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EPAM Java Developer Interview Experience: Core Java, Microservices, Kafka, and AI
Real-world interview questions covering MCP, RAG, ConcurrentHashMap, CompletableFuture, Java coding, CAP theorem, JWT, OAuth 2.0, Saga, Outbox Pattern, and Kafka — with practical examples.
Introduction
Preparing for a Java developer interview is no longer just about knowing Core Java, Spring Boot, and microservices.
Today’s interviews can cover a much broader range of topics, including concurrency, distributed systems, event-driven architecture, authentication, and AI application development.
In my EPAM interview experience, the questions covered several areas that every experienced backend developer should understand.
Some questions tested fundamental Java knowledge. Others focused on how we design reliable microservices, handle concurrent requests, secure APIs, and integrate AI capabilities into applications.
What makes these questions interesting is that they connect directly to real-world engineering problems.
For example:
- How do you prevent multiple threads from corrupting shared data?
- How do you coordinate database updates and Kafka events?
- How does JWT authentication work across microservices?
- What is the difference between MCP and RAG in AI applications?
- How do you find the…
