Okta Software Engineer Interview Questions + Guide in 2024

Okta is The World’s Identity Company. They empower everyone to safely use any technology—anywhere, on any device or app. Their Workforce and Customer Identity Clouds enable secure yet flexible access, authentication, and automation, transforming how people navigate the digital world with Identity at the heart of business security and growth.

As a Software Engineer at Okta, you will be pivotal in developing robust, scalable solutions that address modern identity security challenges. The role demands strong technical skills, problem-solving capabilities, and the ability to work collaboratively with various teams to translate product requirements into technical solutions.

This guide will walk you through the interview process, common Okta software engineer interview questions, and some invaluable tips to help you succeed. Let’s get started!

Recruiter/Hiring Manager Call Screening

If your CV is among the shortlisted few, a recruiter from the Okta Talent Acquisition Team will contact you and verify key details like your experiences and skill level. Behavioral questions may also be part of the screening process.

Sometimes, the Okta Software Engineer hiring manager stays present during the screening round to answer your queries about the role and the company itself. They may also indulge in surface-level technical and behavioral discussions.

The whole recruiter call will no longer take more than 30 minutes.

Technical Virtual Interview

Successfully navigating the recruiter round will invite you to the technical screening round. Technical screening for the Okta Software Engineer role is usually conducted through virtual means, including video conference and screen sharing. Questions in this one-hour interview stage typically revolve around coding challenges based on data structures and algorithms (similar to LeetCode medium questions), system design, and problem-solving skills.

Expect an Online Assessment, which typically includes solving a medium-level graph question through a third-party tool. It’s crucial to practice similar questions on Interview Query.

Onsite Interview Rounds

After a successful technical virtual interview, you’ll be invited to attend the onsite interview loop. Multiple interview rounds, varying with the role, will be conducted during your day at the Okta office. Your technical prowess, including programming and system design capabilities, will be evaluated against the finalized candidates throughout these interviews.

If you were assigned take-home exercises, a presentation round may also await you during the onsite interview.

Typically, interviews at Okta vary by role and team, but commonly Software Engineer interviews follow a fairly standardized process across these question topics.

1. Is this a fair coin?

You flip a coin 10 times, and it comes up tails 8 times and heads twice. Determine if the coin is fair based on this outcome.

2. Write a function to calculate sample variance from a list of integers.

Create a function that outputs the sample variance given a list of integers and round the result to 2 decimal places.

Example:

Input: test_list = [6, 7, 3, 9, 10, 15]

Output: get_variance(test_list) -> 13.89

3. Is there anything suspicious about an A/B test results with 20 variants?

Your manager ran an A/B test with 20 different variants and found one significant result. Evaluate whether these results are suspicious.

4. How to find the median in a list with more than 50% of the same integer in O(1) time and space?

Given a list of sorted integers where more than 50% of the list is the same repeating integer, write a function to return the median value in O(1) computational time and space.

Example: Input: li = [1,2,2]

Output: median(li) -> 2

5. What are the drawbacks and formatting changes needed for messy datasets?

You have data on student test scores in two different layouts. Identify the drawbacks of these layouts, suggest formatting changes to make the data more useful for analysis, and describe common problems seen in messy datasets.

6. How would you evaluate whether using a decision tree algorithm is the correct model for predicting loan repayment?

You are tasked with building a decision tree model to predict whether a borrower will repay a personal loan. How would you evaluate if a decision tree is the right choice, and how would you assess its performance before and after deployment?

7. How does random forest generate the forest and why use it over logistic regression?

Explain the process by which a random forest generates its ensemble of trees. Additionally, discuss the advantages of using random forest over logistic regression.

8. When would you use a bagging algorithm versus a boosting algorithm?

Compare two machine learning algorithms. Describe scenarios where you would prefer a bagging algorithm over a boosting algorithm, and discuss the tradeoffs between the two.

9. How would you justify using a neural network for a business problem and explain its predictions to non-technical stakeholders?

Your manager asks you to build a neural network model to solve a business problem. How would you justify the complexity of this model and explain its predictions to non-technical stakeholders?

10. What metrics would you use to track the accuracy and validity of a spam classifier?

You are tasked with building a spam classifier for emails and have completed a V1 of the model. What metrics would you use to evaluate the model’s accuracy and validity?

11. How would you set up an A/B test to optimize button color and position for higher click-through rates?

A team wants to A/B test changes in a sign-up funnel, such as changing a button from red to blue and/or moving it from the top to the bottom of the page. How would you design this test?

12. Write a SQL query to select the 2nd highest salary in the engineering department.

Write a SQL query to select the 2nd highest salary in the engineering department. If more than one person shares the highest salary, the query should select the next highest salary.

13. Write a function to merge two sorted lists into one sorted list.

Given two sorted lists, write a function to merge them into one sorted list. Bonus: What’s the time complexity?

14. Write a function missing_number to find the missing number in an array.

You have an array of integers, nums of length n spanning 0 to n with one missing. Write a function missing_number that returns the missing number in the array. Complexity of \(O(n)\) required.

15. Write a function precision_recall to calculate precision and recall metrics from a 2-D matrix.

Given a 2-D matrix P of predicted values and actual values, write a function precision_recall to calculate precision and recall metrics. Return the ordered pair (precision, recall).

16. Write a function to search for a target value in a rotated sorted array.

Suppose an array sorted in ascending order is rotated at some pivot unknown to you beforehand. You are given a target value to search. If the value is in the array, then return its index; otherwise, return -1. Bonus: Your algorithm’s runtime complexity should be in the order of \(O(\log n)\).

You should plan to brush up on any technical skills and try as many practice interview questions and mock interviews as possible. A few tips for acing your Okta interview include:

• Practice Coding Challenges: Okta frequently asks coding questions with medium/intermediate difficulty. Make sure you’re well-prepared by practicing questions with the same level of difficulty on Interview Query’s question bank or AI interviewer.

• System Design Proficiency: Be ready to tackle at least two system design questions. Understanding system design’s fundamentals and practical applications can make a big difference.

• Stay Calm and Clarify Questions: If the interviewer seems uninterested or does not provide clarifying answers, stay calm. Take the initiative to ask for more details and clarify the problem statement to the best of your ability.

What is the average salary for a Software Engineer at Okta, inc.?

What skills and qualifications does Okta look for in a Software Engineer?

Okta is looking for engineers with a solid background in software development, particularly with experience in object-oriented programming languages like Java and Golang. Familiarity with frontend application development, data stores, RESTful APIs, and working with systems at scale is highly valued. Additional skills like experience with Directory services (Active Directory, LDAP), server-side technologies, and identity and access management protocols can be advantageous.

What is the company culture like at Okta?

Okta values diversity and unique perspectives. The company is committed to creating a flexible and dynamic work environment that empowers employees to be their most creative and successful selves. Okta encourages continuous learning and innovation and emphasizes diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. Employees appreciate the company’s commitment to social impact and the provision of excellent tools and benefits to support their productivity and well-being.

Interviewing for a Software Engineer position at Okta is a blend of unique experiences that reflect the company’s vibrant and dynamic work environment. With some experiences indicating rescheduled interviews and occasional ambiguity in technical screenings, others have highlighted a highly engaging and positive process leading to rewarding career growth. Okta’s commitment to providing robust tools and an inclusive culture where lifelong learning and diverse experiences are celebrated shines through.

If you want more insights about the company, check out our main Okta Interview Guide, where we have covered other interview questions that could be asked.

Good luck with your interview!