What is Google Foobar?

Google Foobar Challenge is a coding challenge organized by Google for Python or Java developers. When you visit website, you will see this. Access is by invitation only. Yup, It’s not available to all. I’m the lucky one received that invitation.

How did I get Google Foobar Challenge?

Just an ordinary day, while researching on “Abstract Factory” to write “Design Pattern in Football Style” series, I search a lot of keywords related to “Abstract Factory”. This is my search history:

• Among them, the keyword triggering an invitation from Google is probably: Dependency Injection and coupled
  • While learning about Abstract Factory I searched for Dependency Injection.
    • In Dependency Injection I searched for coupled.
      • Then Boom 💣💥, Google Foobar animation overrides my search results. Something like this, (I didn’t capture mine at that moment)

        • Then I clicked I want to play and started the journey…

          I’m not sure if I accidentally click Don't show me this again or close the tab, Will I can still log in directly to https://foobar.withgoogle.com/. I think Google should allow that case too. There will be some people losing the opportunity by accidentally clicking like that.

When does Google Foobar expire?

I don’t know, maybe it won’t be expired. The counter will countdown within 7 days for each challenge:

• You can request a new challenge, work on it within 7 days, and submit your results.
• Then take a month off…
• Then come back to request a new challenge.

There are 9 challenges at all. It means you will have a total of 9 * 7 * 24 = 1512 hours of brainstorming, searching, and coding.

What is the proper way to do the challenge?

While writing this, I just completed the 4th challenge (the 1st challenge of the level 3) and I feel that:

• The first level is easy, everyone can solve it.

• The second level is hard, but it’s still understandable and with a bit of brainstorming and research, I believe you can get through it.

  Well, that’s what I think of you. In fact, I look up the formula, then I re-code it myself. Hehe

• The third level is shit, I even don’t understand the problem. Now I know, I’m not the guy Google looking for.

So you can see, I don’t know how to do this challenge correctly. Just for fun, don’t expect too much. Looks like it hasn’t been updated for a long time, any question, answer can easily be found by on Google Search. So I don’t think Google uses this method to hire talent anymore.