I ask for basics. Why? There is a lot of stuff happening in the top layer of everything (UI, full-stack, os/cloud/vm/container)... and it is impossible to eval

I ask for basics. Why? There is a lot of stuff happening in the top layer of everything (UI, full-stack, os/cloud/vm/container)... and it is impossible to evaluate properly knowledge in that area. BUT... If I ask for basics (OS, Database, organization, how to isolate processes from each other, how to scale), I can see if the answer is solid technically, if the candidate can articulate an answer, how she/he communicates. Also, I always ask for a projects candidate is proud of. I want to hear what (s)he did, and why. Architects have to decide stuff, so I want to hear the whys and the why nots. Then I ask what the would do differently now in the same project. Reject the candidate if (s)he would do everything the same way: there is always room for improvement, and shit usually happens. This is a sign other people did the work, or the candidate has a complicated personality that might backfire after hiring. (edit: sorry if the answer looks a bit harsh)