C++ Interview Prep: Master Coding & System Design

Master every C++ concept from STL to Low-Level Memory with 500+ realistic interview practice questions.

C++ Interview Practice Questions and Answers are designed to bridge the gap between knowing the syntax and passing high-stakes technical interviews at top-tier product companies. I have meticulously crafted these exams to simulate real-world coding scenarios, covering everything from the nuances of const correctness and RAII to complex multithreading and system design patterns. Whether you are a fresh graduate aiming for your first role or a senior engineer brushing up on move semantics and C++20 features, this course provides the rigorous practice you need. I provide deep-dive explanations for every single option, ensuring you don't just find the right answer, but actually understand the "why" behind memory management, performance optimization, and the internal workings of the STL.

Exam Domains & Sample Topics

C++ Fundamentals: Syntax, Pointers, References, Namespaces, and Compilation.
OOP & Advanced Features: Inheritance, Virtual Functions, Templates, and Lambda Expressions.
Memory & Performance: Stack vs. Heap, Move Semantics, Smart Pointers, and Cache Locality.
STL & Algorithms: Containers, Iterators, Custom Comparators, and Time Complexity.
Concurrency & Systems: Mutexes, Atomics, Design Patterns, CMake, and Secure Coding.

Sample Practice Questions

Question 1: Which of the following best describes the behavior of a std::unique_ptr when it is passed by value to a function?
- A) A shallow copy is made, and both pointers share ownership.
- B) A deep copy of the underlying object is performed automatically.
- C) The compilation fails because std::unique_ptr cannot be copied.
- D) The ownership is automatically moved using move semantics.
- E) The reference count is incremented, similar to std::shared_ptr.
- F) The program crashes at runtime due to a double-delete.
- Correct Answer: C
- Overall Explanation: std::unique_ptr is designed for exclusive ownership. To prevent multiple pointers from managing the same resource, its copy constructor is explicitly deleted.
- Option Detail:
  - A) Incorrect: unique_ptr does not support shared ownership.
  - B) Incorrect: C++ does not perform "automatic" deep copies for smart pointers.
  - C) Correct: The copy constructor is deleted; you must use std::move() or pass by reference.
  - D) Incorrect: Move semantics are not "automatic" when the parameter expects a copy; it requires an explicit std::move.
  - E) Incorrect: unique_ptr does not have a reference counter.
  - F) Incorrect: The compiler prevents this scenario from ever reaching runtime.
Question 2: In C++, what is the primary purpose of a virtual destructor in a base class?
- A) To allow the class to be instantiated as an abstract type.
- B) To ensure the derived class destructor is called when deleting via a base pointer.
- C) To increase the performance of object deallocation on the stack.
- D) To prevent the base class from having any member variables.
- E) To allow the destructor to be overloaded with different parameters.
- F) To force the compiler to use static binding during destruction.
- Correct Answer: B
- Overall Explanation: When a base class pointer points to a derived class object, deleting that pointer requires a virtual destructor to trigger the correct cleanup chain.
- Option Detail:
  - A) Incorrect: Pure virtual functions (e.g., = 0) make a class abstract, not just a virtual destructor.
  - B) Correct: Without it, only the base destructor runs, causing potential memory leaks in the derived part.
  - C) Incorrect: Virtual functions actually add a slight overhead due to the vtable lookup.
  - D) Incorrect: Destructors have no impact on whether a class can have member variables.
  - E) Incorrect: Destructors cannot be overloaded; they take no arguments.
  - F) Incorrect: virtual specifically enables dynamic binding, the opposite of static binding.
Question 3: Which keyword is used to indicate that a function does not throw any exceptions, potentially allowing for compiler optimizations?
- A) throw(none)
- B) final
- C) static_assert
- D) noexcept
- E) override
- F) volatile
- Correct Answer: D
- Overall Explanation: The noexcept specifier informs the compiler (and the developer) that a function is guaranteed not to exit via an exception.
- Option Detail:
  - A) Incorrect: This is an older, deprecated exception specification style.
  - B) Incorrect: final prevents further inheritance or virtual function overriding.
  - C) Incorrect: static_assert is for compile-time logical checks.
  - D) Correct: noexcept is the modern standard for exception guarantees and enables optimizations in STL containers.
  - E) Incorrect: override ensures a member function correctly overrides a base class virtual function.
  - F) Incorrect: volatile tells the compiler that a variable's value may change unexpectedly (e.g., hardware mapping).

Welcome to the best practice exams to help you prepare for your C++ Interview Practice Questions and Answers.
- You can retake the exams as many times as you want
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I hope that by now you're convinced! And there are a lot more questions inside the course. Enroll today and take the final step toward getting certified!