TCS Software Developer Interview Questions for Freshers

1. What is the difference between procedural and object-oriented programming?

Procedural Programming Object-Oriented Programming

Revolves around objects that encapsulate data and
Focuses on procedures or functions.
behavior.
Programs are structured using functions
Programs are structured using classes and objects.
or subroutines.
Data and functions are separate entities. Data and functions are encapsulated within objects.
Emphasizes on a top-down approach. Emphasizes on a bottom-up approach.
Promotes reusability, modularity, and easier
Less focus on reusability and modularity.
maintenance.
Objects encapsulate data, providing better data
Functions can have access to global data.
security and access control.
Examples include C, Pascal, and Fortran. Examples include Java, C++, and Python.

2. What is the difference between an abstract class and an interface?

Abstract Class Interface

Abstract class serves as a base class for
other classes to inherit from.
Abstract classes can encompass both
abstract and non-abstract methods.
It can include member variables,
constructors, and concrete methods.
It can provide default method
implementations.
It allows for code reuse and can define
common behavior for derived classes.
It supports single inheritance, meaning a
class can inherit from only one abstract
class.
It is used when a base class needs to
provide a common implementation for
derived classes.
It defines a contract of method signatures that any
class can implement.
It can only contain method signatures without any
method implementations.
It cannot include member variables or constructors
but can include constant values (static final
variables).
It does not provide any default method
implementations.
It enables multiple classes to adhere to a common
contract or behavior without specifying
implementation details.
It supports multiple inheritance, meaning a class
can implement multiple interfaces.
It is used when unrelated classes must adhere to a
common contract or behavior.

3. Explain the concept of exception handling in programming.

Exception handling in computer programming is a mechanism to handle and manage errors or
exceptions during program execution. It allows developers to catch and handle specific errors
gracefully, ensuring the program does not crash.

4. What is the significance of unit testing in software development?

Unit testing is the process of testing individual components or units of code to ensure their
functionality and correctness. It helps identify bugs early, improves code quality, and facilitates
easier debugging and maintenance.

5. How does a database index improve query performance?

A database index is a data structure that enhances query performance by creating a sorted
representation of selected columns. It speeds up data retrieval by minimizing the number of disk
I/O operations required to locate specific records.

6. State the difference between HTML and CSS.

HTML (HyperText Markup Language) is used for structuring and defining the content of a
web page, while CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) is used for styling and controlling the layout and
appearance of web elements.

7. What are the advantages of using responsive web design?

Responsive web design ensures that a website adapts and displays optimally on various devices
and screen sizes. It improves the user experience, enhances accessibility, and eliminates the need
to build separate device versions.

8 How can you optimize website performance and loading speed?

Performance optimization techniques include minimizing file sizes (e.g., compressing images),
reducing HTTP requests, using browser caching, optimizing code, and employing content
delivery networks (CDNs) to serve static assets.

9. Explain the concept of AJAX in web development.

AJAX (Asynchronous JavaScript and XML) is a technique that allows data to be sent and
retrieved from a server asynchronously without reloading the entire web page. Also, it enables
dynamic and interactive web experiences.

10. What are the different types of HTTP requests used in web development?
The main HTTP request types are GET (retrieve data from a server), POST (send data to a
server), PUT (update data on a server), and DELETE (remove data from a server). There are also
other less common request types, like PATCH and OPTIONS.

11. What is the difference between supervised learning and unsupervised

learning?

Supervised Learning Unsupervised Learning

It uses labeled data for training.
Aims to make predictions or classifications
based on the labeled data.
Requires a target variable or outcome to
train the model.
The model learns from the input data-label
pairs.
Model performance evaluation is based on
its ability to predict the correct labels.
Examples include classification and
regression tasks.
Supervised learning algorithms include
decision trees, support vector machines,
and neural networks.
It deals with unlabeled data.
Aims to discover patterns or structures in the data
without predefined labels.
Does not require a target variable or outcome for
training.
The model learns solely from the input data.
Evaluation is based on the quality of discovered
patterns or structures.
Examples include clustering and dimensionality
reduction tasks.
Unsupervised learning algorithms include
hierarchical clustering, k-means clustering, and
principal component analysis (PCA).

