Python
A general-purpose programming language dominant in data science, machine learning, and backend web development.
Python is the most versatile programming language in the current job market — used for backend web development (Django, FastAPI, Flask), data engineering, machine learning, automation, and scripting. It's the primary language for AI and ML work, making Python skills increasingly valuable across industries that are investing in data capabilities.
Typical time to job-readiness: ~4 months.
Learning Python
Beginner
Learn Python syntax, core data structures (lists, dicts, sets), functions, file I/O, and error handling. Build basic scripts and CLI tools before touching any web framework.
Intermediate
Object-oriented Python, virtual environments, working with APIs (requests library), and basic testing with pytest. Choose a web framework: FastAPI for APIs, Django for full-featured apps.
Advanced
Async Python (asyncio), packaging, performance profiling, and advanced patterns. ML and data roles add NumPy, Pandas, and scikit-learn fluency on top.
Key concepts
- Python's dynamic typing and duck typing philosophy
- Core data structures: lists, dicts, sets, and tuples
- List comprehensions, generators, and iterators for memory-efficient code
- Decorators — functions that wrap other functions
- Virtual environments and dependency management with pip/poetry
- The GIL (Global Interpreter Lock) and how it affects concurrency
Common interview topics
- Explain the difference between a list and a tuple in Python
- What is a decorator and write a simple example
- How does Python handle memory management and garbage collection
- Explain the GIL and how it impacts multi-threaded Python code
- What are generators and how do they differ from regular functions
- Explain *args and **kwargs with examples