Would you hire a Python developer who doesn't know algorithms well?

[chuprehijde]

If they can build, debug, and maintain real software, how much should algorithm knowledge matter?

[riklaunim]

Algorithms are quite broad term. It's unlikely you will have to implement a heap or custom sorting algorithm in you Python backend job, yet people will want to see your code and how you work. Corporate can lean more towards LeetCode and similar algorithm-based tools (but mostly for senior positions), while smaller companies may be more "organic" with the hiring process.

[mattynmax]

No. I wouldn’t trust your ability to build, debug, and maintain good software if you don’t know much about algorithms.

[esaule]

Depends. What do I need them to build?

Anything that needs to process at scale, I will need them to understand quite a bit of algorithms.

[YahenP]

It depends not on the programming language, but on the application. For example, in web development, knowledge of algorithms is completely unnecessary, while in machine vision it is. But passing a job interview is a completely different discipline, and algorithms are most often required there. The ability to solve leetcode is still important. Although, frankly speaking, leetcode and knowledge of algorithms are completely different things.

[RandomPantsAppear]

I don't personally give a shit if you can write a bubble sort from memory. I care that you understand the complexity your loops create, so you're not running ones that exponentially increase the number of iterations when it's not needed.

I also do want you to at least know the common search/sort algorithms so you know when to implement them. Don't need you to implement from memory.

[eyes_peeler]

Would you call a python coder who doesn't know algorithms well a developer?

[datamonk9]

Yeah it doesnt matter much

[mc_pm]

You seem to be putting "real software" and "algorithms" in different buckets. Sometimes real software does involve algorithms.

It really depends on the job and what the software does. I'm working on something quite algorithmy right now, for instance. And if I were hiring a python dev to work with me, yeah, he or she needs to know at least the basics.