🐍 Python Interview Questions and Answers for Freshers (2025 Edition)

Python has become one of the most popular programming languages in the world. Whether you are applying for your first job or preparing for an internship, knowing Python interview questions can help you stand out. In this article, we’ll go through commonly asked Python interview questions and answers for freshers in simple words.

1. What is Python?

Answer:
Python is a high-level, interpreted programming language known for its simplicity and readability. It is widely used in web development, data analysis, artificial intelligence, and automation. Python’s syntax is like plain English, which makes it easy for beginners to learn.

Example:

print("Hello, World!")

2. What are the main features of Python?

Answer: Here are some key features of Python:

Easy to learn: Simple and readable syntax.
Interpreted language: No need for compilation; code runs directly.
Portable: Runs on multiple platforms like Windows, Linux, and macOS.
Object-Oriented: Supports classes and objects.
Extensive libraries: Has thousands of built-in modules.

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

Answer:

List: Mutable (can be changed), created using square brackets [].
Tuple: Immutable (cannot be changed), created using parentheses ().

Example:

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

You can add or remove items from a list but not from a tuple.

4. What are Python data types?

Answer:
Python has several built-in data types:

int – integers (e.g., 5, -10)
float – decimal numbers (e.g., 3.14)
str – strings (e.g., “Hello”)
bool – True or False
list – [1, 2, 3]
tuple – (1, 2, 3)
set – {1, 2, 3}
dict – {'name': 'John', 'age': 25}

5. What is the difference between Python 2 and Python 3?

Answer:

Python 3 is the latest version and is more powerful and secure.
Print statement: Python 2 → print "Hello" | Python 3 → print("Hello")
Division: Python 2 does integer division by default; Python 3 returns float results.
Python 2 is no longer supported.

6. What is indentation in Python?

Answer:
Indentation refers to spaces at the beginning of a line. In Python, indentation is used to define blocks of code.
If you miss indentation, Python will show an IndentationError.

Example:

if True:
    print("Indented properly")

7. What are variables in Python?

Answer:
Variables are names used to store data values. You don’t need to declare their type — Python automatically detects it.

Example:

name = "Moutusi"
age = 22

8. What is a function in Python?

Answer:
A function is a block of reusable code that performs a specific task.
Functions are defined using the keyword def.

Example:

def greet():
    print("Hello, welcome to Python!")

greet()

9. What is the difference between local and global variables?

Answer:

Local variable: Declared inside a function, used only within that function.
Global variable: Declared outside all functions and can be used anywhere in the program.

Example:

x = 10  # global variable

def show():
    y = 5  # local variable
    print(y)

show()
print(x)

10. What are loops in Python?

Answer:
Loops are used to execute a block of code repeatedly.

For loop: Used to iterate through a sequence.
While loop: Runs while a condition is true.

Example:

for i in range(3):
    print("Hello")

count = 0
while count < 3:
    print("Hi")
    count += 1

11. What are conditional statements in Python?

Answer:
Conditional statements are used to make decisions in code using if, elif, and else.

Example:

age = 18
if age >= 18:
    print("Eligible to vote")
else:
    print("Not eligible")

12. What are Python modules and packages?

Answer:

Module: A Python file (.py) that contains code you can reuse.
Package: A collection of modules.

Example:

import math
print(math.sqrt(16))

13. What is the difference between `==` and `is` in Python?

Answer:

== checks if the values are equal.
is checks if both variables point to the same memory location.

Example:

a = [1, 2]
b = [1, 2]
print(a == b)  # True
print(a is b)  # False

14. What are Python decorators?

Answer:
Decorators are used to modify the behavior of a function without changing its code.
They are written using the @ symbol.

Example:

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

@decorator
def greet():
    print("Hello")

greet()

15. What are lambda functions?

Answer:
Lambda functions are small, anonymous functions written in one line using the keyword lambda.

Example:

add = lambda a, b: a + b
print(add(3, 5))

16. What is the difference between shallow copy and deep copy?

Answer:

Shallow copy: Copies only references, not objects.
Deep copy: Creates a new copy of objects.

Example:

import copy
a = [1, [2, 3]]
b = copy.copy(a)
c = copy.deepcopy(a)

17. What is Python’s `init()` method?

Answer:
The __init__() method is a special method in classes. It is called automatically when an object is created.

Example:

class Student:
    def __init__(self, name):
        self.name = name

s = Student("John")
print(s.name)

18. What is inheritance in Python?

Answer:
Inheritance allows one class to use properties and methods of another class.

Example:

class Parent:
    def show(self):
        print("Parent class")

class Child(Parent):
    def display(self):
        print("Child class")

obj = Child()
obj.show()
obj.display()

19. What is exception handling in Python?

Answer:
Exception handling is used to handle runtime errors using try, except, and finally blocks.

Example:

try:
    a = 10 / 0
except ZeroDivisionError:
    print("Cannot divide by zero")
finally:
    print("Execution complete")

20. What is the difference between `append()` and `extend()` in lists?

Answer:

append() adds a single element to the list.
extend() adds multiple elements (like another list).

Example:

a = [1, 2]
a.append(3)
a.extend([4, 5])
print(a)

21. What is a dictionary in Python?

Answer:
A dictionary is a collection of key-value pairs. Each key must be unique.

Example:

student = {"name": "John", "age": 22}
print(student["name"])

22. What is PEP 8?

Answer:
PEP 8 is a style guide that defines how Python code should be formatted — for example, using 4 spaces for indentation, and meaningful variable names.

23. What is slicing in Python?

Answer:
Slicing is used to extract a part of a string, list, or tuple.

Example:

text = "Python"
print(text[0:4])  # Output: Pyth

24. What are Python libraries?

Answer:
Libraries are collections of pre-written code that help perform tasks easily.
Some popular libraries are:

NumPy – for numerical calculations
Pandas – for data analysis
Matplotlib – for data visualization
Django / Flask – for web development

25. Why is Python so popular?

Answer:
Python is popular because:

It’s beginner-friendly
Has a huge community
Offers tons of libraries
Works for almost every domain (AI, ML, web, data science)

✅ Conclusion

Python is a beginner-friendly yet powerful language used everywhere — from simple scripts to complex AI models. Preparing for interviews doesn’t mean memorizing answers; it’s about understanding the logic. Practice coding daily and keep improving your basics.