Python Data Structures and Coding Interview Questions

All 113 questions

1. How do Python lists and tuples differ, and when would you choose each?

   Asked in 35 of 281 interviews · last asked Oct 18 · Concept · Junior

   Show answer

   Lists are mutable: you can add, remove, or replace items. Tuples are immutable: you cannot change their items after creation. Choose a list for a collection that changes, and a tuple for a fixed record, such as coordinates, to prevent accidental changes.

   • Both preserve order and support indexing, slicing, and duplicate values.
   • A tuple can contain mutable objects, such as lists, whose contents can still change.
   • A tuple can be a dictionary key only if all its items are hashable; lists cannot.
   • Tuples typically use less memory than lists, but they are not always faster.

   What the interviewer checks: The interviewer checks whether you understand mutability and can choose the right type for the data.

   Common mistake (in 6 of 12 reviewed answers): Many answers forget that tuple immutability prevents accidental item changes but does not freeze objects stored inside.

   Other ways it was asked

   • “What is the difference between a list and a tuple?”
   • “What is the difference between a list and a tuple in Python?”
   • “What is the difference between a Python list and a tuple?”

2. What is the difference between mutable and immutable objects, and which Python types are examples?

   Asked in 15 of 281 interviews · last asked Oct 22 · Concept · Junior

   Show answer

   Mutable objects can change after they are created. Immutable objects cannot change after they are created. Lists, dictionaries, and sets are mutable; integers, floats, strings, tuples, and frozensets are immutable.

   • Changing a mutable object affects all variables that refer to that object.
   • Reassigning a variable is not the same as changing its object.
   • A tuple cannot replace its items, but mutable objects inside it can still change.

   PythonCopy

   items = [1, 2]
   alias = items
   items.append(3)
   print(alias)  # [1, 2, 3]
   
   text = "cat"
   original = text
   text += "s"  # Assigns a new string; the original stays unchanged.
   print(original)  # cat

   What the interviewer checks: The interviewer is checking whether you know common Python types and understand changing an object versus reassigning a variable.

   Common mistake (in 5 of 9 reviewed answers): Many answers forget that lists are mutable, while tuples and strings are immutable.

   Other ways it was asked

   • “What is the difference between mutable and immutable data types?”
   • “What are mutable and immutable objects in Python?”
   • “Can you explain mutable and immutable objects, with examples?”

3. What is the difference between shallow and deep copies in Python, especially for nested lists?

   Asked in 12 of 281 interviews · last asked Oct 17 · Concept · Mid-level

   Show answer

   A shallow copy creates a new outer list but shares the nested lists with the original. A deep copy also copies the nested lists, so changing them does not change the original. Replacing an item in the outer list of either copy does not change the original outer list.

   • Use list.copy(), slicing, or copy.copy() for a shallow list copy.
   • Use copy.deepcopy() to copy nested lists too.
   • Assignment alone does not copy a list; both names refer to the same list.

   PythonCopy

   import copy
   
   original = [[1, 2], [3, 4]]
   shallow = original.copy()
   deep = copy.deepcopy(original)
   shallow[0].append(9)
   print(original)  # [[1, 2, 9], [3, 4]]
   print(deep)      # [[1, 2], [3, 4]]

   What the interviewer checks: The interviewer is checking whether you understand shared references and how changes affect nested lists.

   Other ways it was asked

   • “What is the difference between a shallow copy and a deep copy?”
   • “What is the difference between a deep copy and a shallow copy?”
   • “What is the difference between shallow and deep copying in Python, and when can a shallow copy cause problems?”

4. What string hashing algorithm is used in Python?

   Asked in 9 of 281 interviews · last asked Oct 22 · Concept · Mid-level

   Show answer

   CPython normally uses SipHash for string hashing, with SipHash13 as the default since Python 3.11. The exact algorithm depends on the Python implementation, version, and build. String hashes are randomized between processes by default.

