Ruby on Rails Developer Interview Questions

Ruby on Rails Developers write server-side web-application logic using the open-source programming language Ruby. The logic is written around the Model View Controller (MVC) Framework, Rails. Ruby on Rails Developers are tasked with developing back-end components, connecting the application with web services, and supporting front-end developers.

Whether you're a job seeker preparing to be interviewed for the role of Ruby on Rails Developer or an employer preparing to interview candidates for Ruby on Rails Developer position, these Ruby on Rails Developer interview questions will help you prepare yourself for the job interview session.

Ruby on Rails Developer Interview Questions

Below are a list of some skill-based Ruby on Rails Developer interview questions.

1. When would you use a has_many relationship?
2. What are callbacks?
3. What is Ruby on Rails?
4. What do subdirectory app/controllers and app/helpers do?
5. What command can you use to create a controller for the subject?
6. Walk me through the request/response cycle for accessing a list of articles in a blogging application?
7. Name five things Rails Migration can do.
8. Is Ruby statically or dynamically typed?
9. What would you do if you discovered that a developer on your team was using a deprecated method to complete a task?
10. What is the Rails Controller?
11. Tell me about getters and setters in Ruby
12. How can you protect Rails against Cross-Site Request Forgery?
13. How can you list all routes in an app?
14. What does garbage collection do in Ruby on Rails?
15. What is a Gemfile?
16. Name three limits of Ruby on Rails.
17. What are some Rails design patterns you’ve used?
18. What are some advantages of using Ruby on Rails?
19. How does Rails manage database state?
20. Name the four types of variables available in Ruby Class.
21. How have you implemented authorization in the past?
22. What makes Ruby on Rails so popular among developers?
23. What are initializers in Rails?
24. How well do you know the different types of form inputs that can be used in Ruby on Rails applications?
25. Describe your experience with using the before_filter method.
26. What is the meaning of “Fat models, skinny controllers”?
27. What is the difference between a resource and a resource controller?
28. What is the meaning of “skinny controllers, skinny models”?
29. Provide an example of when you would use a nested resource.
30. As a ruby on rails developer, how would you go about debugging a Ruby on Rails application that’s not working properly?
31. What is the difference between class methods and instance methods?
32. What are some of the most important things to consider when designing a database for a Ruby on Rails application?
33. Does Ruby allow multiple inheritances?
34. Do you have experience using the Active Record pattern? If so, how do you use it?
35. If you had to choose one Ruby on Rails version to work with, which would it be and why?
36. Are you familiar with the Model-View-Controller (MVC) architecture?
37. There is a bug in the code you’ve written for a Ruby on Rails application. How would you go about fixing it?
38. What frameworks have you used for backgrounding jobs?
39. What is Rack?
40. What is the difference between a proc and a lambda?
41. What is the difference between Hash and JSON?
42. What do you like about Rails?
43. What do you dislike about Rails?
44. What is the splat operator?
45. How do you use singletons in Ruby?
46. What is the difference between include and extend?
47. What is the difference between load and require?
48. What is the difference between class and instance variables?

Ruby on Rails Developer Interview Questions and Answers

Every interview is different and the questions may vary. However, there are lots of general questions that get asked at every interview.

Below are some common questions you'd expect during Ruby on Rails Developer interviews. Click on each question to see how to answer them.

1. Are You a Leader or a Follower?
2. Why Do You Want To Leave Your Current Job?
3. What is Your Salary Expectation?
4. Tell Me About Yourself
5. What is Your Greatest Strength?
6. Why Should We Hire You?
7. Why Do You Want This Job?
8. Do You Have Any Questions for Us?
9. What is Your Greatest Weakness?
10. What Is Your Greatest Accomplishment?