how to develop features delivered by drupal if there is no cms I'm quite familiar with drupal, had done a few projects using drupal. I had an interview where the interviewer asked a few unexpected questions (atleast for me they were like unexpected!!). Few of them were


  How do you develop the same features that you did, if there is no CMS
  (Drupal)?
  
  What tables/scheme (mysql) do you create to generate all possible
  fields??
  
  If you are going to attach a pdf file (corresponding to each record)
  where do you specify that pdf file, do you use sql table or else
  what??


These were a few questions that I couldn't explain with full confidence. 

I didn't even thought of the process behind drupal. I just used to work with my requirements and needs, I never thought of what the process might be. And more specifically with sql. 

Do any of you have any views?
The first one is easy.


  How do you develop the same features that you did, if there is no CMS
  (Drupal)?


With a MVC framework like Symfony, CakePHP or Zen.