ColdFusion Basic Interview Questions and Answers

ColdFusion Basic Interview Questions and Answers

If you were searching for ColdFusion basic interview questions and answers, this is the right place. I have listed some basic and important ColdFusion  interview questions and answers for freshers as well as for experienced software developers. These ColdFusion interview questions and answers are based upon basic introduction of ColdFusion, advantages and disadvantages of ColdFusion over other programming languages, ColdFusion administration, application.cfm file, cfapplication tag, coldfusion client management, session and application timeout in ColdFusion, how to make database connection in ColdFusion etc. If you are preparing for ColdFusion interview, you must look at the following ColdFusion interview questions and answers. 

1. What is ColdFusion?

ColdFusion is a programming language based on standard HTML (Hyper Text Markup Language) that is used to write dynamic webpages. With ColdFusion, we can build a content database using input templates and combine these with application programs to create a Web site in which pages are developed dynamically as they are served. This has an application server and software development framework which greatly aid in developing computer software.

2. Is it possible to write ColdFusion in ColdFusion?

No it is not possible to write ColdFusion in ColdFusion. Actually ColdFusion was written in Java and to write programs we need to implement other kinds of programs such as Java, .NET etc. These programs are required because ColdFusion alone cannot survive.

3. Explain about ColdFusion administrator?

ColdFusion administrator is a web based application just like the Cpanel this has many sub options through which you can control many functions such as data sources, global server settings, debugging settings, and application security settings. If you are having multiple administrator services then password must be provided for all those services. Also multiple user instances are provided where by a server can be split into cluster of Coldfusion administrators where a specific work can be provided to a specific individual who cannot alter changes.

4. What is Application.cfm?

When ColdFusion receives a request for an application page, it searches the page's directory for a file named Application.cfm. If one exists, the Application.cfm code is logically included at the beginning of that application page.

If your application runs on a UNIX platform, which is case-sensitive, you must spell Application.cfm with an initial capital letter.

5. Can we have multiple Application.cfm file in an Application?

Yes. If the application page directory does not have an Application.cfm page, ColdFusion searches up the directory tree until it finds an Application.cfm page. If several directories in the directory tree have an Application.cfm page, ColdFusion uses the first page it finds. If the Application.cfm page is present in the directory tree (and has the required permissions set), you cannot prevent ColdFusion from including it.

ColdFusion processes only one Application.cfm page for each request. If a ColdFusion page has a cfinclude tag pointing to an additional ColdFusion page, ColdFusion does not search for an Application.cfm page when it includes the additional page.

6. What is the working process for Application.cfm?

If the application page directory does not have an Application.cfm page, ColdFusion searches up the directory tree until it finds an Application.cfm page. If several directories in the directory tree have an Application.cfm page, ColdFusion uses the first page it finds. If the Application.cfm page is present in the directory tree (and has the required permissions set), you cannot prevent ColdFusion from including it.

ColdFusion processes only one Application.cfm page for each request. If a ColdFusion page has a cfinclude tag pointing to an additional ColdFusion page, ColdFusion does not search for an Application.cfm page when it includes the additional page.

7. What is cfapplication tag?

It defines the scope of a ColdFusion application; enables and disables storage of Client variables; specifies the Client variable storage mechanism; enables Session variables; and sets Application variable time-outs.

8. How can you set the Client Management?

We can enable & disable client management as well as we can configure How & Where client variables need to be store

In the Application.cfc initialization code 

This.clientmanagement="True" / "false"

This.clientStorage="[Ur_datasource_name]" / "registry" / "cookie"

In appliation.cfm using <cfappliaction> tag attributes

clientManagement="yes" / "no"

clientStorage="[Ur_datasource_name]" / "registry" / "cookie"

[Ur_datasource_name] - Stored in ODBC or native data source. You must create storage repository in the Administrator.

registry - Stored in the system registry.

cookie - Stored on client computer in a cookie. Scalable. If client disables cookies in the browser, client variables do not work.

9. What are Session Timeout and Application Timeout? Where we have to do this process?

ApplicationTimeout: The time span an application will exist before it times out (if the application is not accessed in any way). This defaults to the value set in the ColdFusion administrator.

SessionTimeout: The time span a session will exist before it times out (if the application is not access in any way by that session's user). This defaults to the value set in the ColdFusion administrator.

10. What are the advantages and disadvantages of using stored procedures versus calling SQL inline in ColdFusion?

Stored procedures abstract database logic from server side code. They also offer performance benefits in pushing application logic to the database side.

The disadvantage is that if they are poorly written then they can hinder database performance and make development a little more obfuscated.

11. What is Application Server?

A server that exposes business logic to client applications through various protocols including HTTP, HTTPS, IIOS/SSL. Eg: Sun Java Application server, weblogic server.

It takes care of important issues like Transaction Management, Security, Database Connection Pooling, Clustering, Scalability,session management,load balancing,thread management and Messaging etc. A web server cannot provide these.

12. What can be used to create connections between your ColdFusion Web sites and databases?

A DSN is used. These are set up in CF administrator and used in query code to connect to a database.

13. What are the databases that are supported by ColdFusion applications?

All relational and non relational databse like Oracle,MSAccess,mysql

14. What are the advantages of ColdFusion?

Simplified Installation and Migration

All Operating System (OS) Support

All Database support

Faster Development & Easy to Learn

Improved & support for all Protocols

Access to all the J2EE libraries

Integration with Other adobe Products (Flex, Flash, PDF..)

15. Compare ColdFusion with other programming languages.

For every language has its pros and cons. I will point out one or 2 advantages of CF over other languages.

vs PHP: Ajax features, Integration with adobe products, community support, J2EE

vs Java: Easy to learn, Code developmet & maintence cost

vs .NET: All OS, Most of webserver Support