Why you should use Python & Linux Online Test?

The Python & Linux Test makes use of scenario-based questions to test for on-the-job skills as opposed to theoretical knowledge, ensuring that candidates who do well on this screening test have the relavant skills. The questions are designed to covered following on-the-job aspects: Python Basics including syntax and data types Python OOPs concepts such as classes, objects, and inheritance Python Data Structures like lists, dictionaries, and tuples Linux Fundamentals covering commands, file systems, and user management Shell Scripting for automation and task execution Coding skills to solve algorithmic problems Working with Python modules and libraries Understanding and utilizing Python exceptions and errors String manipulation in Python Basic knowledge of regular expressions

Python & Linux Online Test

Q: What topics are covered in the Python & Linux Online Test?

Python Basics Python OOPs Python Data Structures Linux Fundamentals Shell Scripting Coding

About the test:

The Python Linux Online Test uses scenario-based MCQs to evaluate candidates on their proficiency in working with both Python and Linux, two widely used technologies in software development and IT operations. The test assesses candidates' ability to write Python code, use Python libraries and frameworks, and work with Linux operating systems, commands, and tools.

Covered skills:

Python Basics
Python Data Structures
Shell Scripting

Python OOPs
Linux Fundamentals
Coding

Preview this test

View sample scorecard

9 reasons why

Adaface Python & Linux Test is the most accurate way to shortlist Python Developers

Reason #1

Tests for on-the-job skills

The Python & Linux Online Test helps recruiters and hiring managers identify qualified candidates from a pool of resumes, and helps in taking objective hiring decisions. It reduces the administrative overhead of interviewing too many candidates and saves time by filtering out unqualified candidates at the first step of the hiring process.

The test screens for the following skills that hiring managers look for in candidates:

Understanding and implementing Python basics
Implementing object-oriented programming concepts in Python
Working with various data structures in Python
Demonstrating knowledge of Linux fundamentals
Writing shell scripts in Linux
Solving coding problems
Efficiently handling exceptions and errors in Python

Reason #2

No trick questions

Traditional assessment tools use trick questions and puzzles for the screening, which creates a lot of frustration among candidates about having to go through irrelevant screening assessments.

View sample questions

The main reason we started Adaface is that traditional pre-employment assessment platforms are not a fair way for companies to evaluate candidates. At Adaface, our mission is to help companies find great candidates by assessing on-the-job skills required for a role.

Why we started Adaface

Preview this test

View sample scorecard

Reason #3

Non-googleable questions

We have a very high focus on the quality of questions that test for on-the-job skills. Every question is non-googleable and we have a very high bar for the level of subject matter experts we onboard to create these questions. We have crawlers to check if any of the questions are leaked online. If/ when a question gets leaked, we get an alert. We change the question for you & let you know.

How we design questions

These are just a small sample from our library of 10,000+ questions. The actual questions on this Python & Linux Test will be non-googleable.