   • CPython 3.4–3.10 normally used SipHash24.
   • Check sys.hash_info.algorithm to see your runtime’s algorithm.
   • Do not use hash() for persistent IDs or cryptographic checks.

   PythonCopy

   import sys
   
   print(sys.hash_info.algorithm)

   What the interviewer checks: The interviewer checks whether you know the default algorithm and understand version differences and hash randomization.

   Other ways it was asked

   • “What hashing algorithm is used for strings in Python?”
   • “What hashing algorithm is used for Python string hashing?”

5. How would you write Python code to reverse a string?

   Asked in 8 of 281 interviews · last asked Sep 19 · Write code · Junior

   Show answer

   I use `s[::-1]` to return a string in reverse order. The step `-1` reads the string backward. If slicing and built-in functions are not allowed, I loop over the characters and add each one to the front of a new string.

   • Strings are immutable, so the original string stays unchanged.
   • Both methods handle empty strings and single-character strings.
   • Repeatedly adding characters to the front can take quadratic time.

   PythonCopy

   def reverse_string(s):
       return s[::-1]
   
   
   def reverse_without_builtins(s):
       result = ""
       for char in s:
           result = char + result
       return result

   What the interviewer checks: The interviewer is checking whether you can use slicing or a loop to build and return the reversed string.

   Common mistake (in 4 of 5 reviewed answers): Many answers forget that a complete solution must return the reversed string, not just describe the approach.

   Other ways it was asked

   • “Write Python code to reverse a string.”
   • “How would you reverse a string in Python without using slicing or built-in functions?”
   • “How do I reverse a string in Python?”

6. What is a Python list, and how do you create one?

   Asked in 7 of 281 interviews · last asked Oct 17 · Concept · Junior

   Show answer

   A Python list is an ordered collection of items that you can change after creating it. It can hold different types of values and repeated values. You create a list with square brackets, such as [1, 2, 3], or with list() from an iterable.

   • Lists keep items in order and use indexes starting at zero.
   • You can add, remove, or replace items.
   • Use [] or list() to create an empty list.

   PythonCopy

   numbers = [10, 20, 30]
   mixed = [1, "hello", True]
   empty = []
   letters = list("abc")  # ['a', 'b', 'c']
   numbers[0] = 99
   numbers.append(40)

   What the interviewer checks: The interviewer is checking whether you understand basic list properties and how to create one.

   Other ways it was asked

   • “What is a list?”
   • “What is a list in Python?”
   • “Can you explain what a list is in Python?”

7. What makes an object usable as a dictionary key, and how does this apply to lists, tuples, and classes?

   Asked in 4 of 281 interviews · last asked Aug 25 · Concept · Junior

   Show answer

   A dictionary key must be hashable: its hash must stay fixed, and equal objects must have equal hashes. Lists are not hashable. Tuples are hashable only if every item is hashable. User-defined class instances are hashable by default, but custom equality can make them unhashable.

   • A tuple containing a list cannot be a dictionary key.
   • Default class instances use identity for equality; defining __eq__ without __hash__ makes instances unhashable.
   • Do not change fields used by a key's hash or equality.
   • Unequal objects can share a hash; dictionaries use equality to tell them apart.

   What the interviewer checks: The interviewer checks whether you understand hashability, its link to equality, and how it applies to custom objects.

   Other ways it was asked

   • “What types of values can be used as keys in a Python dictionary?”
   • “What types of data can be used as keys in a Python dictionary?”
   • “If you use a tuple as a dictionary key, what must be true of all the items inside the tuple, and why?”

8. Write Python code to generate the Fibonacci series.

   Asked in 4 of 281 interviews · last asked Sep 11 · Write code · Junior

   Show answer

   Use a loop to generate Fibonacci numbers, starting with 0 and 1. Each next number is the sum of the previous two. This function returns the first n numbers as a list.

   • The sequence starts with 0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5.
   • Update both values together so the calculation uses their old values.
   • Return an empty list for zero terms; reject negative counts.

