SQL Server, revised properly
Indexes, T-SQL, transactions and performance — in plain language, with real queries. 73 questions across 7 modules in 4 categories, plus a cheat sheet and flashcards for the last hour before the call.
How to use this
Pick a category in the sidebar — it expands to show only its modules. In each module, the big questions end with a 30-second interview answer box: that's the bit to say out loud. The compact rows are there so the term doesn't catch you off guard.
| If you have… | Do this |
|---|---|
| 1 day | All four categories in order — it's only 7 modules. |
| 3 hours | Modules 01 (indexes), 05 (transactions & isolation), 07 (performance). |
| 1 hour | Cheat sheet → the six predict the output boxes → the Trap boxes. |
| 20 minutes | Cheat sheet, printed. The "15 things to be sure of" table twice. |
What they actually ask
For a .NET role the SQL round concentrates on four things: indexes (clustered vs non-clustered, composite column order, why an index can hurt), writing the query (delete duplicates, ROW_NUMBER vs RANK, CTEs), transactions and isolation (ACID, dirty vs phantom reads, NOLOCK), and troubleshooting (a slow query, a deadlock, parameter sniffing). Those are modules 01, 03, 05–06 and 07.
Where SQL Server surprises people — @@IDENTITY after a trigger, a dirty read under
NOLOCK, ROW_NUMBER vs RANK with ties, a deadlock traced step by step — you get the
code with a hidden answer. Work it out first, then click
Show the answer. Every code block also has a Copy button so you
can run it in SSMS.
The sidebar search covers all 73 questions from any page — try "SARGable", "phantom", "sniffing", "NOLOCK". Results link straight to the answer.