Stripe Software Engineer Interview Questions
& Process

Started with a hackerrank style OA, but it was more about data processing and implementation, not typical DSA. Then, a live coding screen with a multi-part problem, focusing on clean code and thought process over tricks. The virtual onsite had 5 rounds: one coding (LC medium, arrays/strings/hashmaps), one debugging/bug-squash with a repo and failing tests, one practical system design (APIs, data flow, tradeoffs, not HLD), an integration round (wire a feature or connect components/endpoints), and a hiring manager/behavioral chat. My prep coach mentioned they prioritize readable code and hearing your thoughts. Definitely get comfortable reading others' code fast, practice LC mediums, know your language's standard library well, and consider a mock interview for a reality check.

It started with a 60-minute online assessment on HackerRank. This wasn't a typical algorithmic problem but was more about implementation. I had to parse and execute commands that simulated bank account transactions. It wasn't super hard, but the implementation part was quite lengthy. Then came a 45-minute phone screening via Zoom with an engineer. This was a live coding session where I could use my own IDE or their HackerRank sandbox. It was another implementation-focused problem with 2-3 connected sub-parts. Following that, there was a programming round with one coding question that had multiple parts, which I worked on in C++. After that, I had a Bug-Squash Round where I got access to an open-source C++ project and had to fix two bugs within an hour, using a debugger and breakpoints. The last round was a 30-minute non-technical chat with an Engineering Manager.

The recruiter was nice and quickly set up a phone screen. The engineer I spoke with was good. The onsite was a mess, though. The interviewers seemed to want to trip me up. There were 5 rounds total: coding (like the phone screen, where I had to implement a function with a few parts), bug squash, behavioral, system design, and integration. Weirdly, the integration interviewers never showed up. I could really feel the egos of the senior engineers; at times they weren't even paying attention when I was talking. When I asked a basic clarifying question about the system design, they asked me to repeat myself. Then they asked about a 'missing' component that I had literally just drawn. While some of the deep-dive questions were interesting and showed the engineers' knowledge in their specific domains, they lacked the broader understanding for general deep dives. I wouldn't want to work with senior engineers like that. It reminded me of posts I've seen about office politics and people taking credit for others' work. I came from a FAANG with a bad reputation, but even there, it wasn't this bad.