14 AWS Interview Questions and Answers

More than 90% of businesses and organizations use cloud technology. Amazon Web Services (AWS) is one of the top cloud providers. Whether you’re a DevOps engineer or a web developer, you’ll need to learn how to answer AWS interview questions to successfully land an app development job.

If you’re proficient in AWS, you can enjoy plenty of job security. Web and app developer jobs are expected to grow by 23% over the next 10 years, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Looking for a job developing SaaS programs on the cloud? Software developer jobs will likely increase by 25% over the next decade.

In this article, we’ll show you how to answer commonly asked AWS interview questions. Take some time to put together responses that showcase your experience and skillset and practice saying them out loud to optimize your interview performance.

AWS Interview Questions and Answers

1. Provide an Overview of What AWS Is and What It Does
2. Which Three Types of Cloud Services Is AWS Built On?
3. What Are Instances in AWS?
4. What Is AWS Lambda?
5. What Languages Does AWS Lambda Support?
6. Describe Auto-Scaling in Lambda.
7. Describe the Connection Between AWS and DevOps.
8. What Services Does AWS DevOps Offer?
9. Explain What Microservices Are in AWS DevOps
10. Describe an AWS Architecture.
11. What is Amazon EC2 and How Does it Work?
12. Describe What Amazon S3 Is.
13. What Is Amazon Route 53?
14. Explain What CloudTrail Is and How It Works With Route 53.

AWS Beginners Interview Questions

First, we’ll start with basic interview questions on AWS, including what AWS is, types of AWS cloud services, and an overview of AWS instances.

Question #1: Provide an Overview of What AWS Is and What It Does

When answering AWS interview questions, be ready to start with the basics. Create your answer by describing:

• What AWS is.
• What tools it offers.
• Why developers use it.

How You Could Answer

“AWS is short for Amazon Web Services and was launched in 2006. It provides an on-demand and scalable cloud computing platform, APIs, and more than 200 services such as Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2), Simple Storage Service (S3), and Lambda.

It also allows developers to build and deploy web and mobile applications, store and manage large amounts of data, and run complex workflows.”

Question #2: Which Three Types of Cloud Services Is AWS Built On?

Employers will likely want you to identify which cloud services AWS operates on. Provide the following details in your answer:

• The types of cloud services AWS uses.
• What each cloud service does.
• Which programs exist within each cloud service.

How You Could Answer

“The three basic cloud services AWS is built on include:

• Computing, which provides on-demand access to computer resources and applications via the internet. This often includes Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS), and Software as a Service (SaaS). ASW uses cloud computing services such as EC2, Lambda, and Elastic Beanstalk.
• Storage, which allows users to store large amounts of data on a server through a cloud computing provider. AWS uses cloud storage services such as S3, Elastic File System, and Elastic Block Storage.
• Networking, which hosts network capabilities on public and private cloud platforms. AWS uses cloud networking services such as Route 53, Amazon CloudFront, and VPC.

Question #3: What Are Instances in AWS?

Instances are an integral part of AWS data storage, application runtime, running workloads with high amounts of memory, and much more. Show employers that you understand how instances work by answering with the following:

• A definition of AWS instances.
• Common types of instances.
• Which each instance does.

How You Could Answer

“In AWS, instances are virtual machines or servers created in the cloud infrastructure and are used for storing data and running applications. Some of the most common instances used in AWS include:

• General-purpose instances that provide a balance of compute, network, and memory resources.
• Compute-optimized instances that provide resources to run applications.
• Memory-optimized instances that deliver faster performance for processing large amounts of data.
• Accelerator computing instances that use hardware accelerators to perform graphic processing, data pattern matching, float point number calculations, and more.
• Storage-optimized instances that provide high disk I/O performance and storage.”

AWS Lambda Interview Questions

The next three AWS interview questions focus on how to describe what AWS Lambda is, which languages it supports, and how Auto Scaling works.

Question #4: What Is AWS Lambda?

Lambda is one of the most used AWS services for running code in response to events. Prove your understanding of how Lambda works by providing these details:

• A description of Lambda.
• How developers use Lambda.
• Why developers use Lambda.

How You Could Answer

“AWS Lambda is an event-driven and serverless computing service. It allows developers to run code in response to events such as app updates and state changes. Developers often use Lambda because of its continuous scaling, super-fast metering, and ability to modernize applications—all without having to manage a server.”

Question #5: What Languages Does AWS Lambda Support?

You may be asked to identify the languages AWS Lambda supports. Discuss the following details in your answer:

• Which programming languages AWS Lambda is natively compatible with.
• How Lambda uses non-compatible programming languages.

How You Could Answer

“AWS Lambda is natively compatible with programming languages such as Java, Python, Ruby, Go, PowerShell, C#, and JavaScript. However, you can use any programming language with AWS Lambda when you use its Runtime API.”

Question #6: Describe Auto Scaling in Lambda.

Auto Scaling is one of the key features of Lambda. When answering AWS interview questions about Auto Scaling, bear these details in mind:

• How Auto Scaling works.
• The benefits of Auto Scaling.

How You Could Answer

“Auto Scaling allows AWS Lambda to automatically scale up to handle an increased volume of execution environments and scale back when the volume decreases. This, in turn, ensures that its functions are properly allocated and meet an app’s demands while minimizing runtime costs. It also helps improve fault tolerance and app traffic demand capacity.”

AWS DevOps Interview Questions

AWS interview questions seven through nine will focus on how AWS applies to DevOps and which services and microservices AWS DevOps offers.

Question #7: Describe the Connection Between AWS and DevOps.

Explain how AWS and DevOps work in tandem when it comes to app development by including these details in your answer:

• A description of DevOps.
• Why developers combine AWS and DevOps.
• What AWS and DevOps do when combined.

