Spark/Big Data·8 min read·
Citi Data Engineer Interview Questions & Answers (2026)
Practice the 39 most asked data engineering questions at Citi. Covers Spark/Big Data, SQL, General/Other and more.
Why Citi Tests These Questions
Citi is known for rigorous data engineering interviews that focus on practical, production-level knowledge. With 39 questions in our vault, the most common category is Spark/Big Data (16 questions).
Difficulty breakdown: 14 easy, 11 medium, 14 hard. Expect system design and optimization questions at senior levels.
Top 5 Most Asked Questions at Citi
- **Q1**: What is the difference between repartition and coalesce in Apache Spark?
- **Q2**: What is the difference between SparkSession and SparkContext in Spark?
- **Q3**: What is the difference between partitioning and bucketing in Spark, and when would you use bucketing?
- **Q4**: What strategies can you use to handle skewed data in Spark?
- **Q5**: What is the difference between Managed and External tables in Hive/Spark?
Category Breakdown for Citi Interviews
- **Spark/Big Data**: 16 questions
- **General/Other**: 9 questions
- **SQL**: 8 questions
- **Python/Coding**: 3 questions
- **System Design/Architecture**: 3 questions
How to Prepare
Focus on Spark/Big Data questions first, as they dominate Citi's interview pattern. Practice the top-frequency questions below, then move to adjacent categories. For senior roles, expect 1-2 system design rounds.
Practice These Questions
mediumWhat is the difference between repartition and coalesce in Apache Spark?→hardWhat is the difference between SparkSession and SparkContext in Spark?→mediumWhat is the difference between partitioning and bucketing in Spark, and when would you use bucketing?→mediumWhat strategies can you use to handle skewed data in Spark?→easyWhat is the difference between Managed and External tables in Hive/Spark?→
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