   PythonCopy

   def fibonacci(n):
       if n < 0:
           raise ValueError("n must be non-negative")
       terms = []
       a, b = 0, 1
       for _ in range(n):
           terms.append(a)
           a, b = b, a + b
       return terms
   print(fibonacci(10))

   What the interviewer checks: The interviewer checks whether you can use a loop, update values correctly, and handle small inputs.

   Other ways it was asked

   • “Write a Python program to display the Fibonacci series.”
   • “Write a Python program for the Fibonacci series.”
   • “Can you write Python code to generate the Fibonacci sequence?”

9. What is a tuple in Python?

   Asked in 4 of 281 interviews · last asked Sep 17 · Concept · Junior

   Show answer

   A tuple is an ordered, immutable sequence in Python. It can hold different types of values, but you cannot replace, add, or remove its items after creation. I use tuples to group related values that belong together, such as coordinates.

   • Tuples support indexing, slicing, and unpacking.
   • A one-item tuple needs a trailing comma, such as (5,).
   • Mutable objects inside a tuple, such as lists, can still change.
   • A tuple can be a dictionary key only if all its items are hashable.

   PythonCopy

   point = (3, 7)
   x, y = point
   print(point[0])  # 3
   single = (5,)  # A one-item tuple

   What the interviewer checks: The interviewer is checking whether you understand tuples, immutability, and when to use them instead of lists.

   Other ways it was asked

   • “What are tuples in Python, and when would you use them?”
   • “What is a tuple?”

10. How do you remove duplicate items from a list in Python?

    Asked in 4 of 281 interviews · last asked Sep 30 · Write code · Junior

    Show answer

    Use list(set(items)) if order does not matter and all items are hashable. Use list(dict.fromkeys(items)) to keep the first occurrence order in Python 3.7 and later; this also needs hashable items. With a loop, add each item to a new list only if it is not already there.

    • A set does not guarantee the original list order.
    • Dictionary keys preserve insertion order in Python 3.7 and later.
    • A loop with list membership checks also handles unhashable items, such as lists.
    • List membership checks can make the loop take quadratic time.

    PythonCopy

    items = [3, 1, 3, 2, 1]
    unique = []
    for item in items:
        if item not in unique:
            unique.append(item)
    print(unique)  # [3, 1, 2]

    What the interviewer checks: The interviewer checks whether you can remove duplicates while considering order, hashability, and speed.

    Other ways it was asked

    • “How would you remove duplicates from a Python list?”
    • “What are other ways to remove duplicate items from a list in Python besides using a set?”
    • “How would you implement duplicate removal from a list using a loop and a new list in Python?”

11. Write Python code to determine whether a number is even.

    Asked in 3 of 281 interviews · last asked Oct 17 · Write code · Junior

    Other ways it was asked

    • “Can you write a Python program to check whether a number is even or odd?”
    • “Write Python code to check whether a number is odd or even.”

12. Write a Python program to check whether a number is prime.

    Asked in 3 of 281 interviews · last asked Oct 17 · Write code · Junior

    Other ways it was asked

    • “Write Python code to determine whether a number is prime.”

13. Write Python code to count the frequency of each character in a user-provided name.

    Asked in 2 of 281 interviews · last asked Sep 18 · Write code · Junior

    Other ways it was asked

    • “Write a Python program to count the frequency of each character in a string.”

14. Can you write Python code to determine whether a sequence is a palindrome?

    Asked in 2 of 281 interviews · last asked Aug 22 · Write code · Junior

    Other ways it was asked

    • “Write a Python program to check whether a string is a palindrome.”

15. Can you implement the binary search algorithm in Python?

    Asked in 2 of 281 interviews · last asked Sep 14 · Write code · Junior

    Other ways it was asked

    • “Write Python code for binary search.”

16. What is a dictionary in Python?

    Asked in 2 of 281 interviews · last asked Sep 30 · Concept · Junior

17. What is the difference between a list and a dictionary?

    Asked in 2 of 281 interviews · last asked Sep 30 · Concept · Junior

    Other ways it was asked

    • “In Python, what’s the difference between a list and a dictionary?”

