What is the difference between Repository and DAO patterns?

Short answer: DAO (Data Access Object) focuses on low-level database operations and CRUD, typically mapping tables to objects. Repository abstracts data access at the domain level, working with aggregates/entities and encapsulating business logic. Repository often uses DAO internally but is more aligned with domain-driven design.

Real-world example (ShopNest)

ShopNest payment fees use Strategy: IFeeCalculator with UPI/Card implementations chosen at runtime.

Say this in the interview

1. Define — one clear sentence (the short answer above).
2. Example — relate it to a project like ShopNest or your real work.
3. Trade-off — when you would not use it.