12. Explain the concept of overfitting in machine learning.

Overfitting, a concept in machine learning occurs when a machine learning model becomes too
specific to the training data and fails to generalize well to unseen data. It typically results in high
accuracy on training data but poor performance on new data.

13. What is the purpose of cross-validation in machine learning?

Cross-validation is a technique used to evaluate the performance and generalization ability of

machine learning models. It involves splitting the data into multiple subsets for training and
testing, helping to assess model performance more reliably.

14. What are the different evaluation metrics used for assessing classification
models?

Common evaluation metrics for classification models include accuracy, precision, recall, F1-
score, and area under the ROC curve (AUC). Each metric provides insights into different aspects
of the model’s performance.

15. How does feature selection or dimensionality reduction benefit machine

learning models?
Feature selection or dimensionality reduction techniques help in reducing the number of input
features, improving model performance, reducing computational complexity, and alleviating the
risk of overfitting by focusing on the most informative features.

16. What is the difference between scalability and elasticity in cloud computing?

Scalability
Scalability refers to the ability of a system to handle
increasing workloads by adding resources.
Typically, this involves planned capacity upgrades
to accommodate anticipated growth.
It can be vertical (adding more power to existing
resources) or horizontal (adding more resources to
the system).
Requires proactive monitoring and management to
ensure capacity meets future requirements.
It may involve downtime or disruption during
capacity upgrades or resource additions.
Examples include adding more servers to a cluster
or increasing the size of a database.
Elasticity
Refers to the automatic allocation and
deallocation of resources based on demand.
Involves dynamic adjustments in real-time
based on the current demand levels.
Focuses on horizontal scaling, adding or
removing resources as needed.
Relies on automated scaling mechanisms
that respond to fluctuating demand levels.
Ensures seamless scaling without
interruptions or manual interventions.
Examples include auto-scaling in cloud
environments or container orchestration
platforms.

17. Explain the concept of Infrastructure as Code (IaC) in the context of DevOps.

Infrastructure as Code (IaC) is a method that involves managing and provisioning infrastructure
resources through machine-readable configuration files. It enables automated infrastructure
deployment, version control, and reproducibility, ensuring consistency and reducing manual
errors.

18. What are Continuous Integration (CI) and Continuous Deployment (CD) in
DevOps?

Continuous Integration (CI) refers to a process in which developers frequently merge code
changes into a shared repository. It involves automated build and test processes to detect
integration issues early. Continuous Deployment (CD) goes further, automatically deploying
tested code changes into production environments.

19. How does containerization (e.g., Docker) benefit the DevOps process?

Containerization enables packaging software applications and their dependencies into

lightweight, isolated containers. It promotes consistent deployment environments, faster
application deployment, improved scalability, and easier management of application
dependencies.
20. What is the role of configuration management tools (e.g., Ansible, Puppet) in
DevOps?

Configuration management tools automate the management and deployment of infrastructure and
application configurations. They help maintain consistency across environments, enforce desired
configurations, and enable efficient scaling and provisioning of resources.

21. What is the difference between a relational database and a NoSQL database?

Relational Databases NoSQL Databases

Store structured data with predefined
Handle unstructured or semi-structured data.
schemas.
Use tables to organize and store data, with
Use various data models, such as document, key-
rows representing records and columns value, columnar, or graph, depending on the
representing attributes. specific NoSQL database type.
Do not enforce relationships or constraints,
Enforce data integrity through defined
providing more data storage and retrieval
relationships and constraints.
flexibility.
Support SQL (Structured Query Language) Use specialized query languages or APIs specific
for querying and manipulating data. to the chosen NoSQL database type.
Suitable for complex data structures and Suitable for scenarios where flexible schemas and
relationships, such as many-to-many high scalability are required, such as big data or
relationships. real-time applications.
Provide ACID (Atomicity, Consistency, May sacrifice some ACID properties in favor of
Isolation and Durability) properties for scalability and performance, prioritizing eventual
transactional integrity. consistency.
Examples include MySQL, Oracle, and Examples include MongoDB, Cassandra, and
PostgreSQL. Redis.

