This guide tracks 10 patterns, 15 commonly reported questions, and a 5-round loop that usually runs 2-4 weeks.
Key patterns
Showing 3 of 10Common questions
Showing 3 of 15Interview process
Showing 1 of 5 roundsQuick facts
Insider tips
1/5- ·MEMORIZE the 16 Leadership Principles - every round includes LP questions!
Compensation (TC)
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Every lesson below is a free public reading page. No sign-up, no install, and the worked examples run in the tab.
The Python behind Amazon's top patterns
These lessons do not teach the patterns themselves. They teach the language mechanics each pattern is built from, which is the part you have to have in your hands before the pattern is worth practicing.
- Arrays & HashingPython10 min readTuples & setsGroup fixed records with tuples and track uniqueness with sets.
- Arrays & HashingPython10 min readDictionariesMap keys to values: read safely, assign, and merge dictionaries.
- TreesPython11 min readRecursion: a function that calls itselfSolve a problem in terms of a smaller version of itself, with a base case to stop.
- BFS (Breadth-First Search)Python12 min readCounter, defaultdict & dequeReach for specialized collections: count with Counter, group with defaultdict, queue with deque.
- HeapPython11 min readLambdas & higher-order functionsPass functions as values: sorted(key=...), map, and filter.
- Two PointersPython9 min readString indexing & slicingReach into text by position, take slices, and measure length.
Amazon runs a system design round
The System Design course opens with the method itself: how to scope a vague prompt, turn it into requirements you can defend, and budget the clock. You write your own answer first, then reveal a model answer to compare against.
- System design roundSystem Design25 min readClarifying a Vague PromptTurn a one-line prompt into a scoped problem with three to five sharp questions and explicit out-of-scope.
- System design roundSystem Design20 min readFunctional RequirementsPick the three user capabilities that define the core loop, phrase them as 'users can X', and defer the rest with a reason.
- System design roundSystem Design25 min readNon-Functional Requirements, QuantifiedTurn 'scalable and reliable' into quantified, testable targets (p99, nines, QPS) and name the design lever each one forces.
How Amazon judges you outside the code
The values and engineering norms the interviewers are calibrated against. Useful for the behavioral round, and useful for deciding which trade-off to argue for in the technical one.
Values they name
- Customer Obsession - start with the customer and work backwards
- Ownership - think long term, act on behalf of the entire company
- Invent and Simplify - expect and require innovation
- Are Right, A Lot - have strong judgment and good instincts
- Learn and Be Curious - never stop learning
- Hire and Develop the Best - raise the performance bar
- Insist on the Highest Standards - continually raise the bar
- Think Big - create and communicate a bold direction
- Bias for Action - speed matters in business
- Frugality - accomplish more with less
- Earn Trust - listen attentively, speak candidly
- Dive Deep - stay connected to details, audit frequently
- Have Backbone; Disagree and Commit - respectfully challenge decisions
- Deliver Results - focus on key inputs and deliver with quality
- Strive to be Earth's Best Employer - lead with empathy
- Success and Scale Bring Broad Responsibility - create more than you consume
What they look for in behavioral rounds
- Use STAR format (Situation, Task, Action, Result) for all behavioral answers
- Have 2-3 strong stories that demonstrate multiple LPs each
- Quantify results whenever possible - data matters at Amazon
- Show ownership mentality - you are not a victim of circumstances
- Demonstrate customer obsession in every story you tell
How the team builds
- Working backwards from the customer - write the PR/FAQ first
- Two-pizza teams - small, autonomous teams
- You build it, you run it - DevOps culture
- Single-threaded leadership - one owner per initiative
- Write your ideas in narrative form, not slides
Primary stack
- Java
- Python
- AWS services
- DynamoDB
- S3
- Lambda
- EC2
- TypeScript
- Code review
- code reviews required, focus on correctness and operational excellence
- Deployment
- continuous deployment with Apollo/Pipelines
- Documentation
- 6-page memos and PR/FAQs required for major decisions
Reading the guide is the easy part. Amazon will ask you to perform.
CodeSparring is a practice environment, not a question bank. You sit a full round against an AI interviewer, in an editor that runs your code, and you leave with a score and a specific next rep.
An interviewer that reacts
Carry one problem from clarifying questions through to working code while an AI interviewer responds to what you say and what you type, by voice or by text.
Code that actually runs
An editor in the page with a real runtime and real test cases. You run your solution and read the output, the same way you would in a shared editor on the day.
A scored round, not a vibe
Every session ends with a rubric covering problem solving, communication, and code quality, so you can see which part of the round is costing you the offer.
And 364 lessons you can read right now, free
The whole curriculum is public. Read the concept, run the worked example in the tab, and only sign in when you want the graded exercise at the end of a lesson.