MockQuestions

Mobile Developer Mock Interview

30 Questions Created By

To help you prepare for your Mobile Developer interview, here are 30 interview questions and answer examples.

First Question

30 Mobile Developer Interview Questions

15 Interview Questions With Sample Answers

1.   Tell about a time when you worked on a project to improve an existing application.

How to Answer

An interviewer will ask you this question to learn about your ability to analyze existing applications and identify issues or improvement opportunities. Many developers are skilled at writing their own code but struggle when analyzing code written by somebody else. Programming is as much of an art as it is a science. Every developer has their own style and uses a different approach to creating software, even though they use the same language and platforms. When answering a question like this, you should be specific and provide an example to illustrate your answer.

Written by William Swansen on September 5th, 2021

Answer Example

"In my last job, one of my first assignments was to analyze a program the company had already released to the market and determine what improvements could be made. This required me first to understand the programming style of the team that originally wrote the program, so I could determine their approach to accomplishing the functions of software performed. I was then able to find ways to make the code more efficient and enhance the user experience. This resulted in a new revision of the program, which created new revenue opportunities for the organization."

Written by William Swansen on September 5th, 2021

2.   Tell about a time when you were part of a development team and had to handle disagreements or differences in development strategies.

How to Answer

This is an example of a behavioral question. While most of the questions you will be asked during an interview for a mobile application developer position will be either technical or operational, you will likely be asked other types of questions, including behavioral, situational, and general. When responding to a behavioral question, you can use the STAR framework. State the situation, describe the task you were trying to achieve, discuss the actions you took, and then talk about the results.

Written by William Swansen on September 5th, 2021

Answer Example

"Every developer has their own style, preferences, the methodologies. Most of the time, developers working on a team can integrate these to create a cohesive development strategy. However, occasionally disagreements occur. When this happens, my strategy is to listen to my teammates' suggestions and determine if we can compromise. If we can't do this, I suggest that we engage our manager to arbitrate the disagreement. This usually resolves the issue and allows us to move forward."

Written by William Swansen on September 5th, 2021

3.   What has been your most challenging experience creating a mobile app?

How to Answer

An interviewer will ask you this question to learn about the challenges you have encountered in your previous jobs and how you overcame them. When preparing for an interview, you should research the company and the type of application they develop. This will allow you to respond to these types of questions in the context of the work that the organization is interviewing you for.

Written by William Swansen on September 5th, 2021

Answer Example

"Probably the greatest challenge I face when developing an application for mobile devices is making the interface adaptable to different devices. This has become even more challenging with the advent of wearable devices. I've taken several courses and practiced my skills in developing adaptable applications that perform well across a wide range of devices. I also maintain the library of code applicable to this type of challenge."

Written by William Swansen on September 5th, 2021

4.   What's the most important thing I should know about your app development experience?

How to Answer

This is an example of a general question the interviewer will ask to learn more about your background. Interviewers will ask a variety of questions throughout the interview. These will include general, technical, operational, situational, and behavioral questions. Recognizing the type of question you are being asked will help you determine how to best answer it. A general question allows you to discuss your qualifications for the position without answering a specific question.

Written by William Swansen on September 5th, 2021

Answer Example

"The most important thing you should know about my experience developing mobile applications is that I am flexible and adaptable. While I have preferences about the language and platforms I code in and the types of applications I prefer to develop, I can adapt my style and code to any environment. I enjoy the challenge of developing an application that is new to me and which I haven't worked on in the past. This allows me to learn new techniques and new application development methodologies."

Written by William Swansen on September 5th, 2021

5.   How do you keep current on developments in the mobile app development industry?

How to Answer

Maintaining your knowledge of current trends, technologies, and tools used in the mobile software development industry is a critical responsibility of any developer. You should have a detailed plan of how you go about doing this and describe it to the interviewer. You may want to follow up your answer with a question, asking the interviewer what continuing education programs and opportunities the organization offers to its software development team.

Written by William Swansen on September 5th, 2021

Answer Example

"Staying current on developments within the mobile software industry is challenging due to how quickly the industry moves and things change. However, I enjoy doing this because I am passionate about my profession and want to learn as much as possible and stay on top of current developments. I do this by reading industry publications, following the leading bloggers, attending online conferences, and discussing developments with other programmers within my organization. I am confident that my knowledge about creating mobile software applications is current and up to date."

