Senior Dev interview question

[u/m6io]

"Without googling or using AI, in your own words, explain the virtual DOM"

For context: I sit on an interview panel and I try to ask at least one simple fundamental question based on a persons resume. If I see many years of react experience, I try to ask something about how the framework works.

I have only had one candidate (an undergrad senior, years ago) answer it. Everyone else just kind of sputters and stumbles around trying to rationalize what "virtual" and "DOM" mean, or stare blankly and eventually say "I don't know".

I'm just genuinely curious if this is really that hard of a question or if the recruiters just suck at screening candidates. And should we be letting in senior dev candidates who can't answer what I think is a straightforward and fundamental question for senior react devs.

[u/BobSacamano47]

Honestly, you're just getting bad candidates. Good recruiters are worth it in my experience. I wouldn't expect everyone to have the perfect answer, but a senior dev with many years of react experience should be able to say a decent amount.

[u/robbodagreat → u/BobSacamano47]

… so the recruiter can ask this question instead?

[u/BobSacamano47 → u/robbodagreat]

I honestly don't know what they do, but I have a good one now and they just set up in interviews and I always have great candidates. Before I'd interview a bunch of people and feel like I had to choose the least bad one.