How to Handle a Technical Interview When You're Nervous About Coding Live

Coding live in front of an interviewer is a different skill from coding alone at your desk, and struggling with it doesn't reflect your actual ability as a developer.

Talk through your thinking

Narrate your approach before and while you write code — interviewers are often grading your reasoning process as much as the final working solution.

It's fine to ask questions

Clarifying edge cases, expected input sizes, or ambiguous requirements before diving in is expected, not a sign of weakness.

Practice the format, not just the material

Doing timed practice problems out loud, even alone, builds comfort with the performance aspect separate from the technical content itself.