in the medium to hard difficulty level on Leetcode. Brush up on core data structures, algorithms, string manipulation, graphs, dynamic programming etc. to ace this round.
Tips for System Design Rounds
You will face at least one system design round focused on high-level design principles. Be prepared to design large scale systems like:
- Video streaming services
- Social networks
- Payment systems
- Ride sharing platforms
Focus on objectives like scalability, latency, reliability and optimization. Brush up on concepts like:
- Database modeling
- Microservices
- Caching
- Load balancing
- Sharding
Talk through your design and make logical tradeoffs. Ask clarifying questions to deeply understand requirements.
Answering Amazon Leadership Principles Questions
Expect several behavioral questions based on Amazon’s leadership principles. Have stories ready from your past experience that demonstrate skills like:
- Customer obsession
- Ownership
- Invent and simplify
- Are right, a lot
- Hire and develop the best
Use the STAR method – Situation, Task, Action, Result to frame your responses. Quantify your results with metrics and data.
Additional Tips to Crack the Amazon SDE 2 Interview
Here are some final tips to ace your SDE 2 interview:
- Practice mock interviews on platforms like Interviewing.io
- Solve at least 200 Leetcode questions
- Review system design content from platforms like Gaurav Sen, Grokking the Object Oriented Design Interview
- Internal referrals significantly boost your odds
- Emphasize your ability to learn quickly during behavioral rounds
Amazon’s bar for hiring SDEs is very high. With diligent preparation across coding, system design and behavioral skills, you can greatly boost your chances of landing your dream role.
The key is to not get intimidated, believe in your abilities, and thoroughly prep using resources mentioned above.
All the best for your upcoming Amazon SDE 2 interview! You’ve got this!
Amazon Behavioral Interview Questions | Leadership Principles Explained
What are Amazon Sde 2 interview questions?
Amazon SDE 2 interview questions on systems design are mostly asked at the on-site interviews. SDE 2 applicants go through a high-level design round where hiring managers evaluate their ability to build arbitrary, scalable systems with low latency.
What is an SDE interview at Amazon?
At Amazon, our goal is to be the world’s most customer-centric company by delivering innovative products, services, and ideas. The SDE interview is designed to identify candidates who have the technical proficiency, behavioral skills, and cultural fit required to help us achieve this mission. What does an SDE II do at Amazon?
What are the stages of Amazon Sde 2 interview?
There are 3 main stages in the Amazon SDE 2 interview process. They are – i) the online assessment, ii) the technical phone screen, and iii) the on-site Interview. Q2. What Type of Interview Questions are Asked at Amazon SDE 2 Interviews?
How do I prepare for an Amazon Sde 2 interview?
Tips for Preparation To prepare effectively for your Amazon SDE 2 interview, start by brushing up on data structures and algorithms, as these are core to solving coding problems. Leverage resources like LeetCode and Cracking the Coding Interview for practice. Next, gain a deep understanding of system design, which is crucial for the role.
What is Amazon Sde 2 coding interview?
Also known as the Loop, it typically comprises 3-4 rounds where the Amazon SDE 2 interview questions that are asked evaluate your coding skills, design skills, and understanding of Amazon’s leadership principles. The coding rounds – The on-site interview can have one or two coding interview rounds.
What questions are included in a Sde interview?
These questions cover topics like coding, system design, and leadership principles. a. Amazon Interview Questions for SDE Freshers Amazon’s SDE interview process evaluates your core computer science skills and tests your expertise in data structures, object-oriented design, and other fundamental concepts.
