Last updated: February 2026 | Reviewed by MockIF Interview Preparation Team
Quick Summary:
Technical interviews test whether you can solve problems live under pressure. This guide covers what to study, how to practice each format, and the mistakes that cost candidates offers across coding, system design, and behavioral rounds.
Technical interviews test whether you can solve problems live—not just talk about your experience. That's a different skill from day-to-day engineering work, and it's why preparation matters even for experienced developers. This guide covers what to study, how to practice each interview format, and the mistakes that cost candidates offers.
Start Free PracticeA technical interview is an evaluation format where you solve problems, write code, or design systems while someone watches. Unlike traditional interviews that focus on your background and personality, technical interviews ask you to demonstrate skills in real time—not just talk about them.
The format varies by company, but the core idea stays the same: show how you think, not just what you know.
Technical interviews test performance under pressure—and that's a separate skill from your actual engineering ability. Plenty of experienced developers fail simply because they haven't practiced the format itself.
Here's the gap: you might understand binary search perfectly, but can you implement it correctly while someone watches and a timer runs? That's what preparation builds.
There's a gap between studying and performing—and practice under realistic conditions is what closes it.
MockIF simulates real interview pressure with pacing changes and unexpected follow-ups, so you can practice staying composed when conversations don't follow a script.
There's no magic number, though successful junior candidates typically solve 150-200 problems before interviewing. Focus on mastering common patterns rather than hitting a problem count. Once you can recognize and solve pattern-based problems consistently under timed conditions, you're ready.
Two weeks is enough to refresh fundamentals if you already have a strong foundation. Most candidates benefit from several weeks of consistent practice. Prioritize high-frequency topics and realistic mock interviews.
Talk through what you've tried and where you're blocked. Interviewers often give hints when you communicate your thinking. Staying calm and collaborative matters more than solving every problem perfectly.
You don't have to memorize code line-by-line, but you do want to understand core algorithms well enough to reconstruct them and explain trade-offs.
A coding interview is one type of technical interview focused specifically on writing code. Technical interviews can also include system design, behavioral questions, and take-home assignments.
Technical interview preparation isn't about memorizing answers—it's about building the ability to perform under pressure.
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