1 min lesson
The stack and the surfaces
Use the evidence to decide "Which language is the primary one for editor and product work in this role and how deep should your Rust be?" Explain the choice plainly.
Step 1 of 2
TypeScript is the primary language for editor and product work. If you're rusty, fix that before the technical screens, because the applied coding problem often lives on a real slice of the editor and you'll be slow in a language you have to think about.
Languages and where they live
- TypeScript
- Primary - the editor UI and product surface. Be fluent and fast, not just correct.
- Rust
- Performance-critical paths. Working comfort expected; deep specialization optional unless the team leans that way.
- Python
- ML and eval work. Useful for the experimentation and quality side of the job.
Depth is role-dependent. A product engineer who lives in TypeScript and can read Rust when a hot path needs it is in a good spot. Claiming deep Rust expertise you don't have is the wrong move on a truth-seeking team, because it's trivially probed.