Code Room
On-callHard
Question
Under moderate load, your service stops responding — threads are all stuck waiting on a slow downstream call and the thread pool is exhausted. How do you respond?
What a strong answer looks like
Stop the bleeding first (mitigate), then form hypotheses from real signals. Separate root cause from symptom, communicate status as you go, and close with what prevents a repeat.
Learn the concepts
Loading whiteboard…
Run or narrate your approach, then ask the coach.