Easy everything in Android & Kotlin, page 2
When would you choose Foreground Service over WorkManager?
Tests immediate user-visible work versus deferrable jobs. Strong answers cite a notification-driven use case the user actively expects, like live navigation or a workout. Red flag: claiming WorkManager replaces real-time foreground tasks.
What is the difference between viewModelScope and lifecycleScope?
This tests scope ownership across configuration changes. viewModelScope survives rotation because it lives in ViewModel, while lifecycleScope dies with UI; use former for logic and latter for UI tasks. Never launch data loads in lifecycleScope.
How do you make a network request in an Activity using coroutines?
This tests main thread safety and coroutine dispatchers. A strong answer cites NetworkOnMainThreadException, uses lifecycleScope, and switches to Dispatchers.IO. Red flag: suggesting Dispatchers.Main for the network call or omitting the exception entirely.
How do you inject UserRepository into a ViewModel with Hilt?
Tests Hilt constructor injection for classes you own. Annotate UserRepository's constructor with @Inject so Hilt auto-provides it to consumers like a @HiltViewModel. Red flag: using a @Provides module for a class you control.
What is Dependency Injection and Hilt's benefit over manual instantiation?
Tests your grasp of inversion of control and why frameworks matter. A good answer defines DI as supplying dependencies from outside, states Hilt automates object graph creation and scoping, and notes manual instantiation scatters construction logic.
How do you configure Moshi or Kotlinx.serialization for JSON key mismatches?
This tests library-specific field-mapping annotations. For Kotlinx.serialization use @SerialName with the JSON key; for Moshi use @Json with the name parameter. A red flag is confusing the two or using manual mapping instead of the built-in decorator.
How do you define a Room table for a Kotlin data class?
Tests your grasp of the minimum Room entity contract. A strong answer cites Entity and PrimaryKey, notes Kotlin defaults work out of the box, and mentions ColumnInfo for renaming.
Why choose DataStore over SharedPreferences for a toggle?
This tests your grasp of modern Android storage safety beyond syntax. A strong answer names DataStore's async coroutines API, type safety, transactions, and migration support. A red flag is claiming SharedPreferences is simpler while ignoring ANR risk.
What are Room's three main components and their functions?
Tests whether you know Room's architectural layers. Name the three: Database holds config and is the access point; Entity represents a table schema; DAO defines SQL operations. Red flag: confusing DAOs with Repositories or claiming Room is a full ORM.
How do you pass data between Fragments with Jetpack Navigation?
Define args in nav graph XML, navigate with generated Directions, read with navArgs() in target Fragment.
Explain the roles of ViewModel, Repository, and data source in MVVM
Tests your grasp of unidirectional data flow and separation of concerns in Android MVVM. A strong answer maps ViewModel to UI state, Repository to data coordination, and Room or Retrofit to I/O.
What is a ViewModel and what lifecycle problem does it solve?
Tests config-change survival: ViewModel outlives Activity recreation so state survives rotation. Strong answer notes it holds non-serializable data and separates concerns, but does not survive process death.
Arrange UI elements vertically or horizontally in Jetpack Compose
Tests declarative layout fundamentals. Good answers name Column and Row, explain Modifier as an ordered chain of decoration and layout behavior, and note order changes semantics. Red flag: calling Modifier "just styling" or confusing it with LinearLayout.
What is remember in Compose and how do you use mutableStateOf?
This tests state survival across recompositions. Good answers say remember caches values across recompositions, pairs with mutableStateOf for observable state, and shows a counter. A red flag is mutableStateOf without remember, state resets per recomposition.
Explain the difference between LinearLayout, RelativeLayout, and FrameLayout
Understanding of ViewGroup measurement and simplicity versus flexibility tradeoffs. LinearLayout for 1D lists, RelativeLayout for complex sibling rules, FrameLayout for single-child or overlap.
Activity rotation: what happens to EditText text?
Rotation destroys and recreates the Activity; EditText auto-saves text if it has an ID, else onSaveInstanceState or SavedStateHandle.
Describe the Android Activity lifecycle and callback order
Away calls onPause then onStop; back calls onRestart, onStart, onResume; onCreate only runs after destruction.
What is the res directory and how do you use orientation qualifiers?
Res/ holds non-code assets; create layout-port/ and layout-land/ with identical XML filenames for automatic framework selection.
What is the difference between project-level and module-level build.gradle?
Project level sets plugin repos and shared versions; module level sets dependencies, build types, and flavors.
What is AndroidManifest.xml and what key elements does it declare?
This tests your grasp of the system-app contract. Good answers cover component registration, permissions, and build metadata like package name and target SDK. A red flag is omitting install-time system discovery.
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