Akamai Software Engineer interview typically runs 3-4 rounds: resume screening, online assessment, technical interviews, and a manager round. The process usually takes a few weeks and is fairly straightforward, with broad systems and coding focus.
$103K
Avg. Base Comp
$184K
Avg. Total Comp
3-5
Typical Rounds
2-4 weeks
Process Length
Our candidates report a very consistent signal at Akamai: the team cares less about flashy algorithms and more about whether you can think like someone who lives close to the stack. Across experiences, the recurring themes were Linux, networking, OS fundamentals, and practical Python. Even when the questions started with coding, they quickly moved into how the code would behave in a real environment, or why a system would fail. One candidate described the technical conversations as “less about tricky DSA,” while another said the screening emphasized whether they actually knew Python and Linux rather than just recognizing interview patterns.
Akamai also seems to value candidates who can explain their work without hand-waving. Multiple candidates mentioned project deep-dives that were conversational but still technical, and the strongest responses were the ones that connected past work to concrete implementation details. We’ve also seen a clear preference for people who can reason through server behavior, TCP vs. UDP, CPU/OS behavior, and edge cases under pressure. The matrix problem and the LRU-style question point to the same pattern: they want solid fundamentals, but they care just as much about how you approach a problem when the constraints get messy.
The non-obvious make-or-break factor here is depth of understanding, not breadth of memorized topics. Candidates who treated the process like a generic coding interview seemed to struggle once the conversation shifted into systems reasoning. The interviews that felt toughest were the ones where the interviewer pushed beyond surface-level answers and asked follow-ups on how a process works, how a service should be structured, or why a particular implementation choice makes sense. In short, Akamai rewards engineers who can move comfortably between code, infrastructure, and explanation.
Synthetized from 4 candidates reports by our editorial team.
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Real interview reports from people who went through the Akamai process.
The part that stood out most for me was that the technical rounds were less about tricky DSA and more about how comfortable I was with Linux, networking, and core systems concepts. My process started with an HR phone call, then moved into a remote interview loop that felt pretty straightforward overall. In my case there were four rounds: a group discussion first, then two technical rounds, and finally a managerial round. The GD was easy and mostly a warm-up. In the first technical round they asked me Python scripting questions along with networking and Linux commands. The second technical round covered similar ground, again leaning on Linux, networking, and general problem solving rather than anything very deep or algorithm-heavy. I also had to talk through a project in one of the interviews, which was more conversational but still technical enough that they wanted to hear how I approached the work.
The managerial round was the toughest one for me. That’s where they pushed more on operating systems, networking, Linux commands, and even how the CPU process works. It felt like they wanted to see whether I understood the fundamentals well enough to reason through real systems issues, not just memorize commands. The interviewers were generally nice and supportive, and the process felt smooth and fairly quick. I didn’t get the offer in the end, but the experience made it clear that Akamai was looking for someone strong in Linux, OS basics, networking, and practical scripting. If I were doing it again, I’d spend more time reviewing Linux internals, common commands, and the basics of CPU and OS behavior, plus be ready to explain a project clearly and implement simple Python algorithms on the spot.
Prep tip from this candidate
Focus your prep on Linux commands, networking basics, and OS/CPU fundamentals, since those came up repeatedly across the technical and managerial rounds. Also be ready to explain one project clearly and do a simple Python coding exercise live.
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Sourced from candidate reports and verified by our team.
Topics based on recent interview experiences.
Featured question at Akamai
Given an array and a target integer, write a function that returns the indices of two integers in the array that add up to the target integer.
| Question | |
|---|---|
| Three Indexes Adding Zero | |
| LRU Cache 1 | |
| Longest Increasing Subsequence | |
| Flatten N-Dimensional Array to 1D Array | |
| Complete Addresses | |
| Common Prefix | |
| Second Longest Flight | |
| Count Transactions | |
| Your Strengths and Weaknesses | |
| 2nd Highest Salary | |
| Empty Neighborhoods | |
| Top Three Salaries | |
| Subscription Overlap | |
| Merge Sorted Lists | |
| Rolling Bank Transactions | |
| Customer Orders | |
| Comments Histogram | |
| String Shift | |
| Employee Salaries | |
| Random SQL Sample | |
| Closest SAT Scores | |
| Weighted Keys | |
| Prime to N | |
| Largest Salary by Department | |
| Upsell Transactions | |
| Monthly Customer Report | |
| First Touch Attribution | |
| Slacking Employees Salaries | |
| Raining in Seattle |
Synthesized from candidate reports. Individual experiences may vary.
The process often starts with a resume review or recruiter screen to assess fit for the role. Candidates who move forward are typically selected based on experience with Python, Linux, networking, OS fundamentals, and related systems work.
Some candidates receive a HackerRank-style MCQ assessment covering DSA, Linux, networking, operating systems, and DBMS. The test is broad and is used to confirm core technical fundamentals before live interviews.
This round usually focuses on live coding and practical technical questions in Python, SQL, Linux, and networking. Candidates may be asked to solve an array or matrix problem, write a SQL query, answer Linux command questions, and walk through projects from their resume.
In some loops, a second technical round goes deeper into systems topics rather than tricky algorithms. Questions can include Linux internals, networking, OS behavior, server logic, or a system design prompt such as designing a food aggregator service.
The manager interview is often conversational but still technical, with emphasis on resume depth, project discussion, collaboration, and fundamentals. Candidates reported questions on operating systems, networking, CPU/process behavior, code reviews, and how they work with teams.