Agoda Software Engineer Interview Questions + Guide in 2025

Agoda is an innovative online travel booking platform that connects travelers with over 3.6 million accommodations worldwide, leveraging cutting-edge technology to deliver seamless experiences.

The Software Engineer role at Agoda involves designing, developing, and maintaining high-performance applications that cater to millions of users. Key responsibilities include leading the development of complex systems and features, collaborating with cross-functional teams, and actively participating in Agile and Scrum methodologies. Ideal candidates will possess strong coding abilities, with proficiency in languages such as Java, Scala, or C#, and a solid understanding of data structures and algorithms. Experience with data platforms like SQL, Cassandra, or Hadoop is also essential.

Agoda values innovation, collaboration, and continuous improvement, making it crucial for candidates to showcase their passion for software development and their ability to mentor others. This guide will help you prepare effectively for the interview by highlighting relevant skills and insights into the company's culture and expectations.

The interview process for a Software Engineer at Agoda is structured and involves multiple stages designed to assess both technical skills and cultural fit. Here’s a breakdown of the typical process:

1. Initial Screening

The first step in the interview process is an initial screening, which usually takes place over a phone call with a recruiter. This conversation typically lasts about 30-60 minutes and focuses on your background, experiences, and motivations for applying to Agoda. The recruiter will also provide insights into the company culture and the specifics of the role.

2. Online Assessment

Following the initial screening, candidates are required to complete an online coding assessment. This assessment usually consists of several algorithmic and data structure problems, often sourced from platforms like LeetCode. The difficulty level can range from medium to hard, and candidates are typically given a set time to complete the test. This stage is crucial as it serves as a filter to determine who progresses to the next round.

3. Technical Interviews

Candidates who pass the online assessment will be invited to participate in one or more technical interviews. These interviews can be conducted via video call or in-person and typically involve live coding sessions. Interviewers will present coding problems that require you to demonstrate your problem-solving skills and coding proficiency. Expect questions that cover algorithms, data structures, system design, and possibly some theoretical concepts related to software engineering.

4. System Design Interview

For more senior positions, a system design interview may be included in the process. This interview assesses your ability to architect complex systems and make design decisions. You may be asked to design a system from scratch, discuss trade-offs, and explain your reasoning behind architectural choices. This stage is particularly important for candidates applying for roles that involve leadership or significant technical responsibility.

5. Behavioral Interview

In addition to technical assessments, candidates will also undergo a behavioral interview. This interview focuses on cultural fit and assesses how well you align with Agoda's values and work environment. Expect questions about teamwork, conflict resolution, and your approach to challenges in a professional setting.

6. Final Interview

The final stage may involve a wrap-up interview with senior management or team leads. This is an opportunity for both parties to discuss any remaining questions and for you to gain further insights into the team dynamics and company culture. It’s also a chance for you to ask about the next steps in the hiring process.

As you prepare for your interviews, be ready to tackle a variety of technical challenges and articulate your thought process clearly. Next, let’s delve into the specific interview questions that candidates have encountered during the process.

Here are some tips to help you excel in your interview.

Understand the Interview Structure

Agoda's interview process typically consists of multiple rounds, including a coding assessment, technical interviews, and a culture fit interview. Familiarize yourself with this structure and prepare accordingly. Expect to tackle algorithm and data structure problems, as well as system design questions. Knowing the format will help you manage your time and expectations during the interview.

Master Key Technical Skills

Given the emphasis on algorithms and data structures, ensure you are well-versed in these areas. Practice coding problems on platforms like LeetCode, focusing on medium to hard difficulty levels. Be prepared to discuss your thought process and optimize your solutions during live coding sessions. Additionally, brush up on relevant technologies such as SQL, Java, Scala, or C#, as these are commonly used in Agoda's tech stack.