22. Explain the concept of ACID properties in database transactions.

ACID (Atomicity, Consistency, Isolation, Durability) properties ensure reliable and consistent
database transactions. Atomicity guarantees all-or-nothing execution; Consistency maintains data
integrity; Isolation prevents interference between concurrent transactions; and Durability ensures
permanent storage of committed data.

23. What is the purpose of database normalization, and what are its normal
forms?
Database normalization is the process of organizing data to eliminate redundancy and improve
data integrity. Normal forms (e.g., 1NF, 2NF, 3NF) provide guidelines for reducing data
duplication and maintaining consistency.

24. What are indexes in a database, and how do they improve query
performance?

Indexes are data structures that speed up data retrieval in databases. They create a sorted
representation of selected columns, reducing the need for full-table scans and minimizing disk
I/O operations, thereby improving query performance.

25. Explain the difference between a primary and foreign keys in a database.

Primary Key Foreign Key

Acts as a unique identifier for a table.
Ensures each record in the table is
unique.
Must have a unique value for each
record in the table.
Typically used to identify each record in
the table uniquely.
Only one primary key can be utilized
per table.
Provides a way to identify records and
retrieve them efficiently and uniquely.
Establishes a relationship between two tables.
Foreign key points to the primary key of another table.
It can have duplicate values, but the combination must
be unique.
Used to establish referential integrity and maintain data
consistency between related tables.
Multiple foreign keys can exist in a table, depending on
the number of relationships it has with other tables.
Enables navigation and retrieval of related data across
multiple tables.

26. Can you explain the concept of dependency injection and its benefits in
software development?

Dependency injection is a design pattern and a technique used to achieve loose coupling between
classes and their dependencies. It involves injecting dependencies into a class rather than having
the class create or manage them directly.

The benefits of dependency injection include improved code maintainability, testability, and
flexibility. By separating the creation of dependencies from the class using them, replacing or
modifying dependencies without impacting the class itself becomes easier.

This promotes code reusability, enhances unit testing capabilities by allowing the injection of
mock objects, and facilitates modular and extensible design.

27. How do you handle software bugs and debugging in your development
process?
When encountering software bugs, I follow a systematic approach. First, I analyze the bug by
reproducing it and gathering relevant information. Then, I use debugging techniques and tools
like breakpoints, logging, and code analysis to identify the root cause. Finally, I fix the bug and
perform thorough testing to ensure the issue is resolved.

28. Can you explain the concept of design patterns and provide an example?

Design patterns refers to reusable solutions to common software design problems. One example
is the Singleton pattern, which ensures that only one class instance is created. It is useful in
scenarios where a single shared resource or configuration needs to be accessed globally.

29. How do you ensure code quality and maintainability in your projects?

I prioritize code quality by following best practices such as modularization, encapsulation, and
code commenting. I perform code reviews, unit and integration testing to catch issues early.
Additionally, I emphasize readability, maintainable code structures, and adhering to coding
standards.

30. Write a function to merge two sorted arrays into a single sorted array.
def merge_sorted_arrays(arr1, arr2):
merged = []
i = 0
j = 0

while i < len(arr1) and j < len(arr2):

if arr1[i] <= arr2[j]:
merged.append(arr1[i])
i += 1
else:
merged.append(arr2[j])
j += 1

while i < len(arr1):

merged.append(arr1[i])
i += 1

while j < len(arr2):

merged.append(arr2[j])
j += 1

return(merged)

arr1 = [1, 3, 5, 7]
arr2 = [2, 4, 6, 8]
merged = merge_sorted_arrays(arr1, arr2)
print(merged)

Output:

[1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8]
31. Write a function to reverse the order of words in a given string.
def reverse_words(string):
words = string.split()

reversed_words = words[::-1]

reversed_string = " ".join(reversed_words)

return reversed_string

input_string = "Hello, Intellipaat"

reversed_string = reverse_words(input_string)
print(reversed_string)

Output:

Intellipaat Hello,

32. What are the key differences between front-end and back-end web
development?

Front-end Web Development Back-end Web Development

Focuses on the user interface and client- Focuses on server-side development and server
side logic. logic.
Involves designing and implementing the
Handles databases, data storage, and retrieval.
visual layout.
Utilises technologies like HTML, CSS, and Uses programming languages like Python, Ruby, or
JavaScript. Java.
Deals with user interactions and user Manages server-side business logic and
experience. functionality.
Responsible for ensuring a responsive and Implements and manages APIs for communication
intuitive UI. between the client and server.
Developers have to closely work with Collaborates with front-end developers to integrate
designers to implement visual designs. server functionality with the user interface.
Concerned with optimizing website Focuses on security measures, data validation, and
performance and loading speed. server-side optimizations.