Written by William Swansen on September 5th, 2021

6.   Can you compare the Android and iOS mobile platforms and discuss their advantages and disadvantages?

How to Answer

As a mobile application developer, you will likely be working in the two major operating platforms, which are Android and iOS. While there are some other environments, such as Google and Amazon, hiring managers will expect you to have direct experience and intimate knowledge of both major mobile device OSs. Even if you have only developed one of these, you should be able to compare and contrast it to the other, discussing its advantages and disadvantages. Your pre-interview research will help you determine the type of applications the organization develops and their preference for mobile platforms. This will help you to formulate your answers in the appropriate context.

Written by William Swansen on September 5th, 2021

Answer Example

"As a mobile application developer, I have developed for both the iOS and Android environments. Each of these has distinct differences along with many similarities. The similarities involve developing quality user interfaces, requirements for lean applications, and the ability to interact with other applications on the same platform. I find it easier to develop in the iOS environment due to its uniformity, device standardization, and libraries of code that can be repurposed. The Android environment provides more flexibility, opportunities to develop different types of devices, and large reusable code libraries. However, the Android OS presents challenges regarding the wide variety of hardware devices in use, different screen sizes, and other features I need to adjust for since there are many hardware device manufacturers in this market segment."

Written by William Swansen on September 5th, 2021

7.   Where can I see some examples of mobile apps you have helped develop?

How to Answer

Even if you're applying for an entry-level mobile developer position, you should have already developed some mobile applications, either for commercial, educational, or personal use. Organizations will expect you to have previous experience developing applications and provide them with either URLs or downloadable applications they can view. As a mobile application developer, you should begin developing your portfolio of applications as soon as possible, preferably during your training or education. Producing the portfolio on demand is essential to succeeding in the job search process and responding to questions like this.

Written by William Swansen on September 5th, 2021

Answer Example

"I have developed dozens of mobile applications for a variety of uses. My first applications were developed during my time in college. I then went on to develop many commercial and personal apps. Most of these are noted in my resume. Several of the applications I developed are similar to those your organization produces, so my experience will be directly applicable to this job. You can view my complete portfolio at (insert URL here), or I can send some applications to your phone."

Written by William Swansen on September 5th, 2021

8.   What is your experience working on applications similar to the ones our company develops?

How to Answer

It is natural for an organization to expect you have experience developing the type of applications they are hiring you to work on. You should anticipate this question and be prepared to respond to it. You can research the type of applications the organization creates using the job posting, their website, and conversations with current and former members of their software development team. If you don't have direct experience with the type of applications the company creates, admit this, and then discuss how your previous experience working on similar applications will transfer to this role.

Written by William Swansen on September 5th, 2021

Answer Example

"One of the reasons I applied for this position is that my experience developing mobile applications aligns perfectly with the job posting. I have collaborated on mobile applications exactly like those you are looking to develop and write code for several different parts of the application. These include the user interface, the backend, database connectivity features, and several other elements of the applications. I'm confident I can quickly come up to speed on the applications currently under development and provide suggestions for application features you may not have already thought of."

Written by William Swansen on September 5th, 2021

9.   Can you talk about the mobile apps you've developed?

How to Answer

This is a typical opening question that the interviewer will use to begin the conversation, learn more about your background, and collect information they can use throughout the interview. This question allows you to guide the interview toward a subject matter area you are comfortable talking about. When answering this or any other question, keep your response brief and to the point. The interviewer will ask follow-up questions if they need more information or want to explore the topic in more depth.

Written by William Swansen on September 5th, 2021

Answer Example

"I've developed a wide range of mobile apps for the Android environment. The majority of my work has been in productivity apps. These allow users to track their activity, set up lists of tasks, and integrate these into their calendar applications. Many of the applications I have developed all are similar to the ones that your company produces. I believe this experience and the skills I have acquired will apply to the type of work your organization performs."

Written by William Swansen on September 5th, 2021

10.   Tell me about some best practices when designing icons for a mobile product.

How to Answer

When asked to discuss best practices, the interviewer seeks to understand your techniques when developing a mobile application. Your answer to this question will qualify you for the position and help the interviewer understand if your techniques and methodologies align with those of their team. You should perform a great deal of research before the interview to understand the type of applications the company develops and the techniques they use. You may also want to contact some of the organization's current or former developers to discuss these topics.

Written by William Swansen on September 5th, 2021

Answer Example

"Icons are significant when developing mobile applications. Icons can replace long strings of text and economize on the device's interface space. Certain icons will be standardized based on the development platform or the mobile device's operating system. Others can be customized within a specific application. If the application is part of a group or family, the icon should be standardized across each product within the group. Icons can also function as standalone graphic elements of the application. These will have no function but will enhance the application's appearance and user experience."

