Meta·Software Engineer·Online Assessment (OA)·Junior

Junior

May 2026

Summary

Straightforward Meta SWE coding question, basically just string concatenation with a space. Not much to say about the experience itself since the problem was pretty minimal.

Questions Asked (1)

Write a function that takes two name strings and returns them combined into a single full name string.

Algorithms & Data Structures

Author's notes

Yeah this is just first_name + ' ' + last_name.

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AI HintsAI Generated

Suggested Approach

Start by clarifying the requirements: how should the names be combined (e.g., with a space), and what to do with empty or whitespace-only strings. Then write a simple function that trims and concatenates the names, handling edge cases gracefully. Finally, discuss potential extensions like internationalization or validation.

Pro tip: Even for a simple question, demonstrate engineering rigor by discussing edge cases and testing. Mention that in production code, you'd consider using a library or built-in method for name formatting to handle international names correctly.

1. Clarify requirements

Ask the interviewer about the expected output format (e.g., space-separated), handling of empty strings, and whether trimming is needed. Confirm if the function should handle middle names or suffixes.

2. Design the function

Decide on the function signature and approach: trim inputs, filter out empty strings, and join with a space. Consider using a language-specific method like join or concatenation.

3. Implement and test

Write the code, then walk through test cases: normal names, empty strings, whitespace-only strings, and names with extra spaces. Verify the output matches expectations.

4. Discuss edge cases and extensions

Mention how you would handle international names, titles, or multiple names. Talk about potential validation (e.g., ensuring names contain only letters) and performance considerations.

Key Points to Mention

Input validation and trimming to handle leading/trailing whitespace
Handling empty or null inputs gracefully (e.g., return the non-empty name or empty string)
Using a space as the default separator, but making it configurable if needed
Considering internationalization: some cultures put family name first or have multiple given names
Testing with edge cases: both empty, one empty, extra spaces, special characters
Time and space complexity: O(n) time and space for concatenation, but negligible for typical name lengths

AI-generated suggestions, not part of the candidate's original notes. May be inaccurate — verify before relying on them.