33. How do you optimize website performance and improve loading times?

 Minimize file sizes: Reduce the size of your website’s files, including HTML, CSS,
JavaScript, and images. Compress and minify these files to remove unnecessary
characters, whitespace, and comments. Utilize techniques like GZIP compression for
text-based files and choose the appropriate image formats and compression methods to
reduce their size without compromising quality.
 Implement caching: Utilize browser caching and server-side caching techniques. Set
cache headers for static resources to instruct the browser to cache files locally.
 This allows returning visitors to load your website faster by retrieving files from their
cache instead of requesting them again from the server. Implement server-side caching
mechanisms like object caching or database query caching to store frequently accessed
data in memory, reducing the need for repeated data retrieval.
 Optimize critical rendering path: Optimize the loading and rendering of above-the-fold
content, which refers to the portion of the web page visible to users without scrolling.
Minimize the number of blocking resources (CSS and JavaScript) and prioritize their
loading to prevent delays in rendering. Consider techniques like asynchronous loading,
deferred JavaScript execution, and using CSS media queries for responsive design to
deliver users a faster initial visual experience.

34. Can you explain the concept of responsive web design and its importance?

Responsive web design ensures a website adapts and provides an optimal user experience across
different devices and screen sizes. It involves using fluid grids, flexible layouts, and media
queries. Responsive design is vital today, considering the increasing usage of mobile devices and
varied screen resolutions.

35. How do you handle cross-browser compatibility issues in web development?

I conduct extensive testing across multiple browsers and versions, ensuring compatibility with
popular ones like Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge. I use progressive enhancement, feature
detection techniques, and polyfills or fallbacks to ensure consistent functionality across
browsers.

36. How do you ensure web security and protect against common vulnerabilities?

I follow security best practices like input validation, data sanitization, and using parameterized
queries to prevent SQL injection attacks. I implement proper authentication and authorization
mechanisms, utilize HTTPS for secure communication, and employ measures to mitigate cross-
site scripting (XSS) and cross-site request forgery (CSRF) vulnerabilities.

37. Write a function to generate a random alphanumeric string of a specified

length.
function generateRandomString(length) {
const alphanumeric =
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz0123456789';
let result = '';
for (let i = 0; i < length; i++) {
const randomIndex = Math.floor(Math.random() * alphanumeric.length);
result += alphanumeric.charAt(randomIndex);
}
return result;
}

38. Explain the concept of regularization in machine learning.

Regularization is a technique used to prevent overfitting in machine learning models. It adds a
penalty term to the loss function, encouraging the model to be simpler and less prone to
overfitting the training data.
It helps to find the right balance between fitting the training data well and generalizing it to
unseen data.

39. How do you handle overfitting in machine learning models?

To address overfitting, I employ techniques like cross-validation, regularization (e.g., L1 or L2

regularization), early stopping, or using ensemble methods (e.g., random forests or gradient
boosting) to reduce model complexity and improve generalization.

40. Can you explain the bias-variance trade-off in machine learning?

The bias-variance trade-off relates to the balance between underfitting (high bias) and overfitting
(high variance) in machine learning models. Finding the optimal trade-off involves minimizing
both bias and variance to achieve better predictive performance.

41. How do you evaluate the performance of a machine-learning model?

I utilize various evaluation metrics depending on the problem, such as accuracy, precision, recall,
F1 score, or area under the ROC curve (AUC-ROC). I also employ techniques like cross-
validation, holdout validation, or using separate test datasets for unbiased evaluation.

