How do I modify the url without reloading the page?
Interviewer Expectations for this Question
01
Core Competency
Assesses fundamental understanding of JavaScript conventions, runtime behavior, and memory/performance considerations.
02
Evaluation Criteria
Hiring managers look for precision, avoidance of ambiguous jargon, and ability to explain trade-offs under real production conditions.
Comprehensive Model Answer
Verified Solution
The window.location.href property will be helpful to modify the url but it reloads the page. HTML5 introduced the history.pushState() and history.replaceState() methods, which allow you to add and modify history entries, respectively. For example, you can use pushState as below,
window.history.pushState("page2", "Title", "/page2.html");
This mechanism is used by routing libraries of frameworks like React and Angular in order to simulate the behaviour of a multi-page-website, even though they are only SPA (Single Page Applications).
Candidate Response Strategy & Interview Tips
- Start with a concise one-sentence summary: Deliver a direct, confident answer first before expanding into nuances.
- Demonstrate real-world trade-offs: Discuss where this approach excels and when you would avoid it in production systems.
- Discuss complexity & edge cases: Proactively explain time/space complexity or boundary conditions (null values, scale limits).
- Prepare for interviewer follow-ups: Technical hiring panels frequently probe deeper into concurrency, backward compatibility, or alternative libraries.