For any application with a need to build its own social network, "Friends Management" is a common requirement which usually starts off simple but can grow in complexity depending on the application's use case.
Usually, applications would start with features like "Friend", "Unfriend", "Block", "Receive Updates" etc.
Develop an API server that does simple "Friend Management" based on the User Stories below.
You are required to:
- Deploy an instance of the API server on the public cloud or provide a 1-step command to run your API server locally, e.g. using a Makefile or Docker Compose) for us to test run the APIs
- Write sufficient documentation for the APIs and explain your technical choices
1. As a user, I need an API to create a friend connection between two email addresses.
The API should receive the following JSON request:
{
friends:
[
'[email protected]',
'[email protected]'
]
}
The API should return the following JSON response on success:
{
"success": true
}
Please propose JSON responses for any errors that might occur.
2. As a user, I need an API to retrieve the friends list for an email address.
The API should receive the following JSON request:
{
email: '[email protected]'
}
The API should return the following JSON response on success:
{
"success": true,
"friends" :
[
'[email protected]'
],
"count" : 1
}
Please propose JSON responses for any errors that might occur.
3. As a user, I need an API to retrieve the common friends list between two email addresses.
The API should receive the following JSON request:
{
friends:
[
'[email protected]',
'[email protected]'
]
}
The API should return the following JSON response on success:
{
"success": true,
"friends" :
[
'[email protected]'
],
"count" : 1
}
Please propose JSON responses for any errors that might occur.
4. As a user, I need an API to subscribe to updates from an email address.
Please note that "subscribing to updates" is NOT equivalent to "adding a friend connection".
The API should receive the following JSON request:
{
"requestor": "[email protected]",
"target": "[email protected]"
}
The API should return the following JSON response on success:
{
"success": true
}
Please propose JSON responses for any errors that might occur.
5. As a user, I need an API to block updates from an email address.
Suppose "[email protected]" blocks "[email protected]":
- if they are connected as friends, then "andy" will no longer receive notifications from "john"
- if they are not connected as friends, then no new friends connection can be added
The API should receive the following JSON request:
{
"requestor": "[email protected]",
"target": "[email protected]"
}
The API should return the following JSON response on success:
{
"success": true
}
Please propose JSON responses for any errors that might occur.
6. As a user, I need an API to retrieve all email addresses that can receive updates from an email address.
Eligibility for receiving updates from i.e. "[email protected]":
- has not blocked updates from "[email protected]", and
- at least one of the following:
- has a friend connection with "[email protected]"
- has subscribed to updates from "[email protected]"
- has been @mentioned in the update
The API should receive the following JSON request:
{
"sender": "[email protected]",
"text": "Hello World! [email protected]"
}
The API should return the following JSON response on success:
{
"success": true
"recipients":
[
"[email protected]",
"[email protected]"
]
}
Please propose JSON responses for any errors that might occur.
7 days from XXXX. Please feel free to submit your work any time, before the deadline.
Please timebox yourself to a maximum of 12 hours for this activity.
You are required to use any of these languages: Go, Ruby, JavaScript, Java, PHP or Python.
You are allowed to use any frameworks for the language you chose.
Please approach this exercise as you would in your day-to-day development workflow.
If you write tests in your daily work, we would love to see them in this exercise too.
Sync your app to GitHub and allow access to winston and miccheng.
Please maintain a descriptive and clear Git commit history as it would allow us to better understand your thought process.
In the event that you are selected for the next round of interview (onsite chat), please be expected to discuss your work further with us during the interview.
Looking forward to seeing your code!