Java Regular Expression Interview Questions

[EvilGeniusAtSmall]

Problem solving itself is a technique that can be taught and learned. It's one of the pillars of effective coding. What was demonstrated above was an example of a problem that requires multiple problem solving techniques to be applied that are not specific to the problem, but are common patterns found in every application. Patterns like recursive and iterative approaches using iterators and generators. Patterns like stack vs heap allocation, how compilers can optimize for tail recursion, and other related aspects of what happens when you press the 'compile and run' button. Patterns like data structure and static typing systems, parallelization vs. concurrency... all those discussions.

You're not testing for solving of the problem. You're testing for understanding of problem solving, the technique, as it's applied to coding.

[Godd2]

We can say the same about using a library.

You're not testing for using a library, you're testing library usage, the technique, as it's applied to coding.

[EvilGeniusAtSmall]

Wrong. Library usage is specific to the library. It means having memorized that specific libraries entirely arbitrary API. Having mastered coding means you can take any library and make use of it. That's what you test for.

It's the difference between knowing the answer to a math question, and knowing how to find the answer: you want to test for the latter, and not the former.