15 Execution Interview Questions and Answers

When it comes to interviews, there are a lot of different types of questions that you could be asked. However, one type of question that you may be asked is an execution related question.

Execution related questions are designed to test your ability to get things done and see how you handle pressure. These questions can be difficult to answer, but with some preparation, you can ace them.

In this article, we will give you some tips on how to answer execution related interview questions. We will also provide you with some sample questions and answers.

1. What is the purpose of execution?

This question is a great way to show your interviewer that you understand the purpose of your job and how it contributes to the company. It also allows you to explain what execution means to you personally, which can help an employer get to know you better.

Example: “Execution is when I put my skills into action to achieve a goal or complete a task. For example, in my last role as a marketing manager, we had a campaign launch every month. My team and I would plan out each campaign for weeks before its release date. Then, on the day of the launch, we executed our plans by creating social media posts, writing blog content and more. We did this every month, so eventually we got really good at executing our tasks.”

2. Why do we need to execute a program?

This question is a great way to test your knowledge of the purpose behind executing programs. It also allows you to show how you can apply this knowledge in your daily work life.

Example: “Executing a program allows it to run on its own without needing me to be present. This saves time and energy because I don’t have to sit at my computer all day long waiting for the program to finish running. When I execute a program, I am able to leave my desk and do other tasks while the program continues to run. For example, if I need to run a report that takes several hours to complete, I can execute the program so that it runs overnight or when I’m not using my computer.”

3. Can you explain how the process of executing a software system works in general?

This question is a great way to test your knowledge of the software development process. It also allows you to show how you can apply your skills and expertise in executing projects successfully.

Example: “Executing a software system involves many steps, including requirements gathering, design, coding, testing and deployment. The first step is requirements gathering where I work with clients to understand what they want their software system to do. Then, I move on to designing the system based on the client’s needs. Next, I code the system by writing codes that will help it function properly. After that, I perform tests to ensure the system works as expected. Finally, I deploy the system so that users can access it.”

4. Do all commands need to be executed by the shell? If not, then which ones don’t and why?

This question is a continuation of the previous one, and it’s designed to test your knowledge about how commands are executed. It also tests your ability to think critically and apply logic to solve problems.

Example: “All shell commands need to be executed by the shell because they’re interpreted by the shell. However, some commands don’t need to be executed by the shell because they’re not interpreted by the shell. These include built-in commands like ‘cd’ or ‘pwd,’ which are directly executed by the kernel. Another example is the ‘exit’ command, which isn’t executed by the shell but rather by the parent process.”

5. How can you kill a running process using Linux terminal?

This question tests your Linux terminal skills. It is a basic Linux skill that many IT professionals need to know, so you should be prepared to answer this question with ease.

Example: “There are two ways to kill a running process using the Linux terminal. The first way is by entering ‘kill -9’ in the command line and then typing the PID of the process you want to terminate. The second method is by entering ‘killall -KILL ‘. Both methods will terminate the process.”

6. Which command would you use to find out which processes are currently running on your computer?

This question is a basic technical one that the interviewer may ask to test your computer skills. They want to see if you can use common commands and understand what they do. You should answer this question by giving the command and explaining how it works.

Example: “The ‘tasklist’ command is used to find out which processes are currently running on my computer. I would enter tasklist /svc at the command prompt, and then press Enter. This will list all of the active services and programs in Windows.”

7. Can you explain what a zombie process is?

This question is a behavioral test that can help an interviewer determine your ability to work with others and collaborate on projects. Your answer should show the interviewer you have strong communication skills, are willing to ask for help when needed and can explain technical processes in simple terms.

Example: “A zombie process is a computer program that has stopped responding but continues to run in the background of a system. This type of process is usually caused by a bug or error in the code. In my last role as a software engineer, I encountered this issue while working on a project. I explained the concept of zombie processes to my team members so we could identify which programs were affected and how to fix them.”