Prepare for System Design Questions

In addition to coding challenges, you may face system design questions. Be ready to discuss how you would architect a system, considering scalability, fault tolerance, and performance. Familiarize yourself with common design patterns and be prepared to explain your reasoning behind architectural decisions. This will demonstrate your ability to think critically and design robust systems.

Showcase Your Problem-Solving Approach

During the interviews, interviewers will be interested in your problem-solving approach. Clearly articulate your thought process as you work through coding challenges. If you encounter difficulties, don't hesitate to ask clarifying questions or discuss alternative solutions. This shows your ability to collaborate and adapt, which is highly valued at Agoda.

Emphasize Cultural Fit

Agoda values a collaborative and innovative culture. Be prepared to discuss how your values align with the company's mission and culture. Highlight experiences where you contributed to team success, embraced diversity, or drove positive change. This will help you demonstrate that you are not only a technical fit but also a cultural one.

Communicate Effectively

Strong communication skills are essential, especially in a remote interview setting. Practice articulating your thoughts clearly and concisely. Be prepared to explain complex technical concepts in a way that is understandable to non-technical stakeholders. This will showcase your ability to work effectively within cross-functional teams.

Be Ready for Behavioral Questions

Expect behavioral questions that assess your past experiences and how you handle challenges. Use the STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) method to structure your responses. This will help you provide clear and compelling answers that highlight your skills and experiences relevant to the role.

Stay Positive and Professional

While some candidates have reported less-than-ideal experiences during interviews, maintaining a positive and professional demeanor is crucial. Regardless of the interviewer's attitude, focus on showcasing your skills and enthusiasm for the role. A positive attitude can leave a lasting impression and set you apart from other candidates.

By following these tips and preparing thoroughly, you can enhance your chances of success in the interview process at Agoda. Good luck!

In this section, we’ll review the various interview questions that might be asked during a Software Engineer interview at Agoda. The interview process will likely assess your technical skills, problem-solving abilities, and cultural fit within the company. Be prepared to demonstrate your knowledge of algorithms, data structures, system design, and coding practices, as well as your experience with relevant technologies.

Algorithms and Data Structures

1. Can you explain the difference between a stack and a queue?

Understanding the fundamental data structures is crucial for any software engineer.

How to Answer

Discuss the characteristics of both data structures, including their operations (push/pop for stacks and enqueue/dequeue for queues) and their use cases.

Example

“A stack is a Last In First Out (LIFO) structure, where the last element added is the first to be removed. A queue, on the other hand, is a First In First Out (FIFO) structure, where the first element added is the first to be removed. Stacks are often used in scenarios like function call management, while queues are used in scheduling tasks.”

2. How would you implement a binary search algorithm?

This question tests your understanding of search algorithms and efficiency.

How to Answer

Explain the binary search algorithm step-by-step, emphasizing its time complexity and when it is applicable.

Example

“Binary search works on sorted arrays by repeatedly dividing the search interval in half. If the target value is less than the middle element, the search continues in the lower half; otherwise, it continues in the upper half. This results in a time complexity of O(log n).”

3. Describe how you would reverse a linked list.

This question assesses your knowledge of linked lists and pointer manipulation.

How to Answer

Outline the iterative or recursive approach to reversing a linked list, including the necessary pointer adjustments.

Example

“To reverse a linked list iteratively, I would maintain three pointers: previous, current, and next. I would iterate through the list, adjusting the pointers so that each node points to its predecessor instead of its successor, effectively reversing the list.”

4. What is the time complexity of accessing an element in an array versus a linked list?

This question evaluates your understanding of data structure performance.

How to Answer

Discuss the differences in time complexity for accessing elements in both data structures.

Example

“Accessing an element in an array is O(1) because arrays allow direct indexing. In contrast, accessing an element in a linked list is O(n) since it requires traversing the list from the head to the desired node.”

5. Can you explain the concept of dynamic programming?

This question tests your understanding of optimization techniques in algorithms.

How to Answer

Define dynamic programming and provide an example of a problem that can be solved using this technique.

