Front-end engineers have the critical responsibility of coding and designing the user-side of web pages and applications. They are responsible for developing visuals and graphics to increase user engagement. Front-end engineers work closely with back-end developers to create appealing visuals and layouts for applications and web pages.
Amazon employs front-end developers on various teams to provide creative solutions for web and mobile applications. If you’re a front-end developer hoping to land an offer from Amazon, understanding the company's front-end engineer interview process is essential. A good tech interview prep strategy is the best way to equip yourself with the right skills and ace the interview.
In this piece, we’ll discuss the Amazon Front-End Engineer interview process and understand the fundamental roles and responsibilities of front-end developers.
If you are preparing for a tech interview, check out our interview questions page and salary negotiation ebook to get interview-ready! Also, read Amazon Interview Questions and Amazon Interview Process Guide for specific insights and guidance on Amazon tech interviews.
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In this article, we cover:
- What Does Amazon Look for in Front-End Developers?
- Roles and Responsibilities of Front-End Engineers at Amazon
- The Amazon Front-End Engineer Interview Process
- How to Prepare for the Amazon Front-End Engineer Interview
What Does Amazon Look For In Front-End Developers?
Amazon looks for candidates who are adept with front-end development fundamentals and the ability to design engaging templates and layouts for a range of web and mobile applications.
Here’s what Amazon typically looks for in front-end developers:
- The ability to think analytically and solve modern-day design challenges
- Strong front-end development fundamentals
- Proven problem-solving skills; being adept at data structures and algorithms
- Proven ability working on design aspects of scalable and distributed systems
- The right attitude to work and workplace situations
Roles and Responsibilities of Front-End Engineers at Amazon
The role of front-end engineers at Amazon bears the following responsibilities:
- Design page templates and layouts
- Design layouts considering limitations of a given device or browser
- Ensure websites and applications are compatible with multiple devices and browsers
- Work closely with the back-end engineering team to design applications and web pages
- Work with UI and UX designers to design mobile and web application interfaces
- Design and develop performance-enhancement tools for business applications
- Improve user engagement of business applications
- Incorporate on-page SEO elements on web pages
The Amazon Front-End Engineer Interview Process
The Front-End Engineer Interview Process at Amazon tests:
- Problem-solving skills
- Analytical capabilities
- Design knowledge (especially front-end design)
- Front-end development fundamentals
Below are the different stages of the Amazon Front-End Engineer interview process:
Initial Recruiter Screen
In this round, recruiters determine if your profile is the right fit for the role.
Questions in this round will focus on your work experience, knowledge of front-end development, and your expected compensation.
If your profile satisfies the role requirements, you’ll move on to the technical phone screen interview.
The Technical Phone Screen
This is a remote round that typically lasts for approximately 30 minutes. Two interviewers usually conduct it:
- A hiring manager responsible for the recruitment of front-end developers
- The head of your prospective team who will ask you DSA questions
You’ll be given a problem statement for which you’ll have to first find a brute-force solution. The hiring manager will ask you questions about your proposed solution. Following this, you’ll be asked to write code on a shared document or an interviewing tool that immediately runs the code.
The primary idea of this round is to evaluate your problem-solving and analytical capabilities. You’ll be evaluated on your ability to arrive at an optimal solution as well as your thought process, approach to the problem, and how you implement core concepts in programming.
For the interview, you’ll have to be adept at an object-oriented programming language of your choice.
During the Technical Phone Screen, you’ll also be asked questions on front-end development basics. Expect questions based on front-end programming and design concepts.
The Onsite Interview
The onsite interview stage at Amazon is also known as the ‘Loop.’ At this stage, your abilities as a programmer and front-end developer will be tested. The onsite stage of the interview process comprises multiple rounds of interviews to determine if you’re the right fit for the role of a front-end engineer at Amazon.
The Amazon Front-End Developer onsite interview process comprises the following rounds:
- Coding Round: This round involves solving DSA problems of medium-hard difficulty. Hiring managers in this round will closely evaluate your approach to solving complex problems.
The coding round lasts for approximately 30 mins to 1 hour.
- Front-End Round: In this round, hiring managers will test your knowledge of JavaScript, libraries, DOM, and more. You’ll be asked to solve problems using JavaScript, but without using frameworks such as React.
- System Design Round: This round is an important part of the Front-End Engineer interview process at Amazon. Your knowledge of basic scalable systems and design components will be evaluated in this round. Questions will be largely front-end focused.
- Advanced System Design Round: This round is usually conducted for senior front-end engineer positions. In this round, your design solution to a given problem is tested for performance, scalability, modularity, and accessibility. You may be asked to develop certain aspects of the design from scratch.
- Behavioral Round: This features two rounds of interviews. One round to evaluate your responses to various workplace-related situations, your take on work-life balance, and your past projects. Another round to test your understanding of Amazon’s core Leadership Principles.
Below are a few valuable resources on Amazon interview questions to help you with your Front-End Engineer interview prep:
- Amazon Coding Interview Questions
- Amazon Behavioral Interview Questions
- Amazon Leadership Principles Interview Questions
Also, check out Amazon Software Engineering Interview Questions and Tips for specific insights on coding and design interviews at Amazon.
How to Prepare for the Amazon Front-End Engineer Interview
If you’re preparing for a Front-End Engineer interview at Amazon, check out Front-End Engineering Interview Course — the one-of-its-kind technical interview prep course designed specifically for Front-end Engineers. Our proven interview preparation strategies, tips, and interview process insights can help you crack the most challenging technical interviews at the biggest tech companies.
We’ve trained 6,000+ engineers to land dream offers at FAANG+ companies. With over 25 years of collective industry experience, our team of expert instructors knows what it takes to nail tough tech interviews at the biggest companies.