## Problem You are given a raw message string from a custom text protocol. Each message consists of fields separated by `|`, where each field is a `key=value` pair. Some values may themselves contain escaped pipes `\|`. Parse the message and return a dictionary of field names to values, with escape sequences resolved. ```python def parse_message(raw: str) -> dict[str, str]: # Returns {field_name: value, ...} pass ``` **Example:** ``` raw = "type=ORDER|id=42|note=buy\|sell|qty=10" -> {"type": "ORDER", "id": "42", "note": "buy|sell", "qty": "10"} raw = "status=OK|msg=all good" -> {"status": "OK", "msg": "all good"} raw = "a=1||b=2" # empty field between double-pipe -> {"a": "1", "": "", "b": "2"} # or raise, based on spec ``` ## Follow-ups 1. How would you handle duplicate keys? Last-write-wins, first-write-wins, or collect as list? 2. What changes if values can also contain escaped equals signs `\=`? 3. How would you validate that required fields (e.g., `type`, `id`) are always present and raise a descriptive error otherwise? 4. Extend the parser to support nested messages, where a value is itself a `key=value|...` block wrapped in `{}`.

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Message Parser: Parse Structured Protocol Messages into Field-Value Pairs

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Problem You are given a raw message string from a custom text protocol. Each message consists of fields separated by |, where each field is a key=value pair. Some values may themselves contain escaped pipes \|. Parse the message and return a dictionary of field names to values, with escape sequences resolved. Example: Follow-ups How would you handle duplicate keys? Last-write-wins, first-write-wins, or collect as list? What changes if values can also contain escaped equals signs \=? How would yo…

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This is a candidate experience report from a applied intuition interview during the phone round.

It covers the following topics: Coding, Phone, Onsite, Strings .

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Message Parser: Parse Structured Protocol Messages into Field-Value Pairs

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