TCS SDE1 Interview Guide
Published July 22, 2026 · Updated July 22, 2026
Evidence-backed preparation playbook for TCS SDE1 interviews. 16 reported questions, top topics, difficulty breakdown, and a free assessment.
1-3 years
Most reported exp
Rounds reported
Screening 10qTechnical 6q
Topics most frequently reported
✓Domain
1 question · 6%
✓DSA / Arrays
1 question · 6%
✓DSA / Stack
1 question · 6%
·Java / Core Java
1 question · 6%
·Java / Generics
1 question · 6%
·Python / Core Python
1 question · 6%
Free · 10 minutes
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Top Questions — Ranked by Community Votes
These 6 questions appeared most in TCS SDE1 reports. Master these first.
TCS
Easy
Technical round
1-3 years
Implement a function that checks if a string of brackets is valid. Brackets: (), [], {}. Must handle nested brackets.
↑ 84 upvotes · 32 engineers asked this · SDE1
TCS
Easy
Screening round
1-3 years
What is the difference between useEffect with no dependency array, empty array, and with dependencies?
↑ 78 upvotes · 26 engineers asked this · SDE1
TCS
Easy
Screening round
1-3 years
What is the difference between controlled and uncontrolled components? When would you choose uncontrolled?
↑ 74 upvotes · 22 engineers asked this · SDE1
TCS
Easy
Screening round
1-3 years
Explain the difference between a use case diagram and a user story. When would you use each?
↑ 70 upvotes · 48 engineers asked this · SDE1
TCS
Easy
Technical round
1-3 years
Write a function that checks if two strings are anagrams of each other. Handle Unicode characters.
↑ 58 upvotes · 26 engineers asked this · SDE1
TCS
Medium
Technical round
Java
Explain the difference between ArrayList and LinkedList in Java. For a TCS banking project, you need to insert records at the front of a list frequently. Which would you choose and why?
↑ 55 upvotes · 34 engineers asked this · SDE1
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Frequently asked questions
How hard is the TCS SDE1 interview?
Medium difficulty based on 16 reported questions. Most questions cover Domain, DSA / Arrays, DSA / Stack.
What topics does TCS ask SDE1s?
Top reported topics: Domain (1 questions), DSA / Arrays (1 questions), DSA / Stack (1 questions), Java / Core Java (1 questions), Java / Generics (1 questions).
How many rounds does TCS have for SDE1?
Reported rounds: Technical, Screening.
What experience level does TCS hire SDE1s at?
Most reported: 1-3 years.