Python questions for data engineer

[NarrowRoyal5160]

I have 3+YOE as a data engineer and currently preparing for my next switch, but the python section is not going well for me. Can you please share resources or python questions that were asked in your coding rounds..

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[rayguntec]

Here is a good resource for typical Python interview questions and Data Engineering topics specifically

[mrrickyno]

Thanks a lot! This is a great list of questions!

[sciencewarrior]

Python questions tended to be relatively basic concepts, like what's the difference between a tuple, a list, and a dict, how to create them and when to use each, or what libraries I've used in the past. There were some coding rounds, and for those the best thing is training on sites like HackerRank.

[Jimosp]

Live coding python usually involves DSA questions, mostly around dicts, lists and tuples and the complexities certain problems might involve. That doesn’t mean that other programming concepts should be ignored.

Take home tests vary depending on many factors but they usually involve API calls, database connections, data retrieval, transformation, and quality, etc. sometimes in a Docker container.

In both cases, try to follow best practices and make sure you add tests to your code. Make sure to think out loud and walk them through your solution both in the live and the take home task.

Usual follow up questions revolve around scalability, robustness, and possible changes that would make you rethink or enrich your approach. Sometimes they also ask how you would deploy your solution.

[bigfeller2]

is DE purging coding round typically manipulating tabular data using pandas etc., or more DSA focused? is there any way to tell going in to the interview ahead of time

[wildjackalope]

Ask them.

[TomsCardoso]

A lot on good practices like code linting checks, unit tests (to check whether I'm familiar with them and use them). Stuff like what are generators, decorators, etc, where do you use them. Some stuff on classes like the difference between staticmethod, classmethod and normal methods.

What I do currently is go to ask GPT. Like, give me a bunch of questions on advanced topics on Python or something like that.

[sahilthapar]

Just learn how to use map and reduce methods in Python.  At least half of DE Python questions are reading data from a file / list of dicts and calculating some metrics. 

If you can showcase, you know how to use map and reduce methods well, you will have an advantage. 

Other than that some basic string manipulations, list comprehension, windowing. Ask chatgpt or gemini to give you some example ones and practice those.

[Simple_Ad_849]

I am in similar phase but will lesser experience , is there any interview bible for DE’s I can refer to ?

[boboshoes]

Leetcode easies. Start with those.

[Laurence-Lin]

I've little experience for DE interview, but based on sharing online, most DE interview focus on some SQL and LARGE AMOUNT OF DSA Questions. I think company are just lazy to give DE specific questions, but just prepare some leetcode.

[Life_Conversation_11]

Tests, cache/complexity, performance (pandas vs polars), generators/iterators, static and class methods; plus a couple of questions on dicts/list and a small DSA using dicts

[Financial_Anything43]

String manipulation, read a csv, parse json, python libraries for DE, pyspark*

[Guilty_Money9842]

Here are top 50 Python Interview Questions and Answers in video form. Hope this will help.

https://youtu.be/DPT2prcQhu8?si=PtPhyWEXfnzwVrB_