> Senior Java developers who could not import HashMap without looking it up
> No IDE, specifically to test basic ability. We use a web-based shared editor, that has syntax highlighting, and auto-tabbing, but specifically no auto-complete nor auto-import.
I can sympathize with the candidate and think the test is poor and not surprised people had to look it up.
I've been doing Java since early 2000's and off the top of my head can't tell you what package HashMap is in without looking it up except it starts with `java.` something, probably. I type `HashMap` in my IDE, hit auto complete. I haven't needed to remember the exact package name since early 2000's when I started coding so don't know it, no need to, why waste space in my head for it. If there's a second HashMap class available on the class path I can tell you the one I want from the suggestion list.
You're trying to test someones memory on something they haven't needed to remember for decades now, knowing a specific fully qualified path to a class/what package it is in isn't a useful test. Knowing what a HashMap is and how to use it is useful.
Enable auto complete/import. You don't have it disabled for your currently employed devs and they'd not function well without it and probably fail the same test.
> No IDE, specifically to test basic ability. We use a web-based shared editor, that has syntax highlighting, and auto-tabbing, but specifically no auto-complete nor auto-import.
I can sympathize with the candidate and think the test is poor and not surprised people had to look it up.
I've been doing Java since early 2000's and off the top of my head can't tell you what package HashMap is in without looking it up except it starts with `java.` something, probably. I type `HashMap` in my IDE, hit auto complete. I haven't needed to remember the exact package name since early 2000's when I started coding so don't know it, no need to, why waste space in my head for it. If there's a second HashMap class available on the class path I can tell you the one I want from the suggestion list.
You're trying to test someones memory on something they haven't needed to remember for decades now, knowing a specific fully qualified path to a class/what package it is in isn't a useful test. Knowing what a HashMap is and how to use it is useful.
Enable auto complete/import. You don't have it disabled for your currently employed devs and they'd not function well without it and probably fail the same test.