How can composite indexing be optimized to enhance query performance in relational databases?

  • Use covering indexes
  • Increase the number of indexed columns
  • Avoid indexing on frequently updated columns
  • Use B-tree indexes only
Composite indexing can be optimized by using covering indexes, which include all the columns required by a query. This reduces the need for additional table lookups and can significantly enhance query performance. Increasing the number of indexed columns may not always be beneficial as it can increase index maintenance overhead. Indexing frequently updated columns should be avoided to prevent write performance degradation. B-tree indexes are just one type of composite index, and the choice of index type depends on the specific use case.

What is the significance of the tilde (~) symbol in a version number, like ~1.2.3, in semantic versioning?

  • It allows upgrades to the specified version and any future versions, including breaking changes.
  • It signifies that downgrades are allowed.
  • It restricts upgrades to only the specified version.
  • It allows upgrades to the specified version and any future backward-compatible versions.
The tilde (~) symbol allows upgrades to the specified version and any future backward-compatible versions while keeping you within the same major version. It's more restrictive than the caret (^).

What does a 0 as the major version (e.g. 0.1.2) signify in semantic versioning?

  • It indicates an unstable or experimental version with no guarantees of backward compatibility.
  • It signifies the absence of a major version.
  • It means that the software is in its initial release and is highly stable.
  • It represents a pre-release version.
A 0 as the major version signifies an unstable or experimental version with no guarantees of backward compatibility. It's often used for initial development phases.

When utilizing closures, it is crucial to manage memory effectively to avoid ________.

  • memory leaks
  • buffer overflows
  • infinite loops
  • syntax errors
When utilizing closures, it is crucial to manage memory effectively to avoid memory leaks. If closures capture references to objects that are no longer needed, those objects will not be garbage collected, leading to memory leaks. Properly managing references and being mindful of what is captured in closures is essential to prevent this issue.

You are developing a real-time chat application in Node.js. How would you design the application to handle a high number of simultaneous connections without degrading performance, considering the nature of the Event Loop and Non-Blocking I/O?

  • Use worker threads to offload CPU-intensive tasks.
  • Utilize Node.js cluster module for load balancing.
  • Implement microservices architecture for scalability.
  • Increase the Event Loop's thread pool size.
To handle a high number of simultaneous connections without degrading performance in Node.js, you can use the cluster module, which allows you to create multiple child processes (workers) to distribute the load efficiently. Options a and c do not directly address the Node.js Event Loop's nature, and option d is not a recommended approach as it may lead to thread contention.

You are developing a high-traffic RESTful API with Express. How would you design the architecture to ensure optimal performance, scalability, and maintainability?

  • Use a single server instance for simplicity.
  • Implement a microservices architecture with multiple small services.
  • Rely solely on client-side caching to reduce server load.
  • Don't worry about code structure; focus on hardware upgrades for scalability.
Implementing a microservices architecture with multiple small services allows for optimal performance, scalability, and maintainability. Using a single server instance can become a bottleneck in high-traffic scenarios. Relying solely on client-side caching doesn't address server-side performance and scalability issues. Neglecting code structure and relying on hardware upgrades is not a best practice for maintainability.

How can you import a specific item from a module in ES6+?

  • import { item } from 'module';
  • import 'module' item;
  • import item from 'module';
  • include { item } from 'module';
In ES6+ JavaScript, you can import a specific item from a module using the syntax import { item } from 'module';. This allows you to selectively import only the items you need from a module. The other options are not valid import syntax in ES6+.

What are the implications of choosing an improper data type for a field in a database schema on storage and performance?

  • Increased storage space, slower queries
  • Decreased storage space, faster queries
  • Improved data integrity
  • No impact on storage or performance
Choosing an improper data type can lead to increased storage space and slower queries. For example, using a large data type for a small piece of data wastes space and may result in more I/O operations, slowing down queries. It's crucial to choose appropriate data types to optimize storage and performance.

You need to build a middleware that performs multiple operations asynchronously before passing control to the next middleware. How can you ensure that your middleware handles errors effectively and does not hang the application?

  • Implement error handling within the middleware using try-catch blocks and call the next middleware with an error parameter if an error occurs. Use next(err) to propagate the error to Express's default error handler.
  • Avoid error handling in middleware to improve performance, rely on Express's default error handling, and use a timeout to prevent the middleware from hanging indefinitely.
  • Use callbacks instead of promises or async/await for asynchronous operations within the middleware to avoid potential errors, and rely on external tools to monitor and handle errors.
  • Use the process.exit() method to terminate the application if an error occurs within the middleware to prevent it from hanging.
To ensure that a middleware handles errors effectively and does not hang the application, it's best practice to implement error handling within the middleware itself using try-catch blocks and call next(err) to propagate the error to Express's default error handler. Option 2 is not recommended as it bypasses proper error handling, and options 3 and 4 are unconventional and may cause issues.

The spread operator can effectively be used to create a shallow ______ of an object or an array.

  • Copy
  • Clone
  • Reference
  • Duplicate
The spread operator can effectively be used to create a shallow "Clone" of an object or an array. When you use the spread operator, it creates a new object or array with the same values as the original, but it is a separate entity in memory. This is known as a shallow clone.