Top Python Interview Questions

Top Python Interview Questions

Here we'll discuss some of the most common questions when interviewing candidates for positions at companies that work with Python.

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Table of contents

Introduction

Python is a great language to learn because it's simple, flexible, and has a large community of developers that support it. There are many different ways to use Python, each with pros and cons. Some people prefer to use Python as an embedded language in their applications. In contrast, others may want to use it as a server-side scripting language instead of another application (such as NodeJS or Java).

What Are Python Keywords?

Python keywords are reserved words that have a special meaning in the language. They cannot be used as identifiers, but they can be used to provide context or clarify statements. For example, if you wanted to say "Python," you might say "it's an object-oriented programming language" instead of just saying "it." However, if it were a keyword, it would mean something different; it would mean "this is a keyword."

Although these are not actual identifiers (they don't begin with an underscore), they're still considered reserved words because they help define the programmer's thoughts when writing code in Python. The list below contains all known keywords:

How Can You Generate Random Numbers In Python?

  • Random.randint() is a function that returns a random integer from 0 to the number of arguments passed. For example, if you pass 2 as an argument, it will return an integer between 0 and 1 (inclusive).
  • Random.choice() returns a random element from a list or dictionary by using the provided seed value as its seed value, which makes this method ideal for generating uniformly distributed samples from your data set. If you want to generate less than 100 elements in your list or dictionary, then use this method instead:

random_sample(seed_value=0)

What Is A Docstring In Python?

A docstring is a string of text accessed from functions, modules, and classes. It's used to store documentation for these entities, so you'll have access to it when running your project's help() function. This allows you to easily add extra information about how the class or function works without reinventing the wheel every time you write code.

In addition to storing this type of information, Python also has an API that allows developers to access all sorts of data through its functions:

  • open() - Opens files on local storage (like Dropbox)
  • list(['test','test2']) - Returns an array containing multiple values separated by commas
  • dict([('one', 'two'), ('three', 'four')]) - Returns two objects with keys/values matching their respective names

Why Is Python Useful For Machine Learning?

Python is a general-purpose language, so it's not just for machine learning. It has a large community of users and developers, making it easy to use for other purposes. Some examples of non-machine learning use include:

  • Scientific computing (e.g., numerical analysis)
  • Data analysis (e.g., text mining)

How Can You Add Elements To A Set?

You can add elements to the set using the add() method. If you want to add a single element, use the built-in function:

set_add(list, item)

This will return an equivalent list that contains all of the items in the list but without duplicates. If you pass a list containing two or more elements, then each element in your original list will be added as a separate key/value pair:

What Is Thread In Python?

In Python, a thread is a sequence of instructions that run simultaneously. A single process can have multiple threads, and each one runs independently. This means you can run multiple processes in parallel on your machine without affecting each other's memory space or resources.

The following example shows how you could create an infinite loop using for loops:

for i in range(5):

print("hello")

How Can You Create A Copy Of An Object In Python?

When the interviewer wants to know how you would copy an object in Python, this question will be asked. The problem is that there are several ways to copy an object in Python, so we'll cover the basics of them here:

  • The easiest way is using the built-in function copy(), which can be used on any type of object or data structure. It copies every attribute of its source and then returns it as a new instance with whatever values were copied over.
  • Another option would be using obj = property(...) if you're working with sequences (elements) instead of objects; otherwise, it's equivalent to self = other_object(...)

How Can You Convert A Number into A String In Python?

In Python, the str() function can convert numbers into strings. This is done using the format string that follows it:

For example, if you wanted to convert a number into a string of 0s and 1s:

python_code = ''' int(0) == 0 == "0" == "0" int("1") == 1 == "1" == "1" '''

How Will You Iterate Over A Dictionary In Reverse Order Using For Loop?

If you're looking for a way to iterate over a dictionary in reverse order, use reverse() or reversed().

If you don't have access to the keys of your dictionary and want to see them in reverse order, then use a reversed() function.

What Is The Difference Between Xrange And Range?

In Python, range() and xrange() are two important functions. They both return lists (or iterators).

xrange() is faster than range(), but it's not available in Python 3.

What is the difference between append() and extend() methods in the list?

When working with lists, it's important to know the difference between append() and extend().

append() adds an element to the end of a list, whereas extend() adds elements to the end of a list. The different methods have different advantages in terms of performance and flexibility. In general, append() is faster than extend(), but extend() can be more flexible if you need to add collections of data together in one step without having them nested within each other (like adding an array member).

Conclusion

We hope you enjoyed this list of Python interview questions and answers. We've tried to keep it as simple as possible so that the most important points are easy to grasp. If you feel like there are any more questions we should have added or if we missed any important ones, please let us know in the comments section below!

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Heena Vinayak

An entrepreneur at heart, I love to write about startups & tech businesses.