18. Can you write a Python program to demonstrate dynamic programming?

    Asked in 2 of 281 interviews · last asked Jul 17 · Write code · Mid-level

    Other ways it was asked

    • “Give an example code that demonstrates dynamic programming in Python.”

19. Are Python strings mutable or immutable?

    Asked in 2 of 281 interviews · last asked Aug 13 · Concept · Junior

    Other ways it was asked

    • “How can you modify a Python string if strings are immutable?”
    • “What does it mean that strings are immutable in Python?”

20. Write a Python program to swap two variables without using a third variable.

    Asked in 2 of 281 interviews · last asked Oct 12 · Write code · Junior

    Other ways it was asked

    • “Write Python code to swap two numbers without using a temporary variable.”

21. How do Python lists differ from arrays in whether they can hold values of different types?

    Asked once · last asked Mar 31 · Concept · Junior

    Other ways it was asked

    • “Why can Python lists contain values of different types?”

22. Why are immutable data types useful, and what advantages do they have over mutable types such as lists?

    Asked once · last asked Feb 23 · Concept · Junior

23. What are best practices for choosing between lists and tuples in Python? Give examples of when choosing one over the other can cause problems, including CPU performance.

    Asked once · last asked Feb 23 · Concept · Mid-level

24. Why can changes to one variable affect a list referenced by another variable in Python?

    Asked once · last asked Feb 24 · Concept · Junior

25. How can you create an independent copy of a list in Python?

    Asked once · last asked Feb 24 · Concept · Junior

26. Given a list of integers, how would you find the first non-repeating element in Python?

    Asked once · last asked Mar 19 · Write code · Mid-level

27. How does Python represent list elements internally to support values of different types?

    Asked once · last asked Mar 31 · Concept · Senior

28. What happens when a dictionary has duplicate keys?

    Asked once · last asked Apr 9 · Concept · Junior

29. Write Python code to extract every string from a tuple, count the occurrences of each character, and return a dictionary with each character as a key and its count as the value.

    Asked once · last asked Apr 22 · Write code · Junior

30. How does Python's list.index() method behave when the requested value is present or absent?

    Asked once · last asked May 7 · Concept · Junior

31. How does the mutability difference between lists and tuples affect whether they can be used as dictionary keys or set elements?

    Asked once · last asked May 24 · Concept · Mid-level

32. How does iterating over a set compare with iterating over a list in Python in terms of performance?

    Asked once · last asked Jun 17 · Concept · Junior

    Other ways it was asked

    • “Why is iterating over a set faster than iterating over a list in Python?”

33. Write a Python function that takes a list of transaction dictionaries containing a user ID, account type, category, and amount, and returns totals grouped by a selected key, such as user, account, or category.

    Asked once · last asked Jun 24 · Write code · Mid-level

34. Write a Python function that takes a list of integers and a target sum, and returns all unique pairs that add up to the target without using external libraries, efficiently for large lists.

    Asked once · last asked Jul 16 · Write code · Mid-level

35. What happens when Python code attempts to concatenate a `bytes` object and a `str`?

    Asked once · last asked Jul 15 · Concept · Junior

36. Write a Python code example demonstrating a divide-and-conquer algorithm.

    Asked once · last asked Jul 17 · Write code · Junior

    Other ways it was asked

    • “Write a Python code example demonstrating the divide-and-conquer algorithm.”

37. Write a Python function that flattens a nested dictionary into a flat format using dot-separated keys.

    Asked once · last asked Jul 24 · Write code · Mid-level

38. How would you implement nested dictionary flattening iteratively, without recursion?

    Asked once · last asked Jul 24 · Write code · Mid-level

39. Can you create a Python program that has 15 randomly generated names and prints them to the screen?

    Asked once · last asked Aug 12 · Write code · Junior

40. Create a Python program that takes in 15 random numbers, sorts them, and prints them.

    Asked once · last asked Aug 12 · Write code · Junior

41. Write Python code that takes random names, stores them in a list, and prints the list.

    Asked once · last asked Aug 12 · Write code · Junior

42. In a Python service, when would you choose a list, set, dict, or collections.deque for a hot path, and what time-complexity trade-offs are you optimizing for?

