Explain benefits of a lockfile
Company: SoFi
Role: Software Engineer
Category: Software Engineering Fundamentals
Difficulty: easy
Interview Round: Technical Screen
When running a JavaScript app using package managers like npm or yarn, what is the purpose of a dependency lockfile (e.g., `package-lock.json` or `yarn.lock`)? Explain the main advantages it provides in local development and CI/CD, and what problems it helps prevent.
Quick Answer: Evaluates a candidate's understanding of dependency management and reproducible builds within JavaScript package ecosystems and how package managers coordinate project dependencies.