How You Could Answer

“Think of DevOps as the Lean Six Sigma of the IT world. It’s an IT methodology that speeds up the lifecycle of application development by employing planning, testing, and deployment strategies. AWS DevOps combines Amazon’s cloud computing with the DevOps methodology to streamline app development and deliver high-quality and reliable products.

Many DevOps engineers use AWS to automate manual tasks, collaborate on projects, and scale the development process with ease.”

Question #8: What Services Does AWS DevOps Offer?

Delve deeper into the technical aspects of AWS DevOps with the following information:

• The key types of AWS tools for DevOps.
• The purpose of each service.

How You Could Answer

“AWS DevOps offers services such as:

• Cloud Development Kit, which is an open-source software development framework that comes with programming languages that are compatible with cloud application resources.
• CodeBuild, which uses continuous scaling for building and testing code. It can also process multiple builds at the same time.
• CodeDeploy, which automates software deployment.
• CodePipeline, which enables fast and accurate app updates by automating continuously delivered code.
• CodeStar, which provides an intuitive user interface to help developers quickly build and deploy AWS applications.
• Device Farm, which allows developers to test web and mobile applications on different browsers and devices.”

Question #9: Explain What Microservices Are in AWS DevOps

AWS developers frequently use microservices to improve efficiency and delivery speed. Demonstrate your understanding of microservices by providing the following:

• An overview of microservices.
• Why developers use them.
• How microservices speed up app development.

How You Could Answer

“In AWS DevOps, microservices are individual software components that each run independently, deliver a variety of functions, and communicate over well-defined APIs. Developers often use microservices because they offer continuous integration and delivery.

This allows developers to experiment with new ideas at a low cost and roll back changes that don’t work. Plus, microservices simplify code updates and offer faster time-to-market delivery for new features.”

AWS Solutions Architect Interview Questions

The next three AWS interview questions will show you how to describe the AWS architecture, EC2, and S3.

Question #10: Describe the AWS Architecture.

Prove your understanding of the AWS architecture by discussing the following in your answer:

• The purpose of the AWS architecture.
• The services that typically make up the AWS architecture.
• A brief description of what each service does.

How You Could Answer

“The AWS web hosting architecture maps out the best practices and recommendations for cloud application development. It typically comprises:

• Route 53 to provide DNS services.
• CloudFront for edge caching.
• CloudFront with AWS WAF for edge security.
• Elastic Load Balancing for load balancing and Auto Scaling.
• AWS Shield for DDoS protection.
• Firewall Protection.
• Amazon ElastiCache for Redis or Memcached caching services.
• Amazon Relational Database Service for database management.
• Amazon Simple Storage Service to enable static storage and backups.”

Question #11: What Is Amazon EC2 and How Does It Work?

EC2 is one of the leading AWS services. Demonstrate an understanding of EC2 during your interview by discussing the following:

• A brief description of EC2 and what it does.
• The key benefits of using EC2.

How You Could Answer

“EC2 is an AWS service that allows developers to rent virtual computer resources where they can run their own applications. Some of the benefits of using EC2 include:

• Complete control over computing resources.
• The ability to choose an operating system and security settings.
• Scalable cloud computing capabilities.
• Simplified on-demand app launching and configuration.“

Question #12: Describe What Amazon S3 Is.

S3 is a critical part of the AWS framework, which developers use to store and manage large amounts of data. Employers will likely ask AWS interview questions about S3 to gauge your understanding of data management. Here’s what you should discuss in your answer:

• What S3 is.
• What it does.
• Its key features.

How You Could Answer

“S3 is short for Simple Storage Service. It’s a cloud-based AWS storage service that provides a scalable and secure platform to store and retrieve data from anywhere, at any time, and on any device. It uses APIs or a web-based interface to store images, videos, documents, files, and other large amounts of data.

Its features include data versioning, lifecycle management, access control, and encryption. AWS developers often use S3 because of its reliability, durability, security, easy integration, flexible storage, and low cost.”

Route 53 Interview Questions

These last two AWS interview questions will focus on the Domain Name System Route 53 and how it works with CloudTrail.

Question #13: What Is Amazon Route 53?

Route 53 is AWS’s primary service for domain management and routing. If you’re asked for an overview of Route 53, be sure to provide the following details:

• A brief definition of Route 53.
• How developers utilize it.
• Its key features.

How You Could Answer

“Route 53 is a scalable and highly available AWS Domain Name System (DNS). It allows developers to manage DNS routing for domain names and direct user requests to applications running on AWS. It also translates URL names to numeric IP addresses, registers domains, conducts application health checks, and routes endpoint traffic based on user experience.”

Question #14: Explain What CloudTrail Is and How It Works With Route 53.

CloudTrail works with Route 53 to create records of user activity. When employers ask AWS interview questions about CloudTrail, here’s what to include in your answer:

• What CloudTrail is designed for.
• How CloudTrail works when used with Route 53.

How You Could Answer

“CloudTrail is an AWS service that records and logs user activity and API usage on AWS accounts and stores the data in S3. It’s designed to provide auditing capabilities, account visibility, and security.

When used with Route 53, CloudTrail records the creation, modification, and deletion of DNS records. That includes who made the change, the time of the change, and the nature of the change. This data provides developers with better troubleshooting, auditing, and security capabilities.”

Ready to Get Your Web Development Career on Cloud Nine?

Start your search for AWS developer jobs by uploading your resume on Monster. Then, add a silver lining to your job search by practicing these AWS interview questions and answers. We also have tons of other interview tips and career advice resources that will have you walking on a cloud. Plus, we’ll notify you by email when new AWS or other web developer jobs become available.