    Asked once · last asked Aug 13 · Concept · Mid-level

43. How would you implement an LRU cache in Python with O(1) average-time get and put operations, and what invariants would you maintain?

    Asked once · last asked Aug 13 · Write code · Senior

44. Implement a Python exception tracker that processes exception events, fetches hub information, and handles ETA changes and hub delays.

    Asked once · last asked Aug 13 · Write code · Senior

45. In Python, what's the practical difference between a list, tuple, and set, and when would you choose each in everyday code?

    Asked once · last asked Aug 16 · Concept · Junior

46. In Python, when would you use a dict versus a list for a collection, and why might a dict feel faster for lookups?

    Asked once · last asked Aug 16 · Concept · Junior

47. In Python, how would you remove duplicates from a list while keeping the original order, and when would you accept losing order instead?

    Asked once · last asked Aug 16 · Write code · Junior

48. If you need to implement a LIFO undo feature in Python, which built-in structure would you use and what operations would you rely on?

    Asked once · last asked Aug 16 · Concept · Junior

49. Can you write a Python program to find the second largest element in an array?

    Asked once · last asked Aug 22 · Write code · Junior

    Other ways it was asked

    • “Find the second largest element in the array. Can you write a Python program?”

50. What is the average time complexity of looking up a key in a Python dict?

    Asked once · last asked Aug 25 · Concept · Junior

51. How does Python's dict use hashing to store and retrieve entries, and what constraints must keys satisfy?

    Asked once · last asked Aug 25 · Concept · Mid-level

52. Write a Python function that removes specified suffixes from a string and truncates the result to a maximum length.

    Asked once · last asked Aug 25 · Write code · Mid-level

53. How do mutability and immutability work under the hood in Python?

    Asked once · last asked Aug 25 · Concept · Senior

    Other ways it was asked

    • “How does mutability and immutability work under the hood in Python?”

54. Write `chunk_audio` to split a long audio array into overlapping chunks for model input, using `chunk_size` and `overlap`. Keep the final chunk even if shorter than `chunk_size`, without padding. Raise `ValueError` if `overlap` exceeds `chunk_size`.

    Asked once · last asked Aug 26 · Write code · Junior

    Other ways it was asked

    • “Write a function, `chunk_audio`, that splits a long audio array into overlapping chunks before they are fed into a model. The last chunk may be shorter than `chunk_size`; do not drop or pad it. Raise a `ValueError` if `overlap` is greater than `chunk_size`.”

55. How would you use itertools.groupby to merge consecutive speaker turns in a transcript?

    Asked once · last asked Aug 28 · Tooling · Mid-level

    Other ways it was asked

    • “How can Python's standard library simplify merging consecutive speaker turns in diarized transcript data?”
    • “What does itertools.groupby do, and how could you use it to merge consecutive speaker turns in diarized transcript data?”

56. What are the key differences between Python dictionaries, lists, and sets?

    Asked once · last asked Sep 9 · Concept · Junior

57. Why does `value[::-1]` reverse the string?

    Asked once · last asked Sep 14 · Concept · Junior

58. What is the time-complexity difference between appending an item to a list and concatenating two lists?

    Asked once · last asked Sep 15 · Concept · Mid-level

59. What are sets in Python, and when would you use them?

    Asked once · last asked Sep 16 · Concept · Junior

60. You are given a list of words. How would you implement a Python function that marks each word as long or short?

    Asked once · last asked Sep 17 · Write code · Junior

61. How would you write a Python function that takes a list of words and returns the count of long words?

    Asked once · last asked Sep 17 · Write code · Junior

62. What are the performance drawbacks of using a Python list to remove items from the front of a streaming-data queue and insert new items?