🧐 Question
Medium ZeroDivisionError and IndexError Exceptions	Solve
What will the following Python code output?
Medium Session File Handling Dictionary	Solve
The function high_sess should compute the highest number of events per session of each user in the database by reading a comma-separated value input file of session data. The result should be returned from the function as a dictionary. The first column of each line in the input file is expected to contain the user’s name represented as a string. The second column is expected to contain an integer representing the events in a session. Here is an example input file: Tony,10 Stark,12 Black,25 Your program should ignore a non-conforming line like this one. Stark,3 Widow,6 Widow,14 The resulting return value for this file should be the following dictionary: { 'Stark':12, 'Black':25, 'Tony':10, 'Widow':14 } What should replace the CODE TO FILL line to complete the function?
Medium Max Code Arrays	Solve
Below are code lines to create a Python function. Ignoring indentation, what lines should be used and in what order for the following function to be complete:
Medium Recursive Function Recursion Dictionary Lists	Solve
Consider the following Python code: In the above code, recursive_search is a function that takes a dictionary (data) and a target key (target) as arguments. It searches for the target key within the dictionary, which could potentially have nested dictionaries and lists as values, and returns the value associated with the target key. If the target key is not found, it returns None. nested_dict is a dictionary that contains multiple levels of nested dictionaries and lists. The recursive_search function is then called with nested_dict as the data and 'target_key' as the target. What will the output be after executing the above code?
Medium Stacking problem Stack Linkedlist	Solve
What does the below function ‘fun’ does? A: Sum of digits of the number passed to fun. B: Number of digits of the number passed to fun. C: 0 if the number passed to fun is divisible by 10. 1 otherwise. D: Sum of all digits number passed to fun except for the last digit.
Medium Debugging Issues Environment Variables Debugging	Solve
You are working on a Linux system and have recently installed a new program named myprogram. The executable is located in /opt/myprogram/bin/. You want to be able to run this program from any directory in your shell without specifying the full path. You executed the following command: export PATH="/opt/myprogram/bin" However, when you try to run the program using myprogram, you get the following error message: -bash: myprogram: command not found Which of the following commands can fix this issue and allow you to run the program? A: export PATH=$PATH:/opt/myprogram/bin/ B: export PATH="/opt/myprogram:$PATH" C: export PATH="/opt/myprogram/bin:$PATH" D: ln -s /opt/myprogram/bin/myprogram /usr/local/bin/myprogram
Easy File Structure and Navigation Files Basic Commands	Solve
Consider the following directory structure: You start at /home/user and execute the following commands: What will be the resulting directory structure?
Medium Fork mellow yellow	Solve
How many times will the following code will print "Mellow Yellow"?
Medium Remote server connection SSH	Solve
Our software engineering intern, Wu is looking to use port 4545 on localhost to connect to a remote server called woot.bananas.com on port 80. Which command would you recommend for this?
Easy Registration Queue Logic Queues	Solve
We want to register students for the next semester. All students have a receipt which shows the amount pending for the previous semester. A positive amount (or zero) represents that the student has paid extra fees, and a negative amount represents that they have pending fees to be paid. The students are in a queue for the registration. We want to arrange the students in a way such that the students who have a positive amount on the receipt get registered first as compared to the students who have a negative amount. We are given a queue in the form of an array containing the pending amount. For example, if the initial queue is [20, 70, -40, 30, -10], then the final queue will be [20, 70, 30, -40, -10]. Note that the sequence of students should not be changed while arranging them unless required to meet the condition. ⚠️⚠️⚠️ Note: - The first line of the input is the length of the array. The second line contains all the elements of the array. - The input is already parsed into an array of "strings" and passed to a function. You will need to convert string to integer/number type inside the function. - You need to "print" the final result (not return it) to pass the test cases. For the example discussed above, the input will be: 5 20 70 -40 30 -10 Your code needs to print the following to the standard output: 20 70 30 -40 -10
Medium Visitors Count Strings Logic	Solve
A manager hires a staff member to keep a record of the number of men, women, and children visiting the museum daily. The staff will note W if any women visit, M for men, and C for children. You need to write code that takes the string that represents the visits and prints the count of men, woman and children. The sequencing should be in decreasing order. Example: Input: WWMMWWCCC Expected Output: 4W3C2M Explanation: ‘W’ has the highest count, then ‘C’, then ‘M’. ⚠️⚠️⚠️ Note: - The input is already parsed and passed to a function. - You need to "print" the final result (not return it) to pass the test cases. - If the input is- “MMW”, then the expected output is "2M1W" since there is no ‘C’. - If any of them have the same count, the output should follow this order - M, W, C.

