Okta Certified Developer Interview Questions

The Okta Certified Developer program is a recognition of developers with expertise in building applications and services using Okta APIs and SDKs. To successfully pass the interview and finally become an Okta Certified Developer, you need to have knowledge of creating secure, seamless experiences with Okta APIs and SDKs, such as the OIDC standard. Moreover, you should also have experience operating RESTful APIs and developing web applications.

You will need to demonstrate your competency in front of the panel in order to become an Okta Certified Developer. So let’s have a look at the list of top Okta Certified Developer Interview Questions that may help you prepare for the ultimate interview.

1. What is API in Okta?

The API is how apps and services interact with Okta. It enables you to implement Okta sign-in and management functions, such as registering users, verifying identities, generating tokens, or adding and removing objects and attributes.

2. What type of authentication does Okta use?

OAuth 2.0 and OpenID Connect are two specifications Okta allows you to use to control access to your application.

3. How do Okta sessions work?

Okta provides session management for enterprises. Okta federates user sign-ins, so that users can access multiple applications with a single set of log-in credentials. A session group is made up of the interactions and resources accessed by an individual user during a given period of time.

4. What is client OAuth?

OAuth 2.0 is the second generation of a protocol designed to allow users to grant external applications access to their social media profiles without sharing passwords with those applications. Access tokens are obtained from a server, which in turn grants the client access to specific resources.

5. Could you elaborate on the terms OAuth and OIDC?

OAuth 2.0 and OpenID Connect (OIDC) are two protocols for authorization that are used together. OAuth 2.0 provides access to data and features from one application to another, while OIDC adds login and profile information about the person who is logged in.

6. Can you tell me about the primary actors involved in all OIDC interactions?

OpenID Connect establishes two primary roles: the OpenID Provider and the Relying Party. The OpenID Provider provides authentication for end-users by using OAuth 2.0 and returns information about them to the Relying Party.

7. How would you optimize an API?

Firstly, by using the fastest JSON serializer available.
Second, by using compression techniques.
Using faster data access strategies.
Using caching.
Last but not least, using asynchronous methods judiciously.

8. What is a core API?

A Core API is a format-independent Document Object Model for representing Web APIs. It allows you to interact with an API at the layer of an application interface, opposed to a network interface. It works with Schema or Hypermedia responses.

9. How can I make my API faster?

Giving API Consumers Control of What They Fetch
Helping API Consumers Understand What’s Slow
Knowing the Data Access Patterns
Avoiding the N+1 Problem – Understand the Available Data
Designing the API Experience for Low Latency
Designing the API to Cache Data
Designing the API to Prefetch Data.

10. What is just-in-time (JIT) provisioning?

JIT provisioning allows you to automate the process of account creation for web apps. It occurs when a new user tries to log in to an app for the first time, and identity information is passed from the provider to the app that’s needed to create their account.

11. How would you define an Okta user?

The Okta Integration Network creates unique profiles for each user and lets you manage your users and apps, giving you granular control of the app and device access, group membership, and user status. Okta’s Integration Network gives you unlimited access to a catalog of applications and APIs integrated with your existing applications and infrastructure.

12. What is the simplest way to enable multi-factor authentication in Okta?

Firstly, from the Admin Console, start by selecting Security from the main menu and then the Multifactor.
Then, on the Factor Types tab, you need to select the Google Authenticator from the left navigation.
Finally, click on the Inactive drop-down box, and select Activate thereafter.

13. Could you explain how you would resolve an API issue?

To fix this error, ensure the credentials you are using have the access level required by the endpoint, or that the access token has the correct permissions. Another common reason for this error is if we’re not explicit about the Accept header value.

14. How does X-Forwarded host work?

X-Forwarded-Port specifies the port number on the proxy that is being used by the client. X-Forwarded-Proto specifies the protocol used by the client to connect to the proxy. X-Forwarded-Host specifies the Host header sent by the client.

