Data Engineering Interview Guide
Prep for the data-engineering loop end to end — SQL challenges, ETL design, data modeling, and pipeline system-design scenarios, with worked solutions, not just questions.
📁 File Structure 14 files
├── LICENSE
├── README.md
├── free-sample.zip
├── guide/
│ ├── 01-overview.md
│ ├── 02-etl-pipeline-design-patterns.md
│ ├── 03-sql-interview-challenge-walkthrough.md
├── index.html
├── interactive.html
├── questions/
│ ├── big-data-and-tools.md
│ ├── data-modeling.md
│ ├── data-system-design.md
│ ├── etl-pipeline-design.md
│ ├── sql-challenges.md
├── study-plan/
│ ├── data-engineering-study-plan.md
📖 Documentation Preview README excerpt
Data Engineering Interview Guide
110+ technical interview questions with detailed answers covering SQL, ETL pipelines, data modeling, system design, and big data tools — everything you need to land a data engineering role.
Whether you're targeting your first DE position or preparing for a senior/staff interview loop, this guide gives you real questions asked at top companies — with thorough answers, working SQL, ASCII architecture diagrams, and a structured 4-week study plan.
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Table of Contents
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What's Included
| Category | Count | Description |
|---|---|---|
| **SQL Challenges** | 22 | Joins, window functions, CTEs, aggregations, query optimization — with worked SQL solutions |
| **ETL Pipeline Design** | 22 | Batch vs streaming, idempotency, incremental loads, orchestration, backfills, data quality |
| **Data Modeling** | 22 | Star/snowflake schemas, SCDs, normalization, dimensional modeling, partitioning strategies |
| **Data System Design** | 20 | End-to-end system design walkthroughs with ASCII architecture diagrams |
| **Big Data & Tools** | 22 | Spark internals, Kafka, file formats, shuffle optimization, distributed processing tradeoffs |
| **Study Plan** | 1 | 4-week structured prep plan with daily topics and practice milestones |
| **Total questions** | 108 | Every question includes a detailed answer, key points, and optional follow-ups |
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How to Use This Guide
For Interview Prep (recommended)
1. Start with the study plan (study-plan/data-engineering-study-plan.md) — it maps out a 4-week schedule with daily topics
2. Assess your level — skim each topic file and note which difficulty levels you struggle with
3. Work through weak areas first — if SQL window functions trip you up, drill questions/sql-challenges.md before moving to system design
4. Practice explaining answers out loud — reading the answer is not the same as articulating it under pressure
For Quick Reference
For Mock Interviews
1. Pick a random file and question number
2. Set a timer: 5 minutes for conceptual questions, 15 minutes for SQL/code, 25 minutes for system design
3. Answer without looking at the guide
4. Compare your answer against the provided answer and key points
5. Note gaps — those are your study priorities
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📅 Changelog
v2.0.0 — Initial release. Last updated 2026-06-15.
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