	🧐 Question	🔧 Skill
	Medium ZeroDivisionError and IndexError Exceptions	2 mins Python	Solve
What will the following Python code output?
	Medium Session File Handling Dictionary	2 mins Python	Solve
The function high_sess should compute the highest number of events per session of each user in the database by reading a comma-separated value input file of session data. The result should be returned from the function as a dictionary. The first column of each line in the input file is expected to contain the user’s name represented as a string. The second column is expected to contain an integer representing the events in a session. Here is an example input file: Tony,10 Stark,12 Black,25 Your program should ignore a non-conforming line like this one. Stark,3 Widow,6 Widow,14 The resulting return value for this file should be the following dictionary: { 'Stark':12, 'Black':25, 'Tony':10, 'Widow':14 } What should replace the CODE TO FILL line to complete the function?
	Medium Max Code Arrays	2 mins Python	Solve
Below are code lines to create a Python function. Ignoring indentation, what lines should be used and in what order for the following function to be complete:
	Medium Recursive Function Recursion Dictionary Lists	3 mins Python	Solve
Consider the following Python code: In the above code, recursive_search is a function that takes a dictionary (data) and a target key (target) as arguments. It searches for the target key within the dictionary, which could potentially have nested dictionaries and lists as values, and returns the value associated with the target key. If the target key is not found, it returns None. nested_dict is a dictionary that contains multiple levels of nested dictionaries and lists. The recursive_search function is then called with nested_dict as the data and 'target_key' as the target. What will the output be after executing the above code?
	Medium Stacking problem Stack Linkedlist	4 mins Python	Solve
What does the below function ‘fun’ does? A: Sum of digits of the number passed to fun. B: Number of digits of the number passed to fun. C: 0 if the number passed to fun is divisible by 10. 1 otherwise. D: Sum of all digits number passed to fun except for the last digit.
	Medium Debugging Issues Environment Variables Debugging	2 mins Linux	Solve
You are working on a Linux system and have recently installed a new program named myprogram. The executable is located in /opt/myprogram/bin/. You want to be able to run this program from any directory in your shell without specifying the full path. You executed the following command: export PATH="/opt/myprogram/bin" However, when you try to run the program using myprogram, you get the following error message: -bash: myprogram: command not found Which of the following commands can fix this issue and allow you to run the program? A: export PATH=$PATH:/opt/myprogram/bin/ B: export PATH="/opt/myprogram:$PATH" C: export PATH="/opt/myprogram/bin:$PATH" D: ln -s /opt/myprogram/bin/myprogram /usr/local/bin/myprogram
	Easy File Structure and Navigation Files Basic Commands	2 mins Linux	Solve
Consider the following directory structure: You start at /home/user and execute the following commands: What will be the resulting directory structure?
	Medium Fork mellow yellow	2 mins Linux	Solve
How many times will the following code will print "Mellow Yellow"?
	Medium Remote server connection SSH	2 mins Linux	Solve
Our software engineering intern, Wu is looking to use port 4545 on localhost to connect to a remote server called woot.bananas.com on port 80. Which command would you recommend for this?
	Easy Registration Queue Logic Queues	30 mins Coding	Solve
We want to register students for the next semester. All students have a receipt which shows the amount pending for the previous semester. A positive amount (or zero) represents that the student has paid extra fees, and a negative amount represents that they have pending fees to be paid. The students are in a queue for the registration. We want to arrange the students in a way such that the students who have a positive amount on the receipt get registered first as compared to the students who have a negative amount. We are given a queue in the form of an array containing the pending amount. For example, if the initial queue is [20, 70, -40, 30, -10], then the final queue will be [20, 70, 30, -40, -10]. Note that the sequence of students should not be changed while arranging them unless required to meet the condition. ⚠️⚠️⚠️ Note: - The first line of the input is the length of the array. The second line contains all the elements of the array. - The input is already parsed into an array of "strings" and passed to a function. You will need to convert string to integer/number type inside the function. - You need to "print" the final result (not return it) to pass the test cases. For the example discussed above, the input will be: 5 20 70 -40 30 -10 Your code needs to print the following to the standard output: 20 70 30 -40 -10
	Medium Visitors Count Strings Logic	30 mins Coding	Solve
A manager hires a staff member to keep a record of the number of men, women, and children visiting the museum daily. The staff will note W if any women visit, M for men, and C for children. You need to write code that takes the string that represents the visits and prints the count of men, woman and children. The sequencing should be in decreasing order. Example: Input: WWMMWWCCC Expected Output: 4W3C2M Explanation: ‘W’ has the highest count, then ‘C’, then ‘M’. ⚠️⚠️⚠️ Note: - The input is already parsed and passed to a function. - You need to "print" the final result (not return it) to pass the test cases. - If the input is- “MMW”, then the expected output is "2M1W" since there is no ‘C’. - If any of them have the same count, the output should follow this order - M, W, C.