42. How do you handle imbalanced datasets in machine learning?

Imbalanced datasets can be handled by techniques like undersampling the majority class,
oversampling the minority class, or using more advanced approaches like SMOTE (Synthetic
Minority Over-sampling Technique) or cost-sensitive learning to address the class imbalance and
improve model performance.

43. Implement a linear regression technique to predict the output variable based
on a single input feature.
import numpy as np

class LinearRegression:
def __init__(self):
self.coefficients = None

def fit(self, X, y):

X = np.column_stack((np.ones(len(X)), X))
self.coefficients = np.linalg.inv(X.T.dot(X)).dot(X.T).dot(y)

def predict(self, X):

X = np.column_stack((np.ones(len(X)), X))
return X.dot(self.coefficients)
44. How do you ensure high availability and fault tolerance in cloud-based
systems?

I design cloud systems with redundancy and distribute resources across multiple availability
zones or regions. I leverage load balancing, auto-scaling, and replication strategies to handle
failures and ensure continuous availability.

45. Can you explain the concept of Infrastructure as Code (IaC) and its benefits?

Infrastructure as Code involves managing and provisioning infrastructure resources through

machine-readable configuration files. It enables automated infrastructure deployment, version
control, and reproducibility, and improves team consistency and collaboration.

46. How do you implement Continuous Integration and Continuous Deployment

(CI/CD) pipelines?

I design CI/CD pipelines using tools like Jenkins, GitLab CI/CD, or AWS CodePipeline. I
automate build, test, and deployment processes, ensuring code quality, running unit tests, and
deploying artifacts to production environments through automated workflows.

47. How do you handle containerization and orchestration in cloud

environments?

I utilize containerization platforms like Docker to package applications along with their
dependencies. For orchestration, I leverage container orchestration platforms like Kubernetes to
manage and scale containers, automate deployment, and ensure high availability.

48. How do you monitor and troubleshoot performance issues in cloud-based

systems?

I use monitoring tools like AWS CloudWatch, Prometheus, or Grafana to collect and analyze
system metrics and logs. I set up alerts, perform root cause analysis, and optimize system
performance by identifying bottlenecks and making necessary adjustments.

49. What are the different types of database indexes, and when would you use
them?

The different types of indexes include B-tree indexes, hash indexes, and bitmap indexes. B-tree
indexes are commonly used for range queries, while hash indexes are suitable for equality
searches. Bitmap indexes are beneficial for low-cardinality data and Boolean operations.
 50. How do you optimize database queries for improved performance?

I analyze query execution plans, ensure appropriate indexing, optimize SQL statements by
reducing unnecessary joins or subqueries, and utilize techniques like query caching, query
rewriting, or database tuning to enhance query performance.

51. Can you explain the ACID properties in database transactions?

ACID stands for Atomicity, Consistency, Isolation, and Durability. Atomicity in databases
ensures that the transaction is treated as a single working unit.

Consistency ensures that data remains valid and satisfies defined rules. Isolation provides
concurrency control, preventing interference between transactions. Durability ensures that
committed changes persist even after a system failure.

52. How do you handle database backups and disaster recovery?

I regularly perform database backups using techniques like full, incremental, or differential
backups. I store backups in secure locations, test their restoration regularly, and establish disaster
recovery plans to minimize data loss and ensure business continuity.

53. How do you handle database scalability in high-demand environments?

I employ strategies like sharding (partitioning data across multiple servers), horizontal scaling
(adding more servers), or vertical scaling (increasing server resources). I also consider
techniques like read replicas, caching, or using distributed database systems to handle scalability
requirements.

54. Given two tables,

SELECT Students.StudentID, Students.StudentName, AVG(Grades.Grade) AS
AverageGrade
FROM Students
JOIN Grades ON Students.StudentID = Grades.StudentID
GROUP BY Students.StudentID, Students.StudentName;

55. Implement a stored procedure in SQL that takes a customer ID as input and
deletes all orders for that customer from the
CREATE PROCEDURE DeleteCustomerOrders (@CustomerID INT)
AS
BEGIN
DELETE FROM Orders
WHERE CustomerID = @CustomerID;
END;
TCS HR Process Interview Questions for Freshers
For the freshers, the HR department mainly concerns about whether would you be a right fit for
the company’s values, and how good you are at learning and collaboration. These questions and
answers will help you in building such understanding with HR.

