Amazon Software Development Engineer SDE I interview questions

The Amazon SDE-1 interview has 4 stages: an Online Assessment (coding + work simulation), a phone screen (DSA + basics), 3–4 onsite rounds (DSA, low-level design, leadership principles with a bar-raiser), and finally an HR/hiring discussion.

The interview began with mutual introductions and quickly transitioned into technical topics. I was asked to explain Trees vs. Graphs and their differences. Then came two DSA problems: one on greedy scheduling (N meeting rooms + merging overlapping intervals) and another on string validation (checking for repeated words). I discussed time and space complexities for both problems. The session was interactive, with follow-up questions and a focus on problem-solving. I had only 1.5 days to prepare after a short-notice phone call, so I prioritized DSA and showed less interest in theoretical concepts. Although I wasn’t selected, the experience was fast-paced and engaging, and it helped sharpen my technical thinking under pressure.