15. How would you implement rate-limiting in API?

Firstly, you need to go to the API on which you want to set the global rate limit.
Then, in the Core Settings tab, go to the Rate Limiting and Quotas section.
You need to ensure that the Disable rate limiting option is unchecked.
Then, enter in your request per the second threshold.
Finally, save/update your changes

16. What’s the simplest way for enabling a Token Inline Hook?

In the Security menu, click API > Authorization Servers. Select a custom authorization server from the list, and then select the Access Policies tab. Click the Default Policy to use with the hook.

17. What is the OKTA sign-in widget?

Okta has developed a JavaScript library to provide a fully-featured and customizable login experience to use on any website. The library, Okta Sign-In Widget, is deployed by Okta on its normal sign-in page.

18. How would you define the Okta single sign-in?

Okta’s Integration Network (OIN) provides Single Sign-on (SSO) access to thousands of cloud-based applications. Using OIDC, SAML, SWA, or proprietary protocols and APIs, the OIN announcements can provision SSO. Okta maintains all the SSO protocols and provisioning APIs, which it keeps up to date and reliable

19. Could you tell me what is the Okta SDK used for?

Okta’s Sign-in Widget works on the default Okta login page and can be used in your own applications. However, the Okta API includes the Okta Auth SDK which gives developers added controls and customization when building a JavaScript front end or Single Page App (SPA).

20. Is Okta an IDP?

When you install Access Gateway, and after you finish or perform typical configuration tasks, your Okta tenant must be configured as an Okta Access Gateway Identity Provider. This topic lists the tasks required for that configuration.

21. Can you tell me how to add an event hook in OKTA?

Firstly, go to Workflow and then Event Hooks in the Admin Console
Then, click on the Create Event Hook option
Now, you need to define the attributes like Name and URL
Finally, click on Save & Continue. The event hook will now be now Active

22. How would you define a federated app, being an Okta Certified Developer?

In early systems, the assumption was that an application was being used by a single user; it did not require the user to log in. … Federation is a mechanism where one system—the Identity Provider (IdP)—is responsible for authenticating a user and then sends a message to other systems, announcing who the user is and verifying that they have been properly authenticated.

23. Is OIDC a federation?

The OpenID Connect Federation 1.0 specification enables large-scale federated networks to be deployed using OpenID Connect. It can enable trust among participating organizations to be established through signed statements made by federation operators and organizations about the participating organizations.

24. What do you know about the ID token claims?

An identity token is a security token that contains information about the authentication of a user and potentially other requested information, such as the user’s email address. An identity token is represented as a JSON web token (JWT).

25. What is SAML in OKTA?

Aws provides identity federation with Security assertion markup language (SAML), an open standard for identity providers. The feature enables single-sign-on (SSO) to operate properly. Users can create IAM users for everyone in the organization by logging into any management system console or calling APIs.

26. Can you mention some of the benefits of OKTA SAML?

Below-mentioned are the most important benefits of using SAML in OKTA:

Firstly, it always offers a single sign-on authentication
Second, it enables you to customize your user experience
It also provides security for a universal directory with integration
Further, it even supports real-time security reports with the single sign-on
Last but not least, it offers an adaptive user authentication

27. What do you mean by the OKTA Universal directory?

The user profiles stored in OKTA’s universal directory allow you to store employee, partner, and customer information. You can use the profile Editor to customize and extend user and app-specific profiles as well as transform and map attributes between profiles. These features provide robust provisioning support.

28. Can you tell me about a few advantages of the Universal directory?

It is a centralized place that allows the admin to manage all the groups, accounts, and devices from several sources.
Second, it offers a group-based password usage policy
Further, all the usernames and passwords are securely stored
Also, it has multiple options for complex password policy
Lat but not least, it provides rich SAML components, along with authentication scenarios, and attributes.

29. Could you name any two factors defining the last logon of OKTA users?

OKTA users can log in to the OKTA groups through two AD attributes. These are:

Last Log on
Last logon timestamp

30. Can an Okta admin see the password of any other user?

NO, OKTA cannot see any user’s password. However, they can see that user’s username.