56.Tell me about yourself.

As a fresher, you should highlight your skills and projects, you can start by stating- I recently
graduated with a degree in [your degree name]. During my college years, I actively participated
in various extracurricular activities and projects that helped me develop strong communication
and teamwork skills.

I am passionate about [mention your field of interest], and I’m eager to apply my knowledge and
skills in a professional environment like TCS.

57. Describe a situation where you faced a difficult challenge and how you
overcame it.

During a group project in college, our team faced a major setback when our main data source
became inaccessible a few days before the project submission. It was a critical challenge as the
data was crucial for our analysis.

To overcome this, we quickly regrouped, brainstormed alternative solutions, and divided the
workload to explore other data sources. We found an alternative dataset and worked extra hours
to meet the deadline. Our teamwork, adaptability, and determination ultimately helped us
overcome the challenge successfully.

58. What do you know about TCS?

Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), is a multinational information technology (IT) services and
consulting organization. It is one of the largest IT services firms globally, with a presence in over
46 countries. TCS provides various services, including software development, consulting, and
business process outsourcing.

It is known for its innovation, customer-centric approach, and commitment to societal

development through various corporate social responsibility initiatives.

59. How do you stay updated with the latest technology trends in your field?

I am passionate about learning and staying updated with the latest technology trends. I regularly
read industry publications, follow relevant blogs and websites, and participate in online forums
and communities related to my field.
I have also attended webinars, workshops, and conferences whenever possible. Additionally, I
am an active learner and enroll in online courses or certifications to acquire new skills and stay
abreast of emerging technologies.

60. Where do you see yourself in five years?

In five years, I envision myself in a leadership role where I can contribute to the growth and
success of the organization. I aim to continuously develop my technical and managerial skills,
taking up challenging assignments and leading teams toward achieving strategic objectives.

For Experienced, the HR wants to know about how relevant is your job experience aligned to the
requirements. What are the different projects you have worked on and how successfully you
have worked on them? Let’s explore how to answer such questions.

61. Tell me about your experience and your role in your previous organization.

I have [X years] of experience in [mention your field/industry]. In my previous organization, I

held the position of [mention your role]. My responsibilities included [describe your key
responsibilities and achievements]. I successfully [mention specific accomplishments or
projects]. My experience has allowed me to develop expertise in [mention relevant skills or
domains].

62. Why are you interested in joining TCS at this career stage?

TCS is renowned for its global presence, strong client base, and technological expertise. At this
stage of my career, I seek new challenges, professional growth opportunities, and the chance to
work with cutting-edge technologies. TCS’s diverse portfolio, innovation, and employee
development commitment align perfectly with my career goals and aspirations.

63. How do you handle conflicts or disagreements within a team?

Conflicts and disagreements are natural in a team environment. When faced with such situations,
I believe in open and respectful communication.

I actively listen to different perspectives, seeking to understand the underlying concerns. I

propose constructive solutions that promote collaboration and consensus.

I involve a mediator or escalate the issue to higher authorities if necessary. The goal is to find a
resolution that benefits the team and maintains a positive working environment.

64. How do you manage your work-life balance?

Work-life balance is crucial for personal well-being and maintaining productivity. I prioritize
this balance by effectively managing my time and setting boundaries. I set realistic goals and
deadlines, allocating time for work and personal activities.

I practice stress management techniques, such as regular exercise, mindfulness, and taking
breaks to rejuvenate. Additionally, I believe in open communication with my team and
stakeholders, setting clear expectations regarding availability and managing workloads
effectively.

65. How do you stay motivated and maintain enthusiasm in your work?

I believe in setting clear goals and having a sense of purpose in my work to stay motivated and
maintain enthusiasm. I continuously seek new challenges and opportunities for growth, pushing
myself to learn and acquire new skills.

Celebrating milestones and achievements, no matter how small, it keeps me motivated.

Additionally, I surround myself with a supportive network of colleagues and mentors who
inspire me and encourage professional development. Regular self-reflection helps me stay
focused and maintain a positive attitude toward my work.