Senior Python Developer

Senior Python Developer Interview Questions

A Python Web Developer writes server-side web application logic using either Python 2 and Python 3 languages. A solid Python developer can easily adapt to the differences between the two. 

Your top Senior Python Developer has ample experience developing back-end components, connecting the application to other third-party web services and supporting the front-end developers by integrating their work with the Python application.

Keep an eye out for candidates who have:

• Excellent communication skills
• A team-playing attitude
• The drive to constantly learn 
• An understanding of basic algorithmic concepts
• A wide understanding of databases
  

Though a degree seems attractive, this position is more about how voracious a learner your Python Developer is. 

Your best candidates will participate in hackathons, be active in tech forums and have a strong interest in learning the latest technologies. 

Top tip: Hire candidates willing to grow by making sure their personal career goals align with your company's mission.

Role-specific interview questions

• Describe the tools and processes you use for linting, debugging and profiling.
• Explain whether arguments in Python get passed by reference or by value.
• Explain how memory is managed in Python.
• Are functions considered first-class objects in Python? If so, explain why. 
• Describe what makes a good unit test. What makes a functional one?
• What are the core principles of a REST API and RPC?
• Does Python use real threads if it uses a Global Interpreter Lock?
• Give an example of a filter and reduce over an iterable object.
• Define list and dict comprehensions.
• Explain in simple terms Lambda expression forms a closure?
• What are the key differences between Python 2.x and 3.x?
• Can you have a producer thread reading from the network and a consumer thread writing to a file, really work in parallel? What about the GIL?
• Implement a binary search of a sorted array of integers Using pseudo-code.