A developer builds a website from the bottom up, which means designing it, so that end users have no difficulty navigating the site. A web developer builds and maintains websites with the client and consumer in mind. The end design must include products and services offered and show how users may access these. Web developers create and maintain websites. They are also responsible for the site's technical aspects, such as its performance and capacity, measures of a website's speed, and how much traffic the site can handle. In addition, web developers may create content for the site.
The interview is a conversation in which an employer exchange information with the protentional candidates. With careful preparation, HR professionals and hiring managers can do the most employment interviews and obtain the information they need. Preparatory steps include selecting a method of interviewing, drafting useful questions, phrasing questions properly, and sharpening listening skills. Web development is one of the fastest-changing fields in technology. Many concepts from as little as five years ago have become obsolete, so this is why the interviewers should be prepared.
Essential Interview Questions
Explain what the critical responsibilities of a Web Developer are?
Listen fora comprehensive understanding of front-end and back-end development tasks.
What should web developers know?
Listen forproficiency in HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and relevant frameworks.
Explain what CORS is? How does it work?
Listen forknowledge of Cross-Origin Resource Sharing and its security implications.
List out the advantage of HTTP/2 as compared with HTTP 1.1?
Listen forfamiliarity with multiplexing, header compression, and server push features.
Explain what is an ETag and how does it work?
Listen forunderstanding of entity tags for cache validation and optimization.
Explain what long polling is?
Listen forability to implement real-time communication via persistent connections.
What is DTD (Document Type Declaration), and how does it work? In DTD, what's the difference between CDATA and PCDATA?
Listen forknowledge of document structure validation and differences in data types.
What tips can you use to reduce the load time of a web application that you have written?
Listen forstrategies for optimizing images, minifying resources, and leveraging caching.
What is the correct way to include JavaScript into your HTML?
Listen forunderstanding of script tags and asynchronous loading methods.
Explain in CSS how you can make a form element’s background color change when entering text? Does this work in all browsers?
Listen forknowledge of pseudo-classes and browser compatibility considerations.
Explain what the difference between cookies and local storage is?
Listen forunderstanding of data storage mechanisms and their use cases.
What HTML element can you use to create a multi-line text input control?
Listen forknowledge of the element and its attributes.
What is the best way to refer to the CSS files on a web page?
Listen forunderstanding of relative vs. absolute paths in linking CSS.
List a few methods for reducing the time it takes for a page to load?
Listen forstrategies like lazy loading, CDN usage, and file compression.
What distinguishes XHTML from HTML?
Listen forknowledge of stricter syntax rules and XML compatibility.
Rate each answer as you hear it, not from memory afterwards. Use the same scale for every candidate so the notes stay comparable.
Web Developer · Candidate Scorecard
Score every candidate against the same six criteria, so two interviewers reach comparable conclusions instead of competing impressions.
Front-End Frameworks
experience with frameworks like React or Angular for dynamic interfaces.
Back-End Technologies
proficiency in server-side languages like Node.js or PHP.
Version Control
familiarity with Git for collaborative code management.
Responsive Design
ability to create mobile-friendly layouts using CSS frameworks.
API Integration
experience in connecting and consuming RESTful or GraphQL APIs.
Testing Practices
knowledge of unit testing and debugging techniques for web apps.
Take this scorecard into the interview
Download the fillable PDF, or have it emailed to you with all 15 questions attached.
Web Developer Job Description
Take a look at what key requirements, duties, responsibilities, and skills should be part of your Web Developer job description.
Want a Structured Interview Toolkit?
PDFThe Interviewing Toolkit is a practical guide covering interview preparation, structured questions, evaluation strategies, and common hiring challenges to help small and mid-sized teams hire with confidence.
Download the free Interviewing Toolkit nowGet instant access to the PDF version. No signup required.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many interview questions should I ask?
Plan for 5–7 core questions in a 45–60 minute interview. This allows time for follow-up questions and gives candidates space to provide detailed examples.
What are red flags during an interview?
Watch for vague answers, lack of specific examples, blame-shifting, or inability to explain their role in past results.
How do I evaluate interview answers objectively?
Use a consistent scoring rubric for each question and focus on measurable examples and demonstrated skills.
Do structured interviews improve hiring results?
Yes. Structured interviews increase consistency, reduce bias, and make it easier to compare candidates fairly.
How do I assess technical skills without a hands-on test?
Ask candidates to walk through their diagnostic process for common problems, explain how they use specific tools, and describe recent challenging repairs they completed successfully.
Web Developer Job Description Template
These questions are written against the same role definition. Post the job description first, then interview from this scorecard, and the criteria you screened on are the criteria you score on.