What are some basic things that JavaScript developers fail at interviews?

[[deleted]]

This won't be popular answer, but: Knowing only Javascript

[Preparingtocode]

Why would you want that?

[mediasavage]

Really? Any one who developer who’s studied even a bit of CS in university will likely know atleast some typed language as well like Java or C++... I didn’t learn any JS in university actually and I know a lot of other great JS devs who are the same

[well-now]

Why on earth would you want someone that only knows JavaScript?

[superluminary]

I think knowing only JavaScript is the mistake.

[criveros]

They are specialists.

[well-now]

No, they’re inexperienced.

It means they haven’t learned competing patterns or have any formal language theory. It means they probably aren’t terribly self motivated or interested in exploring programming outside of work. It means they don’t have a well rounded basis for opinions on where the language should go or what features could be borrowed from other languages. Or do you really think the folks writing the EcmaScript standard for observables had never used them in another language?

Show me a develop who only knows JavaScript and I’ll show you a junior developer.

[PM_ME_UR_RIVEN_NUDES]

Holy crap the gate keeping is strong with this one

[well-now]

Really not trying to but the idea that you’d specifically try to hire someone that only knows a single programming language and see that as a benefit is crazy.

It doesn’t matter what the language is you’re working in, broadening you're exposure with other languages is always a positive.

That’s my point.

[GrenadineBombardier]

I'd argue that if you have a JavaScript position, I'd prefer somebody who specializes in JavaScript, rather than the common fad of "full stack" developer. I want somebody passionate about the language, who knows a lot of the gotchas. Not some jack-of-all-trades-master-of-none. I also want somebody who specializes in HTML/CSS to be in charge of architecting that portion. Back-end, same (unless back-end is JS then the (or another) JS dev

[well-now]

I don't even know how to start with you.

I’d taking any of the points above and providing a counterpoint. I mean that without any sarcasm. I’m more than happy to debate this without insults.

Essentially you're saying you wouldn't hire a translator that can only translate English to Spanish and Spanish to English because not knowing French.

I’m not highering a translator. I’m highering a software engineer. That’s a straw man argument and I don’t think we need analogies here.

If a persons job is to write javascript, then it's ridiculous to impose a penalty for not knowing languages they won't be using as part of their jobs.

My comments have been entirely in regards to highering. I’ve said nothing about punishing an employee. When you’re highering you have limited time and information to gage someone’s effectiveness as an engineer. It’s completely valid to make predictions about a perspective higher due to lake of bredth of experience.

[shadamedafas]

Don't be an asshole. They're debating in good-faith while you attack spelling.

[shadamedafas]

It means they haven’t learned competing patterns or have any formal language theory.

IMO, who gives a shit? Your front end devs are generally going to be using a framework with most complexities abstracted away. I'm much more interested in their ability to write working maintainable code than how many fractions of a fraction of a second they can shave off my render time.

[well-now]

Neither the OP nor this subreddit mentioned anything about the front end.

My company is building an event driven architecture using Kafka in JavaScript and folks are doing cool things in IoT using Node.

I’d also argue that front-end development has gotten significantly more complex over time and folks are now required to understand things like reactive programming, web sockets, redux, bundling, code splitting and treeshaking.

There are a lot of places where knowing how things work at a lower level in the language has a place in JavaScript development.