← Amazon Interview Insights

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

JuniorPending
Jul 2026

Summary

Took the Amazon new grad SDE-1 OA and it was a mixed bag. First coding question went pretty well but the AI portion was a disaster, kept looping on the same output for like half an hour.

Questions Asked (2)

Q1

Coding problem 1 on the online assessment.

Algorithms & Data Structures
Author's notes

Got 14 out of 15 test cases which felt decent.

Create a free account to read the full note

AI HintsAI Generated

Suggested Approach

Start by clarifying the problem constraints and edge cases, then outline a brute-force solution before optimizing with appropriate data structures or algorithms. Focus on demonstrating clean code, efficient time/space complexity, and thorough testing with examples.

Pro tip: Amazon values customer obsession and ownership; as you code, verbalize your thought process and trade-offs, and proactively test your solution with edge cases to show you think like a bar raiser.

1. Understand the Problem

Ask clarifying questions to confirm input/output formats, constraints, and edge cases. Restate the problem in your own words to ensure alignment.

2. Explore Approaches

Discuss a brute-force solution first, then analyze its inefficiencies. Propose an optimized approach using suitable data structures or algorithms, explaining trade-offs.

3. Plan and Code

Outline the steps of your chosen algorithm, then write clean, modular code with meaningful variable names. Comment on key logic as you go.

4. Test and Debug

Walk through your code with a sample input, then test edge cases (empty input, large values, duplicates). Fix any bugs and verify correctness.

5. Analyze Complexity

State the time and space complexity of your solution, and discuss potential improvements or alternative approaches if time permits.

Key Points to Mention

  • Clarifying questions to resolve ambiguities and constraints
  • Trade-offs between brute-force and optimized solutions
  • Use of appropriate data structures (e.g., hash maps, heaps, trees)
  • Time and space complexity analysis (Big O notation)
  • Edge case handling and testing methodology
  • Clean code practices: readability, modularity, and naming conventions

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

Q2

AI-related coding or analysis problem on the online assessment.

Algorithms & Data StructuresTechnical Trade-offs
Author's notes

This one was rough, not even because of the problem itself but the platform kept spitting out the same output on repeat for almost 30 minutes.

Create a free account to read the full note

AI HintsAI Generated

Suggested Approach

Start by clarifying the problem requirements and constraints, then outline a brute-force solution before optimizing. Focus on algorithmic efficiency and discuss trade-offs between time and space complexity, especially for AI-related data processing.

Pro tip: Demonstrate Amazon Leadership Principles by explicitly discussing how your solution scales and handles edge cases, and always test with provided examples plus your own.

1. Understand the Problem

Ask clarifying questions to confirm input/output formats, constraints, and edge cases. Restate the problem in your own words to ensure alignment.

2. Plan Your Approach

Discuss a brute-force solution first, then propose an optimized algorithm. Explain your thought process and consider multiple approaches.

3. Analyze Trade-offs

Compare time and space complexity of different solutions. Discuss scalability and potential bottlenecks, especially for AI workloads.

4. Implement and Test

Write clean, modular code with meaningful variable names. Test with sample inputs, edge cases, and validate against expected outputs.

5. Review and Optimize

Refactor if needed, check for off-by-one errors, and discuss possible further optimizations or alternative data structures.

Key Points to Mention

  • Time and space complexity analysis (Big O notation)
  • Edge cases and input validation
  • Scalability and performance for large datasets
  • Trade-offs between different data structures (e.g., hash maps vs. arrays)
  • Amazon Leadership Principles like Customer Obsession and Ownership
  • Testing methodology and debugging strategies

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