8. When does a process get into this state?

This question is a follow-up to the previous one and tests your knowledge of the different states that processes can be in. You should know when each state occurs, what causes it and how you would react to it.

Example: “A process gets into this state when it has been waiting for input from its parent process for more than five minutes. This usually happens because the parent process is not responding or is busy with other tasks. In this case, I would try to find out why the parent process was not responding and restart it if necessary. If the parent process is still not responding after being restarted, I would kill it and start a new instance of it.”

9. What’s the best way to deal with zombie processes?

This question is a fun way to test your knowledge of how to handle processes in the operating system. It’s also an opportunity for you to show that you can have fun at work and are willing to take on challenges.

Example: “The best way to deal with zombie processes is to kill them before they multiply. If there are already too many, then it’s important to find out which ones are causing problems and terminate them. You should also check if any of the zombies are still alive by sending signals to them. If none respond, then you know they’re all dead.”

10. What are the different states that a process can be in under Unix/Linux?

This question is a basic test of your knowledge about the operating system. It also tests your ability to prioritize and organize information in an interview setting.

Example: “There are three states that a process can be in under Unix/Linux. The first state is sleeping, which means it’s waiting for something like input or output from the user. The second state is running, which means the process is actively doing work. The third state is dead, which means the process has finished its job and exited.”

11. Can you explain what context switching is and how it’s used when dealing with multiple processes?

This question is a great way to assess your ability to multitask and prioritize tasks. It also helps the interviewer understand how you manage multiple projects at once. Your answer should include an example of when you used context switching in your previous role, as well as what the outcome was.

Example: “Context switching is when you switch from one task to another without completing the first one. In my last position, I had two main responsibilities—managing the company’s social media accounts and creating content for our blog. When I started working on the blog, I would complete all of my scheduled posts before moving onto the next part of my job. However, if there were any urgent issues with the social media accounts that needed addressing, I would switch back to them until they were resolved.”

12. What is the difference between preemptive and non-preemptive scheduling?

This question is a great way to test your knowledge of scheduling and how it relates to execution. You can use this opportunity to show the interviewer that you understand the importance of proper scheduling in an organization’s workflow.

Example: “Preemptive scheduling is when a task or job has a deadline, while non-preemptive scheduling does not have a deadline. In my last role as a project manager, I used both preemptive and non-preemptive scheduling depending on the needs of the project. For example, if we were working on a tight timeline, I would schedule tasks with deadlines so everyone knew what was expected of them.”

13. What is starvation?

This question is a behavioral one that tests your knowledge of the different methods of execution. Your answer should show you understand what starvation is and how it works. You can define the term, explain its purpose and describe an example of when you used this method in your work.

Example: “Starvation is a form of execution where food and water are withheld from prisoners until they die. This method was common during medieval times because it was cheap to implement. I have never had to use this method as part of my job, but I know that if I ever did, I would make sure to provide adequate nutrition for inmates so they don’t suffer.”

14. What is multithreading and multiprocessing?

This question is a basic technical test that allows you to show your knowledge of computer science. You can answer this question by defining both terms and explaining how they relate to each other.

Example: “Multithreading is the process of executing multiple threads in parallel, while multiprocessing is the execution of multiple processes on one processor. In my last role as an IT specialist, I used multithreading to improve performance when working with large amounts of data. Multiprocessing was useful for improving system performance when using applications that require high-speed processing.”

15. What are some common problems faced in multithreaded programming?

This question is a great way to test your knowledge of execution skills. It allows you to show the interviewer that you understand how multithreading can be challenging and what you do to overcome these challenges. You can answer this question by listing some common problems with multithreaded programming and describing how you would solve them.

Example: “One problem I’ve encountered in my previous role was race conditions, which occur when two or more threads try to access shared resources at the same time. This can cause data corruption because one thread may overwrite another’s changes. To avoid race conditions, I always make sure to use synchronization objects like locks and semaphores to prevent multiple threads from accessing the same resource at once.”