17 Lead Web Developer Interview Questions and Answers

Lead web developers are responsible for the overall design and functionality of a website. They work with a team of web developers and designers to create a site that is easy to use, visually appealing, and informative.

Lead web developers need to have a strong understanding of web development technologies and trends. They also need to be able to manage a team of developers and designers, and be able to communicate effectively with clients.

If you’re a lead web developer, you may be asked to interview for a new job at some point in your career. When you do, you’ll need to be prepared to answer lead web developer interview questions.

In this guide, we’ll give you some sample lead web developer interview questions and answers.

Are you comfortable leading a team of web developers?

As a lead web developer, you may need to manage and direct other web developers. Employers ask this question to see if you have experience leading teams of people in the past. In your answer, share two or three examples of how you’ve successfully managed a team before. Explain what skills helped you succeed as a leader.

Example: “In my last role, I was promoted to lead web developer after working for several years as an associate web developer. At first, it was challenging to take on this new role because I had never led a team before. However, I quickly learned that leadership is about inspiring others to do their best work. I started by setting clear expectations for my team members. Then, I made sure everyone knew they could come to me with any questions or concerns.”

What are some of the most important skills for a lead web developer?

This question can help the interviewer determine if you have the skills needed to be successful in this role. Use your answer to highlight some of the most important skills for a lead web developer and explain why they are important.

Example: “Lead web developers need to have strong coding, problem-solving and communication skills. These three skills are essential because they allow me to create solutions for clients’ needs and ensure that my team is working efficiently. I also think it’s important to have leadership skills as a lead web developer so I can motivate my team members and make sure we’re all on track with our projects.”

How do you manage your time and prioritize projects?

Time management is an important skill for any lead web developer. Employers ask this question to see if you have the ability to manage your time and prioritize projects effectively. In your answer, explain how you plan out your day and organize your tasks. Explain that you use a calendar or planner to keep track of your daily activities.

Example: “I usually start my workday by checking my schedule for the day. I then make sure to block off enough time to complete each task on my list. If there are any urgent matters that need my attention, I will address them immediately. For example, if one of my team members needs help with a project, I will stop what I am doing to assist them. After all urgent matters are addressed, I return to my original task.”

What is your experience with using programming languages and which ones are your favorites?

This question is a great way for the interviewer to learn more about your experience with programming languages and how you use them. Your answer should include which languages you have used in the past, why they are important to you and what you like about each one.

Example: “I’ve worked with many different programming languages throughout my career, but I find that JavaScript is my favorite because it’s so versatile. It can be used on both client-side and server-side applications, which makes it easy to create complex webpages. In addition, JavaScript is an open source language, meaning anyone can access its code and make changes as needed.”

Provide an example of a time when you had to troubleshoot a problem with a website’s code.

Troubleshooting is an important skill for a lead web developer to have. Employers ask this question to see if you can use your problem-solving skills to fix issues with code and make sure the website functions properly. In your answer, explain what steps you took to troubleshoot the issue and how you fixed it.

Example: “At my last job, I was working on a project that required me to create a new page for the company’s website. When I finished coding the page, I tested it out to ensure everything worked as expected. However, when I published the page online, some of the links didn’t work. After looking at the code, I realized there were several errors in the link structure. I had to go back into the code and fix the link structure so users could navigate through the site more easily.”

If we asked your previous coworkers what they thought your strongest and weakest qualities were, what would they say?

This question can help the interviewer get a better sense of your interpersonal skills and how you interact with others. It can also give them insight into what your coworkers valued in their work environment. When answering this question, it can be helpful to think about which qualities your coworkers might have appreciated or disliked.

Example: “My coworkers would probably say that my strongest quality is my ability to stay calm under pressure. I’ve been able to solve many challenging problems for my previous employers, but when things got tough, I was always able to keep myself and my team focused on finding solutions. My coworkers may say that my weakest quality is my attention to detail. While I am usually very thorough in my work, there are times where I rush through projects to meet deadlines.”

What would you say is your greatest accomplishment as a lead web developer so far?

This question can help the interviewer get to know you better and understand what your greatest strengths are. It also helps them see how you might fit in with their company culture. When answering this question, it can be helpful to think about a time when you were able to overcome a challenge or solve a problem that positively impacted your team or organization.

Example: “My greatest accomplishment as a lead web developer so far was helping my previous employer create an online application for customers to use to report any issues they had with our products. This helped us save money on customer service calls because we could resolve most problems before the customer even called us. We also got more feedback from customers because of the app, which helped us improve our products.”

How well do you communicate with clients and explain technical concepts to them?

As a lead web developer, you’ll need to be able to communicate with clients about the progress of their projects and explain technical concepts in ways that they can understand. Your interviewer may ask this question to learn more about your communication skills and how well you can work with clients. In your answer, try to show that you are confident in your ability to speak with clients and help them understand complex information.

