Uber

Uber runs the structured format on HackerRank with a pre-set repository. The twist: you're expected to navigate existing code before making changes — orientation is a scored part of the exercise, not an optional warm-up.

The platform and the AI

The environment ships the AI panel, but candidates consistently describe it as giving nudges rather than solutions — pointing in a direction, offering a hint, occasionally declining to write a full answer. This is the "nerfed" experience in its clearest form.

The practical consequence: you do more of the thinking. The AI is good for boilerplate, explaining unfamiliar syntax, and scaffolding basic structures. The approach, the data structures, and the verification are on you. That's the interview, and it's what real engineering with imperfect tools looks like.

How to prepare

Tactical checklist

1. Spend the first minutes mapping the repo — don't prompt until you know the shape.
2. Expect nudges: treat every AI response as a hint and reason from it.
3. Use the AI for volume; keep judgment and verification on yourself.
4. After each generation, run the tests — don't trust the nudge to be complete.
5. When the AI stalls, write it yourself. Speed over dependence.