Python applies to a variety of technical professions such as software development,data scienceand analytics, machine learning andWeb app development. If you're hoping to land a job in one of these careers, you'll need to demonstrate your Python proficiency during your interview. Learn how to impress employers by practicing how you would answer these 10 common Python interview questions.
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Before you meet with hiring managers, familiarize yourself with the Python interview questions and answers below. Take some time to create, refine, and personalize your answers. Then practice answering a out loudmock interview, so you know exactly what to say before your interview.
10 Python-Interviewfragen
- Tell me what you know about Python.
- Compare Python to other programming languages.
- What are the Python frameworks?
- How is memory managed in Python?
- How would you debug a Python program?
- Describe the difference between a list and a tuple.
- Explain how to create a tuple from a list.
- What is a NumPy array in Python?
- Describe what a namespace is in Python.
- What are variables in Python?
Python programming interview questions
The following sample Python interview questions cover the basics of Python to assess your basic understanding of the programming language.
Question #1: Tell me what you know about Python.
At the start of an interview, employers will likely ask you to provide a basic overview of Python. When creating your answer, demonstrate your Python skills by providing the following details:
- What Python is.
- What is it used for?
- Its main features.
How you might answer
“Python is a high-level and interpreted object-oriented programming language commonly used for web and software development, data analysis, data visualization, and automation. Guido van Rossum developed Python in 1991 with a strong emphasis on code readability. It includes advanced data structures, dynamic semantics, and dynamic typing and binding.
Because Python is a universal programming language and easy to learn, it is used in a variety of industries and professions. This includes science-based jobs and finance.”
Question #2: Compare Python to other programming languages.
By comparing Python to other programming languages, you demonstrate your comprehensive understanding of Python and programming in general. When answering this question, employers are looking for the following details:
- What does Python have in common with other programming languages?
- What makes Python different from other programming languages.
How you might answer
“Like other programming languages like Java, C++, Lisp, and Perl, Python works with objects, functions, methods, and variables. However, Python has many differences from other programming languages. For example, Python is dynamically typed while Java and C++ are statically typed. Also, Python uses simple and predefined languages, while Lisp requires programmers to write their own syntaxes.”
Question #3: What are the Python frameworks?
You will likely come across Python interview questions about frameworks. Provide employers with an overview of Python frameworks by doing the following:
- Define what frameworks are and what they do.
- Describe the three primary Python frameworks.
- Name the leading Python framework programs.
How you might answer
“Python frameworks automate many tasks and provide developers and programmers with a structure for application development. These typically include full-stack, micro, or asynchronous frameworks that come with their own packages and modules. The most popular Python frameworks include Django, Web2Py, Flask, Bottle, and CherryPy.
Full-stack frameworks require the least amount of manual coding and programming from developers. That's because they include all the end-to-end solutions needed for web and app development. Micro frameworks have minimal features and functionality and require more time and manual effort. Asynchronous frameworks run multiple processes concurrently using the asyncio library.”
Question #4: How is memory managed in Python?
If a hiring manager asks you about Python memory management, phrase your answer like this:
- Describe what Python's memory manager does.
- Discuss the types of mapping in Python memory management.
- Mention using Python's garbage collector.
How you might answer
“Python's memory manager determines where application data is placed in memory. The process known as "allocation" allocates memory to objects. The memory manager deletes any additional unallocated data.
There are two types of mapping in Python memory management. One of them is static memory allocation, which is done at compile time. With static memory allocation, the data becomes unusable for further programming after allocation. The other type of allocation is dynamic memory allocation, which occurs during a program's runtime. Unlike static memory allocation, allocated memory remains usable throughout a program.
Python also uses the garbage collector to eliminate unnecessary object storage space. This process is activated as soon as the reference count is reduced to zero.”
Python Coding Interview Questions
When you work with Python, you spend a lot of time programming. The following six Python interview questions cover coding topics such as debugging, lists, tuples, arrays, and functions.
Question #5: How would you debug a Python program?
Errors are common in Python coding. As a Python programmer, you should demonstrate proficiency in identifying and fixing bugs. When asking Python interview questions about bugs and errors, include the following information in your answer:
- A brief definition of an error.
- How to identify errors.
