Reference library

Python Code Samples

Easy snippets you can copy, study, and run in the browser editor.

98 matches
System design patterns easy

Route Messages to Handlers with a Python Dict

This code demonstrates a simple message routing pattern using a dictionary to map topic keys to handler functions, with a default handler for unmatched topics.

routing dictionary message-broker
Python
def route_message(message, routing_table):
    """Route a message to the correct handler based on the topic key."""
    topic = message.get("topic", "default")
    handler = routing_table.get(topic, routing_table.get("default"))
    return handler(message)


def handle_orders(message):
    return f"Orders handler proc…
12 0 Open
API design & gRPC easy

How to Build a Simple Data Helper in Python for API Design

Create a beginner-friendly DataHelper class that demonstrates basic CRUD operations (add, get, list, remove) using an in-memory dictionary, ideal for learning API design concepts.

api-design data-structures crud
Python
class DataHelper:
    """Simple data helper for beginners learning API design concepts."""
    
    def __init__(self):
        self._data = {}
    
    def add_record(self, key, value):
        """Add a record to the store."""
        self._data[key] = value
        return f"Added: {key} -> {value}"
    
    def get_…
12 0 Open
API design & gRPC easy

How to Validate JWT Claims (exp, iss, aud) in Python

This code demonstrates how to decode and validate a JWT's essential claims—expiration (exp), issuer (iss), and audience (aud)—using the PyJWT library, returning clear error messages for common validation failures.

jwt authentication security
Python
import jwt
from datetime import datetime, timezone, timedelta

SECRET = "mock-secret"

def validate_token(token, expected_iss, expected_aud):
    try:
        decoded = jwt.decode(
            token,
            SECRET,
            algorithms=["HS256"],
            options={"require": ["exp", "iss", "aud"]},
         …
12 0 Open
Streaming & messaging easy

How to mock RabbitMQ queue binding with routing keys in Python

A mock demonstration of binding a queue to an exchange with multiple routing keys in RabbitMQ using Python and pika, without a real broker connection.

rabbitmq messaging pika
Python
import pika
import sys


def bind_queue_with_routing(channel, queue_name, exchange_name, routing_keys):
    """
    Mock RabbitMQ queue binding with routing keys.
    Prints the binding configuration instead of connecting to a real broker.
    """
    for routing_key in routing_keys:
        binding = {
            "q…
14 0 Open
Streaming & messaging easy

Using the retained message flag in MQTT with Python

This script subscribes to an MQTT topic and prints the retained flag for each received message, demonstrating how to distinguish retained messages from normal ones.

mqtt paho-mqtt iot
Python
import paho.mqtt.client as mqtt

def on_connect(client, userdata, flags, rc):
    print(f"Connected with result code {rc}")
    # Subscribe to a topic and check retained flag
    client.subscribe("test/retained")
    print("Subscribed to test/retained")

def on_message(client, userdata, msg):
    # msg.retain is the M…
14 0 Open
Caching & Redis easy

Cache Warming with Python: Preload Hot Keys

Demonstrates a simple LRU-like cache with a warm method that preloads hot keys with mock values using OrderedDict.

caching ordereddict lru
Python
import time
from collections import OrderedDict

class CacheWarm:
    def __init__(self, capacity=3):
        self.capacity = capacity
        self.cache = OrderedDict()
        self.hot_keys = []

    def warm(self, keys):
        """Preload hot keys into cache with mock values."""
        for key in keys:
          …
17 0 Open
Caching & Redis easy

How to Invalidate a Cache in Python with lru_cache

This code demonstrates how to clear the cache of an @lru_cache decorated function in Python using cache_clear(), showing the effect on cached results.

lru_cache cache-invalidation functools
Python
from functools import lru_cache
import time

@lru_cache(maxsize=None)
def expensive_operation(key):
    return f"Computed value for {key} at {time.time():.6f}"

def invalidate_cache():
    expensive_operation.cache_clear()

if __name__ == "__main__":
    print(expensive_operation("alpha"))
    print(expensive_operatio…
13 0 Open
Caching & Redis easy

How to Use Redis HSET and HGET in Python

This code demonstrates how to store and retrieve hash data in Redis using Python's redis library with HSET, HGET, HGETALL, and HDEL commands.

redis hset hget
Python
import redis

# Connect to Redis (adjust host/port as needed)
r = redis.Redis(host='localhost', port=6379, db=0, decode_responses=True)

# Clear any existing data for demonstration
r.delete('user:1')

# HSET - Store a hash
r.hset('user:1', mapping={'name': 'Alice', 'age': 30, 'city': 'New York'})

# HGET - Retrieve a …
12 0 Open
Caching & Redis easy

How to Use lru_cache in Python for Cache-on-Miss Population

Demonstrates lru_cache to automatically populate cache on a miss and serve subsequent calls from cache, with cache info stats.

lru_cache caching functools
Python
from functools import lru_cache

@lru_cache(maxsize=None)
def fetch_user(user_id):
    """Simulates a slow database fetch."""
    print(f"Cache miss: fetching user {user_id} from database")
    return {"id": user_id, "name": f"User {user_id}"}

if __name__ == "__main__":
    user = fetch_user(1)
    print(f"First call…
15 0 Open
Reliability & rate limiting easy

Implementing Fallback with Cached Stale Data in Python

This code demonstrates a resilient data-fetching pattern that caches successful responses, falls back to cached data when the external API fails, and returns stale data as a last-resort fallback.