Written by William Swansen on September 5th, 2021

11.   What features do you include in the mobile apps you develop to enhance their security?

How to Answer

Second, only to the functionality of an application is its security. Mobile application vendors are extremely aware of this and strive to ensure that their applications do not compromise the end-user's personal information or provide access to other parts of the end user's environment on their mobile device. As a mobile developer, it is your responsibility to include these security features and minimize their impact on the user experience. The interviewer will seek to understand how you accomplish this and to confirm that you feel security is an important component of any mobile application you develop.

Written by William Swansen on September 5th, 2021

Answer Example

"During the mobile application development process, I incorporate several security features into the application. These include user logins, authentication, encryption, and other methods to keep the user information secure and prevent hackers or malware from accessing their personal information and other applications on their mobile devices. I include both black and white hacking test procedures in the development process to verify that my security measures function properly."

Written by William Swansen on September 5th, 2021

12.   What do you feel is a mobile developer's responsibility concerning the ongoing maintenance of the applications they develop?

How to Answer

Many developers feel that their job is finished once the application is released into production or commercial use. They feel that the ongoing maintenance and support for the application is the responsibility of the end-user support team or other members of the software development organization. However, interviewers will want to ensure that you will continue to be available to whichever group is responsible for maintaining the application and that you are interested in both maintenance and application updates. When responding to this question, you should discuss the importance of this responsibility and how you use feedback from the users and the support staff to modify and improve the application.

Written by William Swansen on September 5th, 2021

Answer Example

"My responsibility as a mobile application developer does not end once the application is released into production or for commercial use. This extends beyond simple patches and bug fixes. I am responsible for maintaining and improving the application during its entire life cycle. I accomplish this by soliciting feedback from the end-user support team and directly from the end-users themselves. I focus on the user interface, the overall user experience, how well the application functions, and whether it interacts with other applications effectively. I periodically create code and released new versions of the application to address these issues."

Written by William Swansen on September 5th, 2021

13.   Can you discuss onboarding and how you manage the user onboarding process?

How to Answer

User onboarding involves introducing applications to the end-users, having them quickly understand how to use them, and reducing the time it takes for end-users to benefit from the mobile applications. Part of a mobile application developer's responsibility is to reduce the amount of time it takes for a user to come up to speed on a new application and began to become familiar with its functions and features. The interviewer will be interested in learning how you accomplish this, and you understand the need to onboard users as quickly and effortlessly as possible.

Written by William Swansen on September 5th, 2021

Answer Example

"User onboarding begins with the user interface for an application. I focus on designing user interfaces that are intuitive, easy to use, and leverage the look and feel of other applications users are likely to be familiar with. Another way I accelerate the onboarding process is to create a set of FAQs and a robust help feature in my applications which the users can easily access if they encounter something they are unfamiliar with or need assistance with. I test these features before releasing the application into production to ensure users understand how to access the application and its features. This testing and feedback process is critical to the final product being intuitive and having a minimal onboarding cycle."

Written by William Swansen on September 5th, 2021

14.   How important is collaboration in the mobile application development process?

How to Answer

Organizations like team players. Even though some mobile developers will readily admit that they work best on their own, organizations prefer developers who are good at collaboration. This is because application development is a synergistic process, and the more input from different people with varied backgrounds, the more robust the application is likely to be. Of course, at some point during the application development process, the functions and features need to be locked in, and input from many developers can have a negative impact. Interviewers will expect you to have perspectives on when collaboration is effective and when it isn't.

Written by William Swansen on September 5th, 2021

Answer Example

"I place a great deal of value on collaboration during the development of a mobile application. Even though I have a strong background in this area and the skills needed to develop an application on my own, I appreciate the input and perspective other developers bring to the process. Even if I am assigned to work on an application by myself, I share my work with my colleagues to get their feedback and ideas on improving the application. I also insist on collaborating with other project stakeholders and potentially the end-users for the application to make sure that their needs are being addressed."

Written by William Swansen on September 5th, 2021

15.   What is your experience developing Progressive Web Applications or PWAs?

How to Answer

As an application developer, you can have either very focused experience or broad experience across many different application types. Both of these are beneficial but also determine the type of developer jobs you're qualified for. If the organization creates a wide range of applications, your experience should match this. If their focus is narrower, having in-depth experience in one area is advantageous. The key is to only apply for roles that you're qualified for and which your experience demonstrates your ability to perform the job.

Written by William Swansen on September 5th, 2021

Answer Example

"I have a great deal of experience creating Progressive Web Applications, or PWAs. I prefer working in this area because it enables me to collaborate with the backend developers who create the foundation of the application which the PWA accesses. Updating the PWA becomes easier because it relies on the backend code. Since I preferred developing applications in a team environment, this is perfect for me. My experience developing native applications also contributes to my skill set in this area."

Written by William Swansen on September 5th, 2021