    Asked once · last asked Oct 6 · Concept · Junior

63. Can you solve this coding task: remove duplicate IDs from a list of dictionaries, keeping only the entry with the highest score?

    Asked once · last asked Oct 7 · Write code · Mid-level

64. What is the difference between a set and a dictionary in Python?

    Asked once · last asked Oct 14 · Concept · Junior

65. What is the Python syntax for converting a string to lowercase, and where would you use it in a palindrome-checking solution?

    Asked once · last asked Oct 22 · Write code · Junior

66. What Python string method returns a Boolean indicating whether a character is alphanumeric?

    Asked once · last asked Oct 22 · Concept · Junior

67. How could you use Python's `isalpha()` method to normalize a string for palindrome checking?

    Asked once · last asked Oct 22 · Write code · Junior

68. Why are tuples immutable, but you can still modify a list inside a tuple?

    Asked once · last asked Oct 22 · Concept · Junior

69. What are common list methods in Python?

    Asked once · last asked Jul 21 · Concept · Junior

70. How can you use a set to remove duplicate occurrences of the value 2 from a list?

    Asked once · last asked Aug 22 · Write code · Junior

    Other ways it was asked

    • “How can you remove duplicate occurrences of the value 2 from a list while preserving the original order, without using a set?”

71. When iterating backward through a string with Python `range()`, why might you use `-1` as the stop value?

    Asked once · last asked Aug 26 · Concept · Junior

    Other ways it was asked

    • “When iterating backward through a string with Python `range()`, why use `-1` rather than `len(s)` as the stop value?”

72. What is slicing in Python, and how is it used?

    Asked once · last asked Mar 9 · Concept · Junior

73. What is the difference between append and extend on a list?

    Asked once · last asked Mar 9 · Concept · Junior

74. What is a collection in Python?

    Asked once · last asked Apr 9 · Concept · Junior

75. How do you declare and initialize a string in Python?

    Asked once · last asked Apr 24 · Write code · Junior

76. If a string field has blank spaces at the beginning and end, what Python function can you use to remove them?

    Asked once · last asked Apr 24 · Concept · Junior

77. Given `list = ['a', 'b', 'c', 'd', 'e']`, what does `print(list[10:])` output?

    Asked once · last asked May 7 · Concept · Junior

    Other ways it was asked

    • “Given `list = ['a', 'b', 'c', 'd', 'e']`, what does `list[10:]` print?”

78. Given `L = ["red", "green"]` and `L1 = L + ["blue"]`, what will `print(L)` and `print(L1)` output?

    Asked once · last asked May 29 · Write code · Junior

79. What is a Python dictionary, and when would you use one?

    Asked once · last asked Jun 11 · Concept · Junior

80. Can a Python dictionary have duplicate keys?

    Asked once · last asked Jun 11 · Concept · Junior

81. Can you write and explain a basic Python implementation of string manipulation, using any example?

    Asked once · last asked Jul 16 · Write code · Junior

82. Can you explain the palindrome concept and the Fibonacci series in Python?

    Asked once · last asked Jul 16 · Concept · Junior

83. Explain LLMs and write a Python program demonstrating dynamic programming.

    Asked once · last asked Jul 17 · Write code · Junior

84. Which Python string method can you use to create a modified string?

    Asked once · last asked Jul 26 · Concept · Junior

85. In Python, does `dict.get()` return `None` when a key is missing, or does it raise an exception?

    Asked once · last asked Jul 27 · Concept · Junior

86. How can you find the ASCII value of a character in Python?

    Asked once · last asked Jul 29 · Concept · Junior

87. Can you use a list as a key in a dictionary?

    Asked once · last asked Jul 29 · Concept · Junior

88. Given a list of integers and a target value, can you write Python code to identify the integers that add up to the target?

