Top 20 Python Interview Questions and Answers

Prepare for your next Python job interview with these top 20 Python interview questions and answers. Covers key concepts, coding techniques, and practical examples.

Main Focus on this Article: Python interview questions, Python coding interview, Python technical questions, Python job preparation, Python developer interview.

Top 20 Python Interview Questions and Answers for 2025

Python remains one of the most popular programming languages in the world, thanks to its simplicity, versatility, and vast ecosystem. Whether you're preparing for a software engineering role, data science position, or backend development job, mastering Python interview questions is essential. Below are the top 20 Python interview questions and answers to help you ace your next technical interview in 2025.

Top Python Interview Questions and Answers

1. What are Python’s key features?

• Interpreted and high-level language
• Dynamically typed and garbage-collected
• Object-oriented and functional programming support
• Extensive standard library
• Platform-independent

2. What is the difference between a list and a tuple?

• List: Mutable, slower, more methods
• Tuple: Immutable, faster, used for fixed data

my_list = [1, 2, 3]
my_tuple = (1, 2, 3)

3. What is a dictionary in Python?

A dictionary is an unordered, mutable collection of key-value pairs.

my_dict = {"name": "Alice", "age": 25}

4. What is list comprehension?

A concise way to create lists using a single line of code.

squares = [x**2 for x in range(10)]

5. What is the difference between is and ==?

• == checks value equality
• is checks object identity

6. What are *args and **kwargs?

• *args: Variable-length positional arguments
• **kwargs: Variable-length keyword arguments

def example(*args, **kwargs):
    print(args, kwargs)

7. What is slicing in Python?

Slicing extracts a portion of a sequence.

my_list = [0, 1, 2, 3, 4]
print(my_list[1:4])  # Output: [1, 2, 3]

8. What is the use of self in Python?

self refers to the instance of the class and is used to access variables and methods.

9. What is the difference between Python arrays and lists?

• Array: Requires same data type, more efficient for numerical operations
• List: Can hold mixed data types, more flexible

10. What is a lambda function?

An anonymous function defined using the lambda keyword.

add = lambda x, y: x + y

11. What is the purpose of __init__?

It’s the constructor method in Python classes, used to initialize object attributes.

12. What are Python modules and packages?

• Module: A single Python file
• Package: A directory with an __init__.py file containing multiple modules

13. What is the difference between break, continue, and pass?

• break: Exits the loop
• continue: Skips to the next iteration
• pass: Placeholder that does nothing

14. What are Python decorators?

Functions that modify the behavior of other functions.

def decorator(func):
    def wrapper():
        print("Before function call")
        func()
        print("After function call")
    return wrapper

15. What is exception handling in Python?

Python uses try, except, finally blocks to handle errors gracefully.

try:
    x = 1 / 0
except ZeroDivisionError:
    print("Cannot divide by zero")

16. What is a generator in Python?

A function that returns an iterator using yield, allowing lazy evaluation.

def gen():
    yield 1
    yield 2

17. What is the difference between global, protected, and private attributes?

• Global: Accessible everywhere
• Protected: Prefixed with _, intended for internal use
• Private: Prefixed with __, name-mangled to prevent access

18. What is a Python virtual environment?

A tool to create isolated environments for Python projects to manage dependencies.

19. What are unit tests in Python?

Tests written to validate individual units of code using the unittest module.

20. How do you make a Python script executable on Unix?

Add a shebang line at the top:

#!/usr/bin/env python3

Then run:

chmod +x script.py

Bonus Tips for Interview Success

• Practice coding on platforms like LeetCode, HackerRank, and InterviewBit.
• Review Python’s official documentation and PEPs.
• Prepare to write code on a whiteboard or shared screen.
• Understand time and space complexity of your solutions.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q1. Is Python still in demand in 2025?

Yes, Python remains one of the top programming languages for web development, data science, AI, and automation.

Q2. Should I learn Python for backend development?

Absolutely. Python frameworks like Django and Flask are widely used for backend development.

Q3. What is the best way to prepare for Python interviews?

Practice coding problems, understand core concepts, and build small projects to demonstrate your skills.

Q4. Are Python interviews mostly theoretical or practical?

Most interviews include both—expect conceptual questions and hands-on coding challenges.

Q5. Do I need to know data structures for Python interviews?

Yes. Lists, dictionaries, sets, stacks, queues, and trees are commonly tested.

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