- The steps you would take to fix an error.
How you might answer
“Errors refer to errors in syntax, indentation, type, name, and logic. Fortunately, they are very easy to spot. Python often displays red error messages in the shell window, telling users which line of code caused the error. Depending on what Python frameworks I'm using, I can just click "Go to file/line" in the dropdown menu. Otherwise I would have to find the line manually.
Once I found the line that is causing the error, I would start debugging by making sure:
- Correct spelling and spaces.
- Correct use of letters and numbers within the code.
- Correct use of lowercase or uppercase within the code.
- All opening brackets have corresponding closing brackets.
- Single and double quotes have matching closing quotes."
Question #6: Describe the difference between a list and a tuple.
When employers ask questions about Python interviews about lists and tuples, they want to know how well you can store and manage data in Python.
Here are the details to include in your answer:
- A description of lists and tuples and how they are similar.
- The main differences between lists and tuples.
- The pros and cons of each.
How you might answer
“Lists and tuples in Python have a lot in common. They are both objects and containers that store data. However, they have some key differences. For example, lists are mutable, meaning they can be changed. Tuples are immutable, which means they cannot be modified after they are created.
Lists and tuples use different encoding symbols. For example, the symbol [] initiates a list and would typically look like this in a script: num_list = [1,2,3]. Tuples use the () symbol, which would look like this: num_tuple = (1,2,3).
Tuples have some advantages over lists. For example, they use less memory and iterations are much faster. However, the benefits of lists include more built-in methods and easier management, deletion, and insertion of items.”
Question #7: Explain how to create a tuple from a list.
The previous question asked you to distinguish between lists and tuples. Employers can also ask you to demonstrate how to convert a list to a tuple. To best answer this question, provide the following details:
- Describe the three methods of converting a list to a tuple.
- State the advantages and disadvantages of each method.
How you might answer
“Creating a tuple from a list is easy and there are generally three ways to do it. One method involves using the built-in function tuple(). I would simply use this function to pass a list as a parameter inside the tuple() function. This would output the tuple data type.
The second method involves looping inside the built-in function tuple(). To do this, the length of the tuple would have to be determined using the len() function. I would start at 0 and iterate through the tuple elements by referring to the element indices. After each iteration I would increase the index by 1.
The third method is to unpack the list items inside the brackets. I would create a tuple literal in which the list items are unpacked by adding a comma in the bracket. Although this method is usually faster than the other two, it can cause some readability issues."
Question #8: What is a NumPy array in Python?
Employers can ask you Python interview questions on how to use NumPy to speed up array operations. Be sure to include the following details in your answer:
- A definition of NumPy.
- What NumPy does.
- What features does it bring?
How you might answer
“NumPy stands for “Numerical Python” and is the core library for scientific computing. It provides a multidimensional Array object as well as masked arrays, matrices and other various derived objects. NumPy also includes several routines that speed up array operations like logical, math, sorting, shape manipulation, and more.
It is often used to calculate efficient and accurate mathematical operations on arrays and matrices. This makes arrays much faster and more compact than lists. They also take up less storage space when storing data, and their mechanisms specify data types.”
Question #9: Describe what a namespace is in Python.
Prepare to answer questions about how to use namespaces to give objects unique names. Build your answer by including these details:
- What a namespace is.
- what it does
- Why it is used in Python.
How you might answer
"A namespace is a system in Python that has a unique name for each object, such as a method, function, or variable. It is also a collection of currently defined symbolic names that contain information about each object. Namespaces organize code into logical groups and prevent object names from conflicting with each other.”
Question #10: What are variables in Python?
You will likely come across Python interview questions about variables. Demonstrate your understanding of variables by discussing the following:
- The purpose of variables in Python.
- Types of Python Variables.
- How variables in Python differ from those in other programming languages.
How you might answer
“In Python, variables are symbolic names that refer to objects. You can refer to an object with a specific name after assigning it to a variable. Variables are also containers for storing data values, and often contain numbers, strings, lists, and tuples. They are often case-sensitive and begin with either a number or an underscore.
Unlike other programming languages, Python does not have a command for declaring variables. To declare a variable in Python, you must assign a value to it. The value then determines the data type of a variable.”
Create the framework for a successful programming career
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