Seemed trivial at first and I almost rushed it.
Start by clarifying the requirements and constraints, then outline a solution that reads the file and handles the missing file case with a clear error message. Write clean, idiomatic code with proper error handling, and discuss trade-offs such as using exceptions vs. checking file existence.
Pro tip: Demonstrate awareness of edge cases like empty files, permission errors, and large files (even though size is bounded), and mention how you would test the solution. This shows production-level thinking beyond just solving the problem.
Ask clarifying questions about the environment, expected error message format, and whether the file path is provided as an argument or hardcoded. Confirm that the file is plain text and under 100KB.
Select a programming language you are comfortable with (e.g., Python, Java, C++). Decide between reading the entire file at once (since size is small) or streaming line by line. Consider using built-in file I/O libraries.
Use try-catch (or equivalent) to handle the case where the file does not exist. Print a clear error message to standard error (or standard output as specified) and exit gracefully. Optionally check file existence beforehand, but prefer exception handling for atomicity.
Write the code on the whiteboard or in a shared editor, explaining each part. Ensure you close the file properly (use with statement in Python or try-with-resources in Java). Print the contents to standard output.
Walk through test cases: file exists, file missing, empty file, file with special characters. Discuss potential improvements like handling other I/O errors (permission denied) and logging.
AI-generated suggestions, not part of the candidate's original notes. May be inaccurate — verify before relying on them.