Recruiter's Glossary

Examples: XML Parcel CSS

SPA

Term from Web Development industry explained for recruiters

SPA, which stands for Single Page Application, is a modern way of building websites that feel more like smooth, desktop applications. Instead of loading entire new pages when users click around, these websites update content instantly without page refreshes. Think of how Gmail works - you stay on one page while reading and sending emails. This approach makes websites faster and more user-friendly. Popular examples include Facebook, Twitter, and Google Maps. When you see this term in resumes, it usually indicates that the candidate has experience building modern, responsive websites.

Examples in Resumes

Developed a customer dashboard as an SPA using React

Built an SPA for real-time data visualization

Converted traditional website into an Single Page Application to improve user experience

Created multiple SPAs for enterprise clients

Typical job title: "SPA Developers"

Also try searching for:

Frontend Developer JavaScript Developer Web Application Developer React Developer Angular Developer Vue.js Developer UI Developer

Example Interview Questions

Senior Level Questions

Q: How would you optimize the performance of a large Single Page Application?

Expected Answer: A strong answer should mention techniques like code splitting to load only necessary parts of the application, efficient state management, and smart ways to handle data loading to keep the application fast and responsive for users.

Q: How do you handle security in Single Page Applications?

Expected Answer: The candidate should discuss protecting user data, secure authentication methods, and ways to prevent common security issues in browser-based applications.

Mid Level Questions

Q: How do you manage state in a Single Page Application?

Expected Answer: Should be able to explain how they keep track of data and user interactions across different parts of the application, mentioning common approaches and tools used to maintain data consistency.

Q: What strategies do you use for testing Single Page Applications?

Expected Answer: Should describe different types of testing that ensure the application works correctly, including checking user interactions and making sure different parts of the application work together properly.

Junior Level Questions

Q: What is the difference between a traditional website and a Single Page Application?

Expected Answer: Should explain how SPAs provide a smoother user experience by updating content without page reloads, unlike traditional websites that load new pages for each action.

Q: How do you handle routing in a Single Page Application?

Expected Answer: Should describe how users can navigate between different views in the application without the page reloading, and how URLs are managed to match the current view.

Experience Level Indicators

Junior (0-2 years)

  • Basic understanding of JavaScript and modern frameworks
  • Creating simple interactive web pages
  • Working with APIs to fetch data
  • Basic user interface development

Mid (2-4 years)

  • Building complete single page applications
  • Managing complex user interactions
  • Implementing responsive designs
  • Performance optimization basics

Senior (4+ years)

  • Architecture planning for large applications
  • Advanced performance optimization
  • Leading development teams
  • Making high-level technical decisions

Red Flags to Watch For

  • No experience with modern JavaScript frameworks
  • Lack of understanding about web security basics
  • No knowledge of responsive design principles
  • Unable to explain basic concepts of state management