	🧐 Question	🔧 Skill	💪 Difficulty	⌛ Time
	ZeroDivisionError and IndexError Exceptions	Python	Medium	2 mins	Solve
What will the following Python code output?
	Session File Handling Dictionary	Python	Medium	2 mins	Solve
The function high_sess should compute the highest number of events per session of each user in the database by reading a comma-separated value input file of session data. The result should be returned from the function as a dictionary. The first column of each line in the input file is expected to contain the user’s name represented as a string. The second column is expected to contain an integer representing the events in a session. Here is an example input file: Tony,10 Stark,12 Black,25 Your program should ignore a non-conforming line like this one. Stark,3 Widow,6 Widow,14 The resulting return value for this file should be the following dictionary: { 'Stark':12, 'Black':25, 'Tony':10, 'Widow':14 } What should replace the CODE TO FILL line to complete the function?
	Max Code Arrays	Python	Medium	2 mins	Solve
Below are code lines to create a Python function. Ignoring indentation, what lines should be used and in what order for the following function to be complete:
	Recursive Function Recursion Dictionary Lists	Python	Medium	3 mins	Solve
Consider the following Python code: In the above code, recursive_search is a function that takes a dictionary (data) and a target key (target) as arguments. It searches for the target key within the dictionary, which could potentially have nested dictionaries and lists as values, and returns the value associated with the target key. If the target key is not found, it returns None. nested_dict is a dictionary that contains multiple levels of nested dictionaries and lists. The recursive_search function is then called with nested_dict as the data and 'target_key' as the target. What will the output be after executing the above code?
	Stacking problem Stack Linkedlist	Python	Medium	4 mins	Solve
What does the below function ‘fun’ does? A: Sum of digits of the number passed to fun. B: Number of digits of the number passed to fun. C: 0 if the number passed to fun is divisible by 10. 1 otherwise. D: Sum of all digits number passed to fun except for the last digit.
	Debugging Issues Environment Variables Debugging	Linux	Medium	2 mins	Solve
You are working on a Linux system and have recently installed a new program named myprogram. The executable is located in /opt/myprogram/bin/. You want to be able to run this program from any directory in your shell without specifying the full path. You executed the following command: export PATH="/opt/myprogram/bin" However, when you try to run the program using myprogram, you get the following error message: -bash: myprogram: command not found Which of the following commands can fix this issue and allow you to run the program? A: export PATH=$PATH:/opt/myprogram/bin/ B: export PATH="/opt/myprogram:$PATH" C: export PATH="/opt/myprogram/bin:$PATH" D: ln -s /opt/myprogram/bin/myprogram /usr/local/bin/myprogram
	File Structure and Navigation Files Basic Commands	Linux	Easy	2 mins	Solve
Consider the following directory structure: You start at /home/user and execute the following commands: What will be the resulting directory structure?
	Fork mellow yellow	Linux	Medium	2 mins	Solve
How many times will the following code will print "Mellow Yellow"?
	Remote server connection SSH	Linux	Medium	2 mins	Solve
Our software engineering intern, Wu is looking to use port 4545 on localhost to connect to a remote server called woot.bananas.com on port 80. Which command would you recommend for this?
	Registration Queue Logic Queues	Coding	Easy	30 mins	Solve
We want to register students for the next semester. All students have a receipt which shows the amount pending for the previous semester. A positive amount (or zero) represents that the student has paid extra fees, and a negative amount represents that they have pending fees to be paid. The students are in a queue for the registration. We want to arrange the students in a way such that the students who have a positive amount on the receipt get registered first as compared to the students who have a negative amount. We are given a queue in the form of an array containing the pending amount. For example, if the initial queue is [20, 70, -40, 30, -10], then the final queue will be [20, 70, 30, -40, -10]. Note that the sequence of students should not be changed while arranging them unless required to meet the condition. ⚠️⚠️⚠️ Note: - The first line of the input is the length of the array. The second line contains all the elements of the array. - The input is already parsed into an array of "strings" and passed to a function. You will need to convert string to integer/number type inside the function. - You need to "print" the final result (not return it) to pass the test cases. For the example discussed above, the input will be: 5 20 70 -40 30 -10 Your code needs to print the following to the standard output: 20 70 30 -40 -10
	Visitors Count Strings Logic	Coding	Medium	30 mins	Solve
A manager hires a staff member to keep a record of the number of men, women, and children visiting the museum daily. The staff will note W if any women visit, M for men, and C for children. You need to write code that takes the string that represents the visits and prints the count of men, woman and children. The sequencing should be in decreasing order. Example: Input: WWMMWWCCC Expected Output: 4W3C2M Explanation: ‘W’ has the highest count, then ‘C’, then ‘M’. ⚠️⚠️⚠️ Note: - The input is already parsed and passed to a function. - You need to "print" the final result (not return it) to pass the test cases. - If the input is- “MMW”, then the expected output is "2M1W" since there is no ‘C’. - If any of them have the same count, the output should follow this order - M, W, C.

