Recursion was the obvious move and I got there quickly, but I fumbled the scalar type-checking part at first.
Start by clarifying the problem and edge cases, then outline a recursive solution that handles each type (scalar, list, object) with appropriate equality checks. Emphasize type-strict scalar comparison, order-sensitive list comparison, and key-order-independent object comparison. Discuss complexity and potential optimizations like early termination.
Pro tip: Mention that you would handle circular references gracefully, either by detecting cycles or assuming they don't exist based on the problem constraints. Also, discuss the trade-off between recursive and iterative approaches, especially for deeply nested structures.
Ask about the definition of 'JSON-like', handling of null, undefined, special numeric values (NaN, Infinity), and circular references. Confirm that type-strict equality means no type coercion.
Outline a function that first checks if both inputs are of the same type. For scalars, compare directly; for lists, compare length and each element recursively; for objects, compare key sets and then values recursively.
Write pseudocode or actual code, ensuring that comparisons short-circuit on first mismatch. Use helper functions for type checking and recursion.
Discuss time complexity O(n) where n is total number of elements, and space complexity O(d) for recursion depth. Mention iterative alternatives using stacks to avoid stack overflow.
Walk through test cases: equal scalars, different types, lists with same elements in different order, objects with same keys in different order, nested structures, and edge cases like empty lists/objects.
AI-generated suggestions, not part of the candidate's original notes. May be inaccurate — verify before relying on them.