Here are some common interview questions for Python positions and some sample answers to help you prepare:
Question 1. Can you explain the difference between a list and a tuple in Python?
Answer: A list is a collection of items that are ordered and changeable. Lists are written with square brackets and can contain any data type. A tuple is a collection of items that are ordered and unchangeable. Tuples are written with parentheses and can also contain any data type. The main difference between lists and tuples is that lists are mutable (meaning they can be modified) and tuples are immutable (meaning they cannot be modified).
Question 2. How do you handle exceptions in Python?
Answer: Exceptions in Python can be handled using try and except statements. The code that might throw an exception is placed in the try block, and the handling of the exception is placed in the except block. For example:
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try:
# code that might throw an exception
except ExceptionType:
# code to handle the exception
Question 3. Can you explain the difference between a deep copy and a shallow copy in Python?
Answer: A shallow copy is a copy of an object that stores a reference to the object, rather than a new copy of the object’s data. This means that if the original object is modified, the copy will also be modified. A deep copy, on the other hand, creates a new copy of the object and its data, so the original object and the copy are completely independent. In Python, you can use the copy module’s deepcopy function to create a deep copy of an object.
Question 4. Can you explain how to use generators in Python?
Answer: Generators are a way to create iterators in Python. They are functions that use the yield keyword to return a value, instead of using return. When a generator function is called, it does not execute the function body immediately. Instead, it returns a generator object that can be used to execute the function body when iterated over. Here’s an example of a generator function:
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def countdown(n):
while n > 0:
yield n
n -= 1
To use the generator, you can iterate over it with a for loop:
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for i in countdown(5):
print(i)
Question 5. Can you explain the difference between a dynamic and a static programming language?
Answer: A dynamic programming language is a language in which the type of a variable is determined at runtime, rather than at compile time. Python is an example of a dynamic programming language. This means that you can define a variable as one type and then reassign it to a value of a different type.
A static programming language is a language in which the type of a variable is determined at compile time and cannot be changed at runtime. An example of a static programming language is C. In a static language, you must specify the type of a variable when you declare it, and it cannot be changed later.
Question 6. Can you explain how to use decorators in Python?
Answer: Decorators are a way to modify the behaviour of a function without changing the function itself. In Python, decorators are created using the @ symbol, followed by the name of the decorator. Here’s an example of a simple decorator that adds a greeting to a function:
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def greeting(func):
def wrapper():
print(“Hello”)
func()
print(“Goodbye”)
return wrapper@greeting
def say_hi():
print(“Hi”)
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Here are some additional interview questions and answers on Python positions:
Question 7. Can you explain how to use the “with” statement in Python?
Answer: The “with” statement in Python is used to wrap the execution of a block of code with methods defined by a context manager. The context manager handles the setup and teardown of resources, such as opening and closing files. Here’s an example of using the “with” statement to open and read a file:
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with open(‘file.txt’, ‘r’) as f:
data = f.read()
print(data)
The file will be automatically closed when the “with” block is exited, even if an exception is raised.
Question 8. Can you explain the difference between a class and an instance in Python?
Answer: A class is a blueprint for creating objects in Python. It defines the attributes and methods that objects of the class will have. An instance is a specific object created from a class. For example, if you have a class called “Dog”, an instance of that class might be a specific dog named “Max”. The class defines the general characteristics of a dog (such as having four legs and barking), and the instance represents a specific dog with its own unique characteristics (such as its name and breed).
Question 9. Can you explain how to use the “super” function in Python?
Answer: The “super” function in Python is used to refer to the base class of an object. It is often used in the initialization method (init) of a subclass to call the initialization method of the base class. Here’s an example of using “super” in a subclass initialization method: Interview Questions and Answers on Python
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class Animal:
def __init__(self, name, species):
self.name = name
self.species = speciesclass Dog(Animal):
def __init__(self, name, breed):
super().__init__(name, species=”Dog”)
self.breed = breed
In this example, the “super” function is used to call the init method of the Animal class and pass in the name and species arguments.
Question 10. Can you explain the difference between a static method and a class method in Python?
Answer: A static method in Python is a method that belongs to a class, rather than an instance of the class. It is decorated with the @staticmethod decorator and does not have access to the instance variables of the class. A static method is often used for utility functions that perform a specific task that does not need access to instance data.
A class method in Python is a method that belongs to a class and is decorated with the @classmethod decorator. It receives the class as the first argument (cls) and can access and modify class variables. A class method is often used to create factory methods, which are methods that create and return instances of the class.
Here’s an example of using static and class methods in Python:
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class MyClass:
@staticmethod
def static_method():
print(“This is a static method”)
@classmethod
def class_method(cls):
print(“This is a class method”)
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