gRPC interview questions — Easy
100 easy-level gRPC questions from our API Testing bank, each with the correct answer and an explanation of why it is correct.
This topic slice is available to practise but is not yet part of our indexed set.
What this covers
gRPC appears throughout API Testing interviews. At easy level, interviewers are typically checking that you know the fundamentals and can describe them precisely — definitions, defaults, and the basic mechanics. Work through these, then explain your answer out loud; the second part is what interviews actually test.
20 example questions
1. Which of the following best describes bidirectional streaming in gRPC?
- A. Middleware wrapping gRPC calls for auth or logging.
- B. Single request producing a single response.
- C. Both client and server send message streams concurrently.correct
- D. Key-value pairs sent with calls, similar to headers.
Why: bidirectional streaming: Both client and server send message streams concurrently.
2. Which of the following best describes DEADLINE_EXCEEDED in gRPC?
- A. Single request producing a single response.
- B. Both client and server send message streams concurrently.
- C. Status returned when a call outlives its deadline.correct
- D. Middleware wrapping gRPC calls for auth or logging.
Why: DEADLINE_EXCEEDED: Status returned when a call outlives its deadline.
3. In the context of gRPC, DEADLINE_EXCEEDED is best described as:
- A. Definition of gRPC services, methods, and message types.
- B. Client-side connection abstraction to a gRPC server.
- C. Status returned when a call outlives its deadline.correct
- D. Compiler generating code from proto definitions.
Why: DEADLINE_EXCEEDED: Status returned when a call outlives its deadline.
4. What is the purpose of DEADLINE_EXCEEDED in gRPC?
- A. Single request producing a single response.
- B. Both client and server send message streams concurrently.
- C. Key-value pairs sent with calls, similar to headers.
- D. Status returned when a call outlives its deadline.correct
Why: DEADLINE_EXCEEDED: Status returned when a call outlives its deadline.
5. Which of the following best describes .proto file in gRPC?
- A. Single request producing a single response.
- B. Both client and server send message streams concurrently.
- C. Middleware wrapping gRPC calls for auth or logging.
- D. Definition of gRPC services, methods, and message types.correct
Why: .proto file: Definition of gRPC services, methods, and message types.
6. In gRPC, what does metadata do or refer to?
- A. Middleware wrapping gRPC calls for auth or logging.
- B. Both client and server send message streams concurrently.
- C. Client-side connection abstraction to a gRPC server.
- D. Key-value pairs sent with calls, similar to headers.correct
Why: metadata: Key-value pairs sent with calls, similar to headers.
7. In gRPC, what does bidirectional streaming do or refer to?
- A. Client-side connection abstraction to a gRPC server.
- B. Key-value pairs sent with calls, similar to headers.
- C. Compiler generating code from proto definitions.
- D. Both client and server send message streams concurrently.correct
Why: bidirectional streaming: Both client and server send message streams concurrently.
8. Which of the following best describes interceptor in gRPC?
- A. Middleware wrapping gRPC calls for auth or logging.correct
- B. Definition of gRPC services, methods, and message types.
- C. Status returned when a call outlives its deadline.
- D. Compiler generating code from proto definitions.
Why: interceptor: Middleware wrapping gRPC calls for auth or logging.
9. In gRPC, what does interceptor do or refer to?
- A. Status returned when a call outlives its deadline.
- B. Key-value pairs sent with calls, similar to headers.
- C. Middleware wrapping gRPC calls for auth or logging.correct
- D. Single request producing a single response.
Why: interceptor: Middleware wrapping gRPC calls for auth or logging.
10. What is the purpose of channel in gRPC?
- A. Definition of gRPC services, methods, and message types.
- B. Compiler generating code from proto definitions.
- C. Client-side connection abstraction to a gRPC server.correct
- D. Middleware wrapping gRPC calls for auth or logging.
Why: channel: Client-side connection abstraction to a gRPC server.
11. What is the purpose of interceptor in gRPC?
- A. Both client and server send message streams concurrently.
- B. Middleware wrapping gRPC calls for auth or logging.correct
- C. Definition of gRPC services, methods, and message types.
- D. Key-value pairs sent with calls, similar to headers.
Why: interceptor: Middleware wrapping gRPC calls for auth or logging.
12. In gRPC, what does channel do or refer to?
- A. Key-value pairs sent with calls, similar to headers.
- B. Definition of gRPC services, methods, and message types.
- C. Compiler generating code from proto definitions.
- D. Client-side connection abstraction to a gRPC server.correct
Why: channel: Client-side connection abstraction to a gRPC server.
13. What is the purpose of bidirectional streaming in gRPC?
- A. Key-value pairs sent with calls, similar to headers.
- B. Compiler generating code from proto definitions.
- C. Both client and server send message streams concurrently.correct
- D. Status returned when a call outlives its deadline.
Why: bidirectional streaming: Both client and server send message streams concurrently.
14. Which of the following best describes metadata in gRPC?
- A. Key-value pairs sent with calls, similar to headers.correct
- B. Both client and server send message streams concurrently.
- C. Single request producing a single response.
- D. Status returned when a call outlives its deadline.
Why: metadata: Key-value pairs sent with calls, similar to headers.
15. What is the purpose of metadata in gRPC?
- A. Key-value pairs sent with calls, similar to headers.correct
- B. Single request producing a single response.
- C. Both client and server send message streams concurrently.
- D. Client-side connection abstraction to a gRPC server.
Why: metadata: Key-value pairs sent with calls, similar to headers.
16. Which of the following best describes channel in gRPC?
- A. Client-side connection abstraction to a gRPC server.correct
- B. Definition of gRPC services, methods, and message types.
- C. Middleware wrapping gRPC calls for auth or logging.
- D. Status returned when a call outlives its deadline.
Why: channel: Client-side connection abstraction to a gRPC server.
17. In gRPC, what does .proto file do or refer to?
- A. Single request producing a single response.
- B. Key-value pairs sent with calls, similar to headers.
- C. Client-side connection abstraction to a gRPC server.
- D. Definition of gRPC services, methods, and message types.correct
Why: .proto file: Definition of gRPC services, methods, and message types.
18. What is the purpose of .proto file in gRPC?
- A. Both client and server send message streams concurrently.
- B. Definition of gRPC services, methods, and message types.correct
- C. Status returned when a call outlives its deadline.
- D. Key-value pairs sent with calls, similar to headers.
Why: .proto file: Definition of gRPC services, methods, and message types.
19. What is the purpose of unary RPC in gRPC?
- A. Single request producing a single response.correct
- B. Status returned when a call outlives its deadline.
- C. Definition of gRPC services, methods, and message types.
- D. Compiler generating code from proto definitions.
Why: unary RPC: Single request producing a single response.
20. In gRPC, what does unary RPC do or refer to?
- A. Status returned when a call outlives its deadline.
- B. Single request producing a single response.correct
- C. Definition of gRPC services, methods, and message types.
- D. Both client and server send message streams concurrently.
Why: unary RPC: Single request producing a single response.