Example

“Dynamic programming is an optimization technique used to solve problems by breaking them down into simpler subproblems and storing the results to avoid redundant calculations. A classic example is the Fibonacci sequence, where each number is the sum of the two preceding ones.”

System Design

1. How would you design a URL shortening service?

This question assesses your system design skills and ability to think through architecture.

How to Answer

Outline the components of the system, including the database schema, API endpoints, and how you would handle scalability.

Example

“I would design a URL shortening service with a database to store the original and shortened URLs. The API would have endpoints for creating a short URL and redirecting to the original URL. To handle scalability, I would implement a caching layer and use a hash function to generate unique short URLs.”

2. What considerations would you take into account when designing a distributed system?

This question evaluates your understanding of distributed systems and their challenges.

How to Answer

Discuss key factors such as consistency, availability, partition tolerance, and how you would address them.

Example

“When designing a distributed system, I would consider the CAP theorem, which states that a distributed system can only guarantee two of the three properties: consistency, availability, and partition tolerance. I would also implement load balancing, fault tolerance, and data replication strategies to ensure reliability.”

3. How would you ensure high availability in a web application?

This question tests your knowledge of reliability and uptime strategies.

How to Answer

Explain various techniques to achieve high availability, such as redundancy, failover mechanisms, and load balancing.

Example

“To ensure high availability, I would implement a load balancer to distribute traffic across multiple servers. I would also use redundant servers in different geographic locations and set up automatic failover mechanisms to switch to backup systems in case of failure.”

4. Describe how you would implement caching in a web application.

This question assesses your understanding of performance optimization techniques.

How to Answer

Discuss the types of caching (in-memory, distributed) and how you would implement them.

Example

“I would implement caching using a distributed cache like Redis to store frequently accessed data. This would reduce database load and improve response times. I would also set appropriate expiration policies to ensure data consistency.”

5. What is microservices architecture, and what are its advantages?

This question evaluates your knowledge of modern architectural patterns.

How to Answer

Define microservices architecture and discuss its benefits and challenges.

Example

“Microservices architecture is a design approach where an application is composed of small, independent services that communicate over APIs. The advantages include improved scalability, easier deployment, and the ability to use different technologies for different services. However, it also introduces challenges in managing inter-service communication and data consistency.”

Coding Skills

1. Write a function to check if a string is a palindrome.

This question tests your coding ability and understanding of string manipulation.

How to Answer

Provide a clear and efficient solution, explaining your thought process.

Example

“To check if a string is a palindrome, I would compare characters from the start and end of the string, moving towards the center. If all corresponding characters match, the string is a palindrome.”

2. How would you find the first non-repeating character in a string?

This question assesses your problem-solving skills and knowledge of data structures.

How to Answer

Outline your approach, including any data structures you would use.

Example

“I would use a hash map to count the occurrences of each character in the string. Then, I would iterate through the string again to find the first character with a count of one, which would be the first non-repeating character.”

3. Can you implement a function to merge two sorted arrays?

This question tests your ability to manipulate arrays and understand sorting algorithms.

How to Answer

Explain your approach and provide a solution.

Example

“I would use two pointers to traverse both arrays, comparing the elements and adding the smaller one to a new array. This would ensure that the merged array remains sorted.”

4. Write a function to calculate the factorial of a number.

This question evaluates your understanding of recursion and iterative solutions.

How to Answer

Provide both a recursive and an iterative solution, explaining the trade-offs.

Example

“I can calculate the factorial recursively by multiplying the number by the factorial of the number minus one. Alternatively, I can use an iterative approach with a loop to multiply the numbers from 1 to n.”

5. How would you implement a basic calculator that can handle addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division?

This question tests your coding skills and ability to handle user input.

How to Answer

Outline your approach to parsing input and performing calculations.

Example

“I would create a function that takes a string input, splits it into tokens, and processes each token based on its operator. I would maintain a running total and apply the appropriate operation as I parse through the tokens.”