Frontend Feature Planning

Ask Clarifying Questions:
- Confirm the feature’s purpose and goals.
- Understand the user’s perspective and the pain points it addresses.
- Ask about constraints or requirements (e.g., performance, accessibility, compatibility).
  Example Questions:
- “What is the primary goal of this feature?”
- “Are there specific design or interaction patterns we should follow?”
- “What edge cases should we consider?”
Restate the Problem:
- Summarize your understanding to ensure alignment.
- Example: “So, the goal is to let users group nodes to improve diagram organization, with options to collapse/expand groups and move them as a unit. Does that sound correct?”

Identify Core Functionalities:
- List the must-have functionalities.
- Example for “Node Grouping”:
  - Select multiple nodes.
  - Group nodes into a container.
  - Collapse/expand the group.
  - Drag and move the group.
Consider Non-Functional Requirements:
- Performance (e.g., how will it handle many nodes?).
- Accessibility (e.g., keyboard navigation, screen readers).
- User feedback (e.g., visual cues, animations).
Think About Edge Cases:
- Example:
  - What happens if all nodes in a group are deleted?
  - Can a node belong to multiple groups?

High-Level Overview:
- Describe the overall approach and why it works.
- Example: “We’ll use React Flow’s custom nodes to create a ‘group node’ that acts as a container. It will have a border, a label, and a toggle for collapsing/expanding.”
Break It into Steps:
- User Interaction:
  - “Users can drag-select or multi-click nodes, then press a ‘Group’ button.”
- Visual Feedback:
  - “Selected nodes will show a blue outline, and the group will appear with a dashed border.”
- State Management:
  - “The group state will store node IDs, position, and collapsed state.”
- API/Backend:
  - “Groups will be persisted as part of the diagram structure.”
Diagram or Sketch:
- If possible, sketch a quick flow or UI mockup to demonstrate your idea.

Component Structure:
- Define how the feature fits into the existing architecture.
- Example:
  - DiagramCanvas: Handles node and group rendering.
  - NodeGroup: Custom component for groups.
  - Node: Reused for individual nodes.
Interactions and State Management:
- Use React state or context for:
  - Tracking selected nodes.
  - Storing group information.
- Example:
  
  ts
  
  Copy code
  
  const [groups, setGroups] = useState<Group[]>([]); const handleGroupCreate = (selectedNodes) => { setGroups([...groups, { id: uuid(), nodeIds: selectedNodes, collapsed: false }]); };
Integration with React Flow:
- Use React Flow hooks (e.g., useNodesState, useEdgesState) to update node positions or styles when a group moves.
Visual Feedback:
- Example: Add styles for selected nodes and groups.
  
  css
  
  Copy code
  
  .node-group { border: 2px dashed #007bff; background-color: rgba(0, 123, 255, 0.1); }

Trade-offs:
- Simplicity vs. flexibility: “A simple grouping system works now, but advanced features like nested groups might be complex.”
- Performance vs. interactivity: “For large diagrams, we may need to optimize drag-and-drop performance.”
Future Enhancements:
- Adding nested groups or group resizing.
- Better keyboard shortcuts for accessibility.

Be open to suggestions from the interviewers.
Use their feedback to refine your solution.
Example: “That’s a great point. We could simplify the initial implementation by skipping the collapse/expand feature and adding it later.”

User-Centric Thinking:
- Focus on how the feature improves the user experience.
- Example: “Collapsible groups make large diagrams easier to navigate.”
Team Collaboration:
- Highlight how you’d involve designers, backend engineers, or QA.
- Example: “I’d work with the backend team to define the API for persisting groups.”
Technical Feasibility:
- Show you’re thinking practically about implementation within time or technical constraints.
Clear Communication:
- Speak clearly and structure your thoughts logically.

Function Junction