Example: “I have always had a passion for technology, so I started learning about computers at an early age. This led me to develop my own websites when I was just a teenager, which helped me gain experience communicating with clients who didn’t know much about technology. Throughout my career, I’ve worked with many different types of clients, so I feel confident explaining technical concepts to anyone.”

Do you have experience working with client feedback and turning it into actionable tasks for your team?

This question can help interviewers understand how you handle feedback from clients and other stakeholders. Your answer should show that you are willing to take on challenges and use your problem-solving skills to make changes in the best interest of the company.

Example: “I have worked with many different types of clients, so I am used to receiving feedback about my work. However, I always try to focus on what is most important for the client’s business. For example, if a client wants something done by a certain deadline but it would be better for their business to wait until a later date, I will explain why this is the case and offer alternative solutions.

In these situations, I also ask the client what they think is the best solution. This helps me get an idea of what they want out of the project and gives them ownership over the final product.”

When was the last time you had to train a new web developer and what methods did you use to help them learn?

This question can help the interviewer understand your experience as a lead developer and how you might train new employees. Use examples from previous training experiences to highlight your leadership skills, communication abilities and ability to teach others.

Example: “In my last role, I had to train two new web developers who were just out of college. They didn’t have much coding experience, so I started by giving them an overview of our company’s website development process. Then, I showed them how to use our development software and gave them small projects to complete on their own. This helped me see what areas they needed more instruction in and allowed me to provide one-on-one attention when necessary.”

We want to update our website to be more mobile friendly. What strategies would you use to make our site mobile responsive?

This question allows you to show your knowledge of web development and how you can apply it to a specific situation. You should answer this question by describing the steps you would take to make a website mobile responsive, including any tools or resources you might use.

Example: “I would first analyze the current site for common issues that could prevent it from being mobile friendly. I would then create a new HTML page with CSS stylesheets and JavaScript files. Next, I would add meta tags to the header section of the new page so search engines know what the content is about. Finally, I would link the new page to all the pages on the website.”

Describe your process for testing a new feature or update to a website.

This question allows you to demonstrate your problem-solving skills and ability to work independently. Your answer should include a step-by-step process for testing new features or updates, including how you identify potential issues before they become major problems.

Example: “I begin by creating a test environment that mirrors the actual website. I then create a list of all possible scenarios that could occur during the testing phase. Next, I run through each scenario on the test site and monitor any errors or bugs that may arise. If there are no issues with the test site, I implement the same changes to the live website.”

What makes you stand out from other web developers?

Employers ask this question to learn more about your skills and experience. They want to know what makes you unique from other candidates. When answering, think of a skill or quality that you have that others may not. Try to choose something that is relevant to the job description.

Example: “I am an expert in JavaScript, which is one of the most popular web development languages. I also have several years of experience working as a lead developer for various companies. These two qualities make me stand out from other developers because they show my expertise and leadership abilities.”

Which programming languages do you wish you had more experience with and why?

This question can give the interviewer insight into your experience level and how you view your own skills. It’s important to be honest in your answer, but also show that you’re eager to learn new programming languages.

Example: “I wish I had more experience with Java because it’s a very popular language for web development. However, I have been learning it on my own time since starting this job search, so I should be proficient by the time I start working here.”

What do you think is the most important thing to remember when maintaining existing code rather than creating new features?

This question is an opportunity to show your interviewer that you understand the importance of maintaining existing code and how you do it. You can answer this question by explaining what you think is most important about maintaining code, then give a specific example of when you did so in the past.

Example: “I believe the most important thing to remember when maintaining existing code is not to change anything unless absolutely necessary. I once worked on a project where we had to make changes to some of the older code because there were bugs that needed fixing. We made sure to document all of our changes so we could reverse them if need be.”

How often do you update your knowledge of programming languages and best practices?

This question can help interviewers understand how much you value your own professional development. Showcase your commitment to learning by explaining the steps you take to stay up-to-date on new programming languages and best practices in web development.

Example: “I am constantly researching new technologies that I can apply to my work as a lead developer. For example, I recently learned about ReactJS, which is a JavaScript library for building user interfaces. This technology allows me to build websites more efficiently than other frameworks because it’s easier to use and has fewer bugs. Now, I’m teaching some of my team members how to use this framework so we can create better websites.”

There is a bug in the code for a new feature on the website. What is your process for troubleshooting the problem?

This question is an opportunity to show your problem-solving skills and ability to troubleshoot. You can answer this question by describing the steps you would take to identify the bug, determine its cause and fix it.

Example: “I would first make sure that I have all of the information about the bug, including what happens when a user interacts with the website, how long it takes for the bug to appear and any other details that may be relevant. Next, I would review the code line by line to see if there are any issues or errors in the coding. If I find a problem, I will correct it and test the new feature thoroughly before releasing it.”