Reason #4

1200+ customers in 75 countries

With Adaface, we were able to optimise our initial screening process by upwards of 75%, freeing up precious time for both hiring managers and our talent acquisition team alike!

Brandon Lee, Head of People, Love, Bonito

Preview this test

View sample scorecard

Reason #5

Designed for elimination, not selection

The most important thing while implementing the pre-employment Python & Linux Test in your hiring process is that it is an elimination tool, not a selection tool. In other words: you want to use the test to eliminate the candidates who do poorly on the test, not to select the candidates who come out at the top. While they are super valuable, pre-employment tests do not paint the entire picture of a candidate’s abilities, knowledge, and motivations. Multiple easy questions are more predictive of a candidate's ability than fewer hard questions. Harder questions are often "trick" based questions, which do not provide any meaningful signal about the candidate's skillset.

Science behind Adaface tests

Reason #6

1 click candidate invites

Email invites: You can send candidates an email invite to the Python & Linux Test from your dashboard by entering their email address.

Public link: You can create a public link for each test that you can share with candidates.

API or integrations: You can invite candidates directly from your ATS by using our pre-built integrations with popular ATS systems or building a custom integration with your in-house ATS.

Reason #7

Detailed scorecards & benchmarks

View sample scorecard

Preview this test

View sample scorecard

Reason #8

High completion rate

Adaface tests are conversational, low-stress, and take just 25-40 mins to complete.

This is why Adaface has the highest test-completion rate (86%), which is more than 2x better than traditional assessments.

Reason #9

Advanced Proctoring

Learn more

Preview this test

View sample scorecard

About the Python & Linux Assessment Test

Why you should use Pre-employment Python & Linux Online Test?

The Python & Linux Test makes use of scenario-based questions to test for on-the-job skills as opposed to theoretical knowledge, ensuring that candidates who do well on this screening test have the relavant skills. The questions are designed to covered following on-the-job aspects:

Python Basics including syntax and data types
Python OOPs concepts such as classes, objects, and inheritance
Python Data Structures like lists, dictionaries, and tuples
Linux Fundamentals covering commands, file systems, and user management
Shell Scripting for automation and task execution
Coding skills to solve algorithmic problems
Working with Python modules and libraries
Understanding and utilizing Python exceptions and errors
String manipulation in Python
Basic knowledge of regular expressions

Once the test is sent to a candidate, the candidate receives a link in email to take the test. For each candidate, you will receive a detailed report with skills breakdown and benchmarks to shortlist the top candidates from your pool.

What topics are covered in the Python & Linux Online Test?

