Interview Prep — Srishti Saurav

8-week structured prep for Backend, Full-stack, Cloud, and Flutter roles. 30–45 min/day on skill revision, alongside DSA (separate track), Biblo, and job hunting.

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Repo Structure

interview-prep/
├── week1-2-linux-bash-git/
├── week3-4-docker-cicd/
├── week5-databases/
├── week6-backend/
├── week7-aws/
├── week8-review/
└── README.md

Each folder contains scripts/code written that week, a short weekly README, and any config files (Dockerfiles, YAML workflows, SQL queries, etc.).

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The Plan

Weeks 1–2 — Linux, Bash & Git

Shakiest area · priority block

Linux essentials

• File system hierarchy, permissions (chmod/chown), process management (ps, kill, top), cron jobs, users & groups
• ~3 sessions × 40 min

Bash scripting

• Variables, conditionals, loops, functions, piping, redirects, writing automation scripts
• Practice: write 5 real scripts for tasks you'd do anyway
• ~3 sessions × 40 min

Git internals for interviews

• Rebase vs merge, cherry-pick, stash, reset vs revert, conflict resolution, branching strategies (GitFlow basics)
• ~2 sessions × 40 min

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Weeks 3–4 — Docker & CI/CD

Shakiest area · priority block

Docker fundamentals

• Images vs containers, Dockerfile writing, multi-stage builds, volumes, networking (bridge/host), docker-compose
• Practice: containerise Biblo's backend
• ~4 sessions × 40 min

GitHub Actions (CI/CD)

• Workflow YAML syntax, triggers, jobs/steps, secrets, matrix builds, caching
• Practice: add a real pipeline to Biblo — lint + test + build on push
• ~3 sessions × 40 min — this also improves the Biblo project directly

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Week 5 — Databases

SQL & NoSQL

PostgreSQL / MySQL (interview depth)

• Joins, indexing strategy, EXPLAIN plans, transactions & ACID, normalization, window functions
• Already using this in Biblo — focus on the why, not the how
• ~3 sessions × 40 min

MongoDB

• Document model, aggregation pipeline, indexing, schema design trade-offs vs relational
• Key interview question to be able to answer: when would you pick MongoDB over Postgres?
• ~2 sessions × 40 min

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Week 6 — Backend

FastAPI, REST & JWT · Biblo-reinforced

FastAPI & Pydantic

• Dependency injection, async vs sync handlers, request validation, error handling, background tasks, OpenAPI generation
• Revisit Biblo's backend with interview eyes
• ~3 sessions × 40 min

REST principles & JWT

• Idempotency, HTTP verbs, status codes, versioning
• JWT: structure, signing, expiry, refresh token pattern, security pitfalls
• ~2 sessions × 40 min

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Week 7 — AWS / Cloud

Real strength — focus is articulation, not learning

Storytelling your AWS experience

• Translate each service (OpenSearch, MSK, Kinesis, Kendra) into a 2-min STAR story
• 350+ resolved customer cases — interviewers don't need theory; they need to hear you reason about systems
• ~2 sessions × 40 min — write the stories out, don't just think them

System design with AWS primitives

• Practice designing 2–3 systems using services you've touched: a real-time data pipeline, a search system, a notification system
• Know the trade-offs, not just the services
• ~3 sessions × 40 min

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Week 8 — Review & Mock Interviews

Consolidation

Weak spot revisit

• Spend the first half of the week on whichever of weeks 1–7 felt least solid
• Plug the single biggest gap — don't try to cover everything
• ~3 sessions × 40 min

Mock interview practice

• 2–3 timed mock sessions (Pramp, Interviewing.io, or with a friend)
• One DSA round + one system design round + one behavioural round per session
• ~2–3 sessions × 40 min

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What's Not Here (and Why)

Skill	Reason
Flutter	Biblo is the live project. Building > studying.
C / C++	Covered by the DSA track.
Dart	Comes with Flutter. Passive reinforcement is enough.
Python	Being written actively in Biblo's backend.
Canva, JSON, YAML	Not interview topics.

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Parallel Tracks (not in this repo)

Track	Format	Time
DSA	Miscellaneous repo + Udemy course	Mornings & early evenings
Biblo	Biblo repo	Ongoing
French	Grammar / Comprehension / Writing / Practice	30 min/day
Book reading	Physical books	30 min/day
Job hunting	Applications & outreach	Late evenings

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Notes System

• Physical cheat sheets — A4 notebook, one sheet per week block (6 total). Consistent layout: topic at top, key concepts in the middle, "things I always forget" at the bottom.
• This repo — all code, scripts, Dockerfiles, YAML configs, and weekly READMEs.
• Cheat sheet count: 6 over 8 weeks (weeks 1–2 share one, weeks 3–4 share one, then one each for weeks 5, 6, 7, 8).