    Asked once · last asked Aug 11 · Write code · Junior

89. Can you give a real-world Python example of when you would use a list or a dictionary?

    Asked once · last asked Aug 14 · Concept · Junior

90. How would you implement a linked list in Python, and what operations should it support?

    Asked once · last asked Aug 22 · Write code · Junior

91. Merge two dictionaries while preserving values for duplicate keys.

    Asked once · last asked Aug 25 · Write code · Junior

92. In Python, what does the string slice `[::-1]` return?

    Asked once · last asked Aug 26 · Concept · Junior

93. How does a Python `for` loop using `range()` iterate backward through a string?

    Asked once · last asked Aug 26 · Concept · Junior

94. How does Python string slicing with a step of -1 reverse a string?

    Asked once · last asked Aug 31 · Concept · Junior

95. How would you approach finding the second highest number from a list of integers in Python?

    Asked once · last asked Sep 1 · Write code · Junior

96. What does converting a list to a set with `numbers = set(numbers)` do in Python?

    Asked once · last asked Sep 3 · Concept · Junior

97. Can you write Python code to calculate the factorial of a number?

    Asked once · last asked Sep 8 · Write code · Junior

98. How would you implement the Fibonacci sequence in Python?

    Asked once · last asked Sep 9 · Write code · Junior

99. Reverse a string in Python without using any built-in reverse function.

    Asked once · last asked Sep 10 · Write code · Junior

    Other ways it was asked

    • “Reverse this string without using any built-in reverse function in Python.”

100. Explain lists, tuples, sets, and dictionaries.

     Asked once · last asked Sep 11 · Concept · Junior

101. Can you write a Python program to reverse a string?

     Asked once · last asked Sep 14 · Write code · Junior

     Other ways it was asked

     • “Can you write a Python program to reverse a string, using “Arjun” as the example?”

102. How can you sort a list in Python?

     Asked once · last asked Sep 18 · Write code · Junior

103. How can you get a list of unique elements from a list that contains duplicates in Python?

     Asked once · last asked Sep 18 · Write code · Junior

104. How would you concatenate two lists in Python?

     Asked once · last asked Sep 18 · Write code · Junior

105. Write Python code to reverse the order of words in “I love Python,” producing “Python love I.”

     Asked once · last asked Sep 22 · Write code · Junior

106. How would you reverse the string "cloud" in Python?

     Asked once · last asked Sep 30 · Write code · Junior

107. What is the difference between remove, pop, and del in Python?

     Asked once · last asked Sep 30 · Concept · Junior

108. Can you explain the difference between a Python list and a linked list?

     Asked once · last asked Oct 6 · Concept · Junior

109. How would you count the occurrences of each word in a sentence in Python without using the collections module?

     Asked once · last asked Oct 15 · Write code · Junior

     Other ways it was asked

     • “How would you count the occurrences of each word in a sentence without using a collections library?”

110. What is Python, and what is the difference between a list, tuple, set, and dictionary in Python?

     Asked once · last asked Oct 17 · Concept · Junior

111. Is the string data type mutable or immutable?

     Asked once · last asked Oct 22 · Concept · Junior

112. Which type of set is immutable in Python?

     Asked once · last asked Oct 22 · Concept · Junior

113. What is a string in Python?

     Asked once · last asked Jan 7 · Concept · Junior

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How this list is made

Every question here was asked by a real interviewer in a real job interview that a candidate ran MeetAssist in. After the call, the interviewer's questions are pulled from the transcript. Practice sessions, tests, exams and anything that was not a job interview are dropped.

Questions are rewritten so they make sense on their own: names of people, employers and clients are removed, and speech-to-text mistakes are fixed. Small talk, logistics and questions about one candidate's own résumé are left out. Rephrasings of the same question are merged, and the count is the number of different interviews it came up in.

The interviews come from candidates who use MeetAssist, so they lean towards software, data and AI roles: the shares describe these interviews, not every Python interview. Answers to the most asked questions are written and checked by an editor; a "common mistake" is shown only when reviews of real answers in these interviews show it, with the count.

281 interviews, 199 candidates, Nov 2025 to Oct 2026. Updated every month with new interviews.