"Huge timesaver. Worth the money"

"It's an excellent tool"

"Fantastic catalogue of questions"

Ace your next tech interview with confidence

Explore our carefully curated catalog of interview essentials covering full-stack, data structures and algorithms, system design, data science, and machine learning interview questions

15 CAP Theorem interview questions

Only coding challenges

Topic progress: 0%

CAP Theorem Fundamentals

1.
What is CAP Theorem and why it’s important for distributed systems?
Answer:
2.
How does the CAP Theorem define consistency in the context of a distributed system?
Answer:
3.
What does availability mean in CAP Theorem?
Answer:
4.
Explain partition tolerance in a distributed system as stated by the CAP Theorem.
Answer:

Real-World Implications and Trade-offs

5.
Give an example of a real system that favors consistency over availability.
Answer:
6.
Can you name a system that prefers availability over consistency?
Answer:
7.
What is meant by “eventual consistency” in the context of CAP Theorem?
Answer:
8.
What trade-offs you might have to make in a distributed system design due to the CAP Theorem.
Answer:

Designing with CAP in Mind

9.
How would you design a system that requires high availability and what trade-offs would you have to make according to the CAP Theorem?
Answer:
10.
If a system is experiencing a partition (network failure), what strategies can you employ to maintain service?
Answer:
11.
Considering the CAP Theorem, how would you approach building a distributed system that handles sensitive financial transactions?
Answer:

CAP in Practice

12.
Describe a scenario where a system may switch from being CA to AP during its operation due to external factors.
Answer:
13.
How do quorums help in achieving consistency or availability in distributed systems, and how is this related to CAP Theorem?
Answer:
14.
How do modern databases like Cassandra or DynamoDB address the challenges posed by the CAP Theorem?
Answer:

Advanced Understanding of CAP

15.
Explain how concepts like idempotency, commutativity, and convergence are important in designs that are influenced by the CAP Theorem.
Answer:

Unlock interview insights

Get the inside track on what to expect in your next interview. Access a collection of high quality technical interview questions with detailed answers to help you prepare for your next coding interview.

Track progress

Simple interface helps to track your learning progress. Easily navigate through the wide range of questions and focus on key topics you need for your interview success.

Save time

Save countless hours searching for information on hundreds of low-quality sites designed to drive traffic and make money from advertising.

Land a six-figure job at one of the top tech companies

Ready to nail your next interview?

Stand out and get your dream job

Go up