17 Web Developer Intern Interview Questions and Answers
Learn what skills and qualities interviewers are looking for from a web developer intern, what questions you can expect, and how you should go about answering them.
Learn what skills and qualities interviewers are looking for from a web developer intern, what questions you can expect, and how you should go about answering them.
As a web developer intern, you’ll be working with a team of developers to create and maintain the websites and applications that businesses use to reach their customers. You’ll need to have a good understanding of web development basics, such as HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, as well as experience in using popular web development frameworks.
If you want to work as a web developer intern, you’ll need to go through a job interview. To help you prepare for your interview, we’ve put together a list of common web developer interview questions and answers.
This question is an opportunity to show your knowledge of web development and the languages used in it. You can list some programming languages you are familiar with, but if you have not worked as a developer before, you should mention that you are eager to learn new ones.
Example: “I am familiar with HTML, CSS, JavaScript and PHP. I also know how to use databases like MySQL and NoSQL. I would be happy to learn more about other languages, especially those used in web development.”
In this Professional Certificate program, designed by the W3C (World Wide Web Consortium), creator of the Web standards, you will learn all of the necessary skills needed to build interactive and responsive user experiences on the Web. This program will deepen your knowledge of the 3 foundational languages that power the Web: HTML5, CSS and JavaScript.
This question can help the interviewer determine if you have the skills necessary to succeed in this role. Use your answer to highlight some of the most important skills for web developers and explain why they are so important.
Example: “The two most important skills for a web developer are coding and problem-solving. These skills are essential because I would be working with code every day, which is what makes websites function properly. Web development also requires me to solve problems that may arise while creating new sites or updating existing ones. For example, when there’s an issue with a website’s design or functionality, I need to use my problem-solving skills to find a solution.”
Employers want to know that you are passionate about your career and willing to learn more about the industry. They may ask this question to see if you have a plan for keeping up with new developments in web development. In your answer, explain how you stay current on trends in technology. You can also mention any specific resources or people who help you learn more about web development.
Example: “I am passionate about my career as a web developer, so I always try to find ways to continue learning. I subscribe to several tech blogs where developers discuss the latest news in web development. I also attend web development meetups in my area. These events give me an opportunity to network with other professionals and learn from their experiences.”
JavaScript is a programming language that allows developers to create interactive websites. Employers ask this question to see if you have experience using the most popular web development language. In your answer, share what projects you’ve worked on that required JavaScript and how you used it. Explain any challenges you faced when working with JavaScript and how you overcame them.
Example: “I have been using JavaScript for three years now. I started learning it in my first year of college because I knew it was an important skill to have as a web developer. My professor gave us a project where we had to build a website from scratch using JavaScript. I learned a lot about JavaScript during that class, but I also wanted to learn more. So, I began researching different ways to use JavaScript to make websites more interactive.”
This question can help the interviewer understand your problem-solving skills and how you apply them to coding. Use examples from previous work or school projects that highlight your ability to solve problems while working with code.
Example: “In my last internship, I was tasked with creating a website for a local business. The client wanted an e-commerce site where they could sell their products online. However, when I started building the website, I realized there were some issues with the design of the database. This caused me to have to rebuild the entire website’s structure so it would be compatible with the e-commerce software. It took longer than expected, but in the end, we created a functional website that met all of the client’s needs.”
This question can help the interviewer understand your critical thinking skills and how you approach challenges. Your answer should show that you are willing to take on responsibility, have a strong work ethic and are eager to learn more about web development.
Example: “I would change the navigation of the website because it was difficult for users to find what they were looking for. I would also add more content to the homepage so that visitors could get an idea of what the company does without having to click through several pages.”
This question can help the interviewer determine how you approach new challenges and whether you have the confidence to ask for help when needed. Your answer should show that you are willing to take on new tasks, but also that you know when to ask for help.
Example: “If I were assigned to work on a project that required me to learn new programming languages, I would first try to understand the language by reading about it online or asking my colleagues if they could explain it to me. If I still didn’t understand after doing this, I would ask my supervisor for help so I could get clarification before starting the project.”
Web developers often work with other team members, such as designers and content creators. Employers ask this question to make sure you can communicate effectively with these types of professionals. In your answer, explain that you enjoy collaborating with others on projects. Explain that you are willing to take direction from more experienced web developers and designers.
