What is a network topology?
Why Interviewers Ask This
Foundational questions like this help interviewers calibrate the rest of the interview. A confident, accurate answer signals that you have solid Networking basics — a prerequisite for any developer role.
Answer
A network topology describes the physical or logical arrangement of devices and connections in a network. Bus topology: all devices connect to a single shared cable — simple but a single break disrupts the entire network. Star topology: all devices connect to a central switch/hub — most common today; one device failure does not affect others, but the central switch is a single point of failure. Ring topology: devices connect in a circular chain — data travels in one direction; failure of one device can disrupt the network (dual-ring adds redundancy). Mesh topology: every device connects to every other — maximum redundancy but expensive; used in critical infrastructure and WANs. Tree (hierarchical) topology: star networks connected to a central backbone — scalable for enterprises. Hybrid topology: combination of topologies. Most enterprise networks use a hierarchical star topology.
Common Mistake
Rushing to answer is a common mistake. Take two seconds to structure your response: definition → example → trade-off. This structure makes complex Networking answers easy to follow.