How do I prepare for a Python interview?

Python is a powerful general-purpose interpreted programming language. In this article, we will go over how to prepare for a Python developer job interview by going over some of the major topics you must prepare for.

Steps to Prepare for Python Interview

1)Review Data Structures and Algorithms(DSA) in Python if you haven’t already

You should be able to compare and contrast simple Python data structures with other language abstract data structures, as well as explain how you can enforce stack features using existing Python data structures such as lists, or do a custom implementation of a class such as a LinkedList.

You should understand basic Python data structures such as lists, dictionaries, and tuples, as well as how to create groups.

2) Be able to write code on a whiteboard or on paper

You should be comfortable with Python. If you’re preparing for a Python developer interview, it seems self-evident that you should know Python. You should be able to whiteboard some Python constructs like loops, control flow models, and list comprehensions, and describe some simple classes at the very least. When you go for a Python job interview, there’s a good possibility the interviewer won’t have a computer, so you’ll need to know how to code on paper or on a whiteboard, something you’ll only be able to do if you know the fundamentals.

3) Showcase your hobby projects

Giving out some code that demonstrates your ability to create a working piece of software is an excellent way to demonstrate your ability to code. This could be a simple web interface, a data processing script, or a small desktop application. The goal of the Python developer interview is to demonstrate your ability to write well-organized, idiomatic, and understandable code. The simplest way to accomplish this is to host your sample project on a publicly accessible GitHub, BitBucket, or GitLab repository.

4) It is necessary to have a basic understanding of front-end technology. HTML5, CSS3, and JavaScript

A Python developer also collaborates with the frontend team to keep the server and client sides in sync. As a result, it's critical that you think about how the front end works, what's likely and what isn't, and how the application will look. This isn't to say that frontend development is a must-have skill for a Python developer, but you may be asked about it during your Python developer interview.

5)Have the ability to comprehend and solve problems

The ability to understand a problem, use case, or potential application in software and then convert it into code will set you apart from the crowd. This requires the application of both hard and soft skills. You must be able to listen carefully to the function requirement or bug description and identify the relevant information, as well as ask follow-up questions to elicit additional key details. If you want to pass the Python developer interview, you should practice problem-solving and analytical skills because they will help you deal with difficult situations.

6)Understand the fundamentals of other technologies

In reality, assuming you'll only ever work for one technology or programming language is clearly not a good idea in terms of long-term employability. It is recommended that you pay attention to and be prepared for additional technologies such as JavaScript, CSS, Java, and so on. This demonstrates your ability and desire to learn new skills that will benefit the company to which you are applying. Apart from being able to instill enough knowledge to pass a Python developer interview, you must be familiar with the fundamentals in order to transition to newer technologies and frameworks in the future.

Things to do in Python before attending a Python interview

String Formatting in Python

Python creates new formatted strings using string formatting similar to that of C. There are three ways to implement string formatting in your code: using placeholders, the format() method, and formatting using string literals, i.e., fstrings. When using the placeholder method, we must use the modulo (%) operator in conjunction with s, d, f, or b characters, where s means string, d means decimal values, f means floating-point values, and b means binary value.

When using the format() method, we must pass in the string values to be replaced in the original string as arguments. It can also insert multiple values into the string using indexes. The final method, which makes use of f-strings, was introduced in Python 3.6 and later. In this case, we append the original string to the character f before enclosing variables within the string in curly braces

Save Memory With Generators

When working with smaller lists, list comprehensions come in handy. When used for larger lists, list comprehension frequently consumes a significant amount of time, slowing down your program. As a result, Python provides generators to assist you in creating your own iterator functions. It is a type of Python function that, rather than returning a single value, returns a sequence of values to an iterator object. In normal functions, the return keyword is used, but in generator functions, the yield keyword is used. The return statement terminates the function, whereas the yield statement only pauses the execution while maintaining the function's internal state.

Learn enumerate() method

We're all familiar with Python iterable, but what if we need a counter to keep track of everything in the current iterable? Python has an enumerate() method that adds a counter to an iterable and then returns it in the form of an enumerate object. It can also be used in loop constructs that require a counter for each item in the iterable

Learn Python’s Collection Module methods for fast and Efficient Implementation

When working with smaller lists, list comprehensions come in handy. When used for larger lists, list comprehension frequently consumes a significant amount of time, slowing down your program. As a result, Python provides generators to assist you in creating your own iterator functions. It is a type of Python function that, rather than returning a single value, returns a sequence of values to an iterator object. In normal functions, the return keyword is used, but in generator functions, the yield keyword is used. The return statement terminates the function, whereas the yield statement only pauses the execution while maintaining the function's internal state

Passing Arguments to sort() Method

Python has a built-in function called sort() that, by default, sorts the list in ascending order. However, it is not limited to sorting lists; we can pass various arguments to this function to customize the results to our needs. To begin, we can specify reverse=True in the sort method to receive the list in descending order. Second, we can pass a value to the key, which is a function that serves as a sorting comparison key. For example, if we have a list of strings and want to sort them by height, we will use the following syntax: list input.sort(key=len).

Conclusion

We learned in this article how to prepare for a Python interview and what to do in Python before attending a Python interview.