Example: “I have worked with many different types of people in my previous roles. I find it easy to collaborate with others because I am open to taking feedback and criticism. I also understand that everyone has their own strengths and weaknesses. For example, I know that a designer may be better at creating graphics than me, so I would ask for their help if needed.”
This question can help the interviewer determine your experience level and how comfortable you are with using frameworks. If you have no experience, you can talk about what you know about them and why you would like to use them in your work.
Example: “I’ve worked with Bootstrap before, but I’m also interested in learning more about Zurb Foundation. I think it could be a good fit for my current project because of its responsive design features. I’d love to learn more about CSS frameworks so that I can apply this knowledge to future projects.”
This question can help the interviewer determine your knowledge of CSS and when to use it. Inline CSS is a coding method that allows you to add styles directly to HTML elements, which makes it easier for developers to change the style of an element without having to go through additional steps. Your answer should show that you understand how inline CSS works and when it’s appropriate to use it.
Example: “Inline CSS is best used when I need to make changes to the style of an element quickly or if I want to override existing CSS rules. For example, if I have a class that has specific styling but I only want to change one aspect of the style, then using inline CSS would be more efficient than changing the entire rule in my external CSS file.”
This question is a great way to test your knowledge of web development and how you can apply it to the company’s goals. When answering this question, make sure you explain each strategy in detail so that the interviewer knows exactly what you would do if you were hired.
Example: “I would first look at the server speed. If I noticed that the website was hosted on a slow server, I would recommend upgrading to a faster one. Next, I would check for any unnecessary scripts or plugins that may be slowing down the site. Finally, I would optimize all images and videos by reducing their file size.”
Debugging code is a common task for web developers. Interviewers may ask this question to see how you approach solving problems and whether you have the skills necessary to complete the job successfully. In your answer, describe what debugging is and give an example of how you would go about doing it.
Example: “Debugging is the process of finding and fixing errors in code. I usually start by identifying which part of the code has the error. Then, I use my knowledge of programming languages to find out where the problem lies. If I can’t figure it out on my own, I will ask my supervisor or another developer for help.”
Employers ask this question to learn more about your qualifications and why you are the best candidate for their open web developer internship position. Before your interview, make a list of reasons why you would be an excellent addition to their team. Consider highlighting any skills or experiences that align with what they’re looking for in a candidate.
Example: “I am the best candidate for this web developer internship because I have several years of experience working as a freelance web designer. In my previous role, I worked on many different projects, including designing websites for small businesses and creating online stores for e-commerce companies. Throughout my career, I’ve learned how to work within deadlines and manage multiple tasks at once. These skills will help me succeed in this role.”
This question can help the interviewer get a sense of your experience level and how you feel about different programming languages. You can answer this question by listing the languages you have worked with in the past, as well as which ones you enjoy using most.
Example: “I’ve had the opportunity to work with many programming languages throughout my career so far, but I find myself enjoying working with Python the most. It’s easy to learn and use, and it has some great features that make coding easier for me. I also really like JavaScript because it’s one of the most popular languages out there, making it easy to find resources when I need them.”
User experience is a major part of web development, and employers ask this question to see if you understand the importance of it. They want to know that you can create an interface that’s easy for users to navigate and use. In your answer, explain what makes user experience important and give examples of how you’ve helped improve UX in past projects.
Example: “User experience is one of the most important aspects of web design because it affects everything else. If users have a bad experience on a website, they’re not going to come back or recommend it to others. I think the most important aspect of UX is making sure there are no bugs or errors in the code. This includes things like typos and broken links. Another important factor is ensuring that the site is mobile-friendly so people can access it from their phones.”
Employers want to know that you are constantly learning new skills and updating your portfolio. They also want to see how often you update social media accounts with your work. Show them that you have a passion for web development by describing the frequency of your updates and what you include in each one.
Example: “I try to update my personal website once every two weeks, but I usually do it more frequently than that. I also post about my projects on social media at least once per week. I find that this is an effective way to show people what I’m working on and get feedback from others.”
This question is a great way to test your problem-solving skills and ability to work independently. When answering this question, it can be helpful to describe the steps you would take to fix the bug in the code.
Example: “If there was a bug in the code I previously wrote, I would first try to find out what caused the bug. If I knew exactly why the bug occurred, then I would go back into my previous code and fix it. However, if I didn’t know why the bug occurred, I would have to do some research on how to fix bugs in general. Then, I would write new code that fixed the bug.”