Appian software engineer candidates report short coding rounds on linked lists, graphs, DFS, sorting and sets, plus resume discussion and behavioral questions. Here is how the reported stages fit together and what to practice.
$145K
Avg. Base Comp
$175K
Avg. Total Comp
3 rounds
Typical Rounds
Not reported
Process Length
Candidates who describe Appian software engineering interviews, two interns and one senior engineer, point to fundamentals-level data structures and algorithms rather than tricky puzzles. Reported problems include a graph problem built on a linked list, a DFS problem about organizing a to-do list, linked list manipulation, a HeapSort implementation, and a problem that called for efficient use of a Set. The intern who received an offer also described a medium problem involving graphs and array manipulation.
The format differs by candidate. The senior engineer described three technical rounds, each with about 30 minutes of coding, about 10 minutes on the resume and a few minutes for questions, with the third round adding a discussion of past architecture decisions. One intern described a recruiter screen followed by two back-to-back remote technical interviews, the second mixing a DFS problem with questions about prior internship work. The other intern described a recruiter phone screen, an hour-long technical round, a virtual onsite with algorithm and behavioral sections, and a headquarters super day ending with a brief conversation with a senior person.
Resume depth comes up repeatedly. Be ready to explain the decisions behind past projects, not only what you built. Outcomes were mixed: one intern received an offer, while the other intern and the senior engineer did not. Practice coding cleanly under time pressure, which candidates described as a real factor even on medium-difficulty problems.
Synthesized from 4 candidate reports by our editorial team.
Had an interview recently?
Share your experience. Unlock the full guide.
Real interview reports from people who went through the Appian Corporation process.
Share your own interview experience to unlock all reports, or subscribe for full access.
Sourced from candidate reports and verified by our team.
Topics based on recent interview experiences.
Featured question at Appian Corporation
Select the 2nd highest salary in the engineering department
| Question | |
|---|---|
| Empty Neighborhoods | |
| Top Three Salaries | |
| Merge Sorted Lists | |
| Closest SAT Scores | |
| Subscription Overlap | |
| Monthly Customer Report | |
| Minimum Change | |
| Random SQL Sample | |
| Raining in Seattle | |
| String Shift | |
| Rolling Bank Transactions | |
| Customer Orders | |
| Top 3 Users | |
| Comments Histogram | |
| Find the First Non-Repeating Character in a String | |
| Daily Retention Summary | |
| Flight Records | |
| Prime to N | |
| The Brackets Problem | |
| Upsell Transactions | |
| Find the Missing Number | |
| Scrambled Tickets | |
| P-value to a Layman | |
| Download Facts | |
| Rectangle Overlap | |
| First Touch Attribution | |
| Job Recommendation | |
| Bagging vs Boosting | |
| Google Maps Improvement |
Synthesized from candidate reports. Individual experiences may vary.
Both interns described an initial recruiter conversation about their background and interest in the role, with one also getting light behavioral questions. They characterized it as standard and low-pressure. The senior candidate noted that the recruiter was responsive and scheduling went smoothly. Be ready to summarize your experience and motivation concisely.
Reported problems center on fundamentals: a graph problem on a linked list, DFS for a to-do list, LinkedList manipulation, HeapSort and a Set-based problem. The senior candidate described about 30 minutes of coding per round, while one intern described an hour-long first technical session. Another intern said time pressure was real, so practice solving cleanly while explaining your approach.
Resume discussion shows up inside technical rounds. The senior candidate described about 10 minutes per round on their background, plus architecture decisions in the third round. One intern was asked about prior internship work during a round that also included coding, and the other intern reported project questions and a separate 30-minute behavioral interview on motivation, teamwork and challenges.
The intern who received an offer described a 45-minute medium algorithm interview, a 30-minute behavioral interview, and then a super day at headquarters with company introductions and an office visit. It ended with a brief, conversational interview with a very senior person. Other candidates did not describe this stage, so it may be specific to internship hiring or vary by team.