Python Basics
Python Basics is a skill that involves understanding the fundamental concepts and syntax of the Python programming language. It covers topics such as variables, data types, conditional statements, loops, and basic input/output operations. This skill is measured in the test to assess the candidate's proficiency in the essential building blocks of Python programming.
Python OOPs
Python OOPs refers to Object-Oriented Programming in Python. This skill focuses on concepts such as classes, objects, inheritance, polymorphism, and encapsulation. It is essential to measure this skill to evaluate the candidate's ability to write modular and reusable code using object-oriented principles in Python.
Python Data Structures
Python Data Structures encompass a variety of data types and their associated operations in Python. This skill involves understanding the implementation and usage of data structures such as lists, tuples, dictionaries, sets, and arrays. Measuring this skill helps assess the candidate's proficiency in manipulating and organizing data efficiently in Python.
Linux Fundamentals
Linux Fundamentals involves understanding the basic concepts and commands of the Linux operating system. It covers topics such as file system navigation, file and directory management, user and group management, permissions, and process management. This skill is important to measure as it evaluates the candidate's knowledge and ability to work with the Linux environment, which is commonly used in many software development and system administration roles.
Shell Scripting
Shell Scripting refers to the creation and execution of scripts written in shell languages, such as Bash, on Unix-like operating systems like Linux. This skill involves writing scripts to automate tasks, perform system administration tasks, and manipulate files and data using shell commands. Measuring this skill helps assess the candidate's ability to write efficient and effective scripts to automate repetitive tasks and enhance productivity in a Linux environment.
Coding
Coding is a general skill that encompasses the ability to write clean, efficient, and well-structured code. This skill involves understanding programming concepts, logic, problem-solving skills, and attention to detail. Measuring this skill helps evaluate the candidate's overall coding proficiency and their ability to write robust and maintainable code in the context of Python and Linux development.
Full list of covered topics
The actual topics of the questions in the final test will depend on your job description and requirements. However, here's a list of topics you can expect the questions for Python & Linux Test to be based on.
Variables
Data types
Operators
Control flow
Functions
Classes
Inheritance
Polymorphism
Encapsulation
Lists
Tuples
Dictionaries
Sets
Strings
File handling
Basic Linux commands
File permissions
Processes
Linux file system
Shell variables
Conditionals in shell scripting
Loops in shell scripting
Functions in shell scripting
Command substitution
Regular expressions
Error handling in Python
Exception types in Python
Built-in exceptions
Input validation
Unit testing in Python
Recursion
Sorting algorithms
Searching algorithms
Data serialization
File manipulation in Python
Classes and objects in Python
Constructor and destructor
Method overriding
Method overloading
Static and class methods
Generators
Iterators
Lambda functions
List comprehensions
Memory management in Python
Garbage collection
Working with modules
Virtual environments
Linux directory structure
Process management in Linux
Shell scripting techniques
Regular expression in shell scripting
Environment variables
Scripting loops
Cron jobs
Linux networking
Sed and awk
File permissions in Linux
Variables and data types in shell scripting
Command line arguments
Error handling in shell scripting
Debugging techniques in Python
Object serialization in Python
API integration in Python
Database connectivity in Python

Preview this test

View sample scorecard

What roles can I use the Python & Linux Online Test for?

Python Developer
DevOps Engineer
Database Administrator
Cloud Architect

How is the Python & Linux Online Test customized for senior candidates?

For intermediate/ experienced candidates, we customize the assessment questions to include advanced topics and increase the difficulty level of the questions. This might include adding questions on topics like

Advanced Python concepts like decorators and generators
Ability to write efficient and optimized code
Familiarity with Python unit testing and debugging
Managing Linux processes and system resources
Networking concepts and commands in Linux
Security measures and practices in Linux
Experience with Linux system administration
Knowledge of Linux scripting languages like BASH
Working with system logs and log files in Linux
Troubleshooting and resolving system issues in Linux

The coding question for experienced candidates will be of a higher difficulty level to evaluate more hands-on experience.

Preview this test

View sample scorecard

The hiring managers felt that through the technical questions that they asked during the panel interviews, they were able to tell which candidates had better scores, and differentiated with those who did not score as well. They are highly satisfied with the quality of candidates shortlisted with the Adaface screening.

85%

reduction in screening time

View Full Case Study

Python & Linux Hiring Test FAQs

Can I combine multiple skills into one custom assessment?

Yes, absolutely. Custom assessments are set up based on your job description, and will include questions on all must-have skills you specify. Here's a quick guide on how you can request a custom test.

Do you have any anti-cheating or proctoring features in place?

We have the following anti-cheating features in place:

Non-googleable questions
IP proctoring
Screen proctoring
Web proctoring
Webcam proctoring
Plagiarism detection
Secure browser
Copy paste protection

Read more about the proctoring features.

How do I interpret test scores?

The primary thing to keep in mind is that an assessment is an elimination tool, not a selection tool. A skills assessment is optimized to help you eliminate candidates who are not technically qualified for the role, it is not optimized to help you find the best candidate for the role. So the ideal way to use an assessment is to decide a threshold score (typically 55%, we help you benchmark) and invite all candidates who score above the threshold for the next rounds of interview.

What experience level can I use this test for?

Each Adaface assessment is customized to your job description/ ideal candidate persona (our subject matter experts will pick the right questions for your assessment from our library of 10000+ questions). This assessment can be customized for any experience level.

Does every candidate get the same questions?

Yes, it makes it much easier for you to compare candidates. Options for MCQ questions and the order of questions are randomized. We have anti-cheating/ proctoring features in place. In our enterprise plan, we also have the option to create multiple versions of the same assessment with questions of similar difficulty levels.