cache fallback resilience
Python
import random
import time

# Simulated cache dictionary: key -> (value, timestamp)
_cache = {}
_CACHE_TTL = 3  # seconds

# Mock data source (simulates an unreliable external API)
def fetch_mock_data(key):
    failure = random.random() < 0.4  # 40% chance of failure
    if failure:
        raise ConnectionError("Mock …
14 0 Open
Observability & SRE easy

Check if a Timestamp Falls in a Daily Maintenance Window in Python

A small Python function that returns True when a datetime falls inside a daily maintenance window, and a demo printing yes/no for sample timestamps.

maintenance datetime scheduling
Python
from datetime import datetime, timedelta
from zoneinfo import ZoneInfo


def in_maintenance_window(now: datetime, start_hour: int = 2, duration_hours: int = 4) -> bool:
    """Return True if 'now' falls inside the daily maintenance window."""
    day_start = now.replace(hour=start_hour, minute=0, second=0, microsecond…
15 0 Open
Observability & SRE easy

Generate Mock CPU and Memory Metrics in Python

Build a mock_host_metrics() generator that outputs realistic CPU and memory usage percentages for monitoring demos and tests.

mock metrics monitoring
Python
import time
import random


def mock_host_metrics():
    """Generate mock CPU and memory metrics for a host."""
    cpu_percent = round(random.uniform(10.0, 95.0), 1)
    memory_percent = round(random.uniform(20.0, 90.0), 1)
    memory_used_mb = round(random.uniform(512, 8192), 1)

    return {
        "timestamp": in…
15 0 Open
Observability & SRE easy

Generate Synthetic CPU Utilization Metrics in Python

Creates realistic time-series CPU utilization samples with timestamps, noise, and output as structured JSON for observability demos and testing.

observability metrics time-series
Python
from datetime import datetime, timedelta
import random
import json


def generate_metric_samples(base_value, noise, count=60, interval_minutes=1):
    """Generate realistic CPU utilization samples for a given time window."""
    timestamps = []
    values = []

    now = datetime.utcnow()
    start_time = now - timede…
14 0 Open
Observability & SRE easy

How to Use Log Levels DEBUG INFO WARNING ERROR in Python

Demonstrates Python's logging levels (DEBUG, INFO, WARNING, ERROR) with basicConfig and a logger, showing how severity filtering controls output.

logging log-levels observability
Python
import logging

# Configure a mock logger to demonstrate log levels
logging.basicConfig(level=logging.DEBUG, format="%(levelname)s: %(message)s")
logger = logging.getLogger("mock_logger")

# Simulate events at each severity level
logger.debug("Detailed diagnostic info")
logger.info("General system operation")
logger.w…
13 0 Open
Observability & SRE easy

Mocking a Metrics Gauge's set_value Method in Python

Demonstrates using unittest.mock.Mock with wraps to intercept a gauge's set_value call while verifying arguments and preserving real behavior.

unittest mocking metrics
Python
from unittest.mock import Mock

class MetricsGauge:
    def __init__(self, name):
        self.name = name
        self.value = 0.0

    def set_value(self, new_value):
        self.value = float(new_value)
        return self.value

# Usage demonstration with a mock
gauge = MetricsGauge("cpu_usage")
gauge_mock = Mock…
13 0 Open
Microservices patterns easy

How to Demonstrate the Shared Database Antipattern in Python

This code simulates a shared database where multiple services write and read the same SQLite table, illustrating tight coupling and its pitfalls.

microservices database antipatterns
Python
import sqlite3
from pathlib import Path

def create_shared_db(db_path: Path) -> None:
    """Mock demonstrating the shared database antipattern where multiple
    services access the same database, causing tight coupling."""
    conn = sqlite3.connect(db_path)
    cur = conn.cursor()
    cur.execute("""
        CREATE…
13 0 Open
Microservices patterns easy

How to Implement an Outbox Pattern Mock in Python

This code demonstrates a simple in-memory outbox pattern mock for publishing domain events and tracking pending events until they are marked as published.

outbox domain-events microservices
Python
from dataclasses import dataclass, field
from datetime import datetime
from uuid import uuid4


@dataclass
class DomainEvent:
    event_id: str = field(default_factory=lambda: str(uuid4()))
    occurred_at: datetime = field(default_factory=datetime.utcnow)


class Outbox:
    def __init__(self):
        self._events =…
13 0 Open
Microservices patterns easy

How to Use the Adapter Pattern to Mock a Legacy System in Python

This code demonstrates the Adapter pattern, allowing a modern interface to interact with a legacy system by wrapping its outdated method.

adapter-pattern design-patterns legacy
Python
class LegacySystem:
    def legacy_method(self, data):
        return f"Legacy processed: {data}"

class ModernInterface:
    def process(self, data):
        raise NotImplementedError

class Adapter(ModernInterface):
    def __init__(self, legacy):
        self.legacy = legacy

    def process(self, data):
        re…
13 0 Open
Big data & Spark easy

How to Explode an Array Column in Python

This code demonstrates a mock explode operation that converts an array column into multiple rows, similar to Spark's explode function.

explode arrays pyspark
Python
import json 

def explode_array_column(data, column):
    """Mock explode: split array column into multiple rows."""
    exploded = []
    for row in data:
        values = row.get(column, [])
        for value in values:
            new_row = dict(row)
            new_row[column] = value
            exploded.append(n…
13 0 Open
Big data & Spark easy

How to Mock Hive Support in PySpark with unittest.mock

This code demonstrates how to mock Hive support in a PySpark environment using unittest.mock to simulate SQL queries returning fixed data.

pyspark hive mock
Python
from unittest.mock import Mock, patch


def get_hive_tables(spark):
    """Mock Hive support by returning a fixed list of tables."""
    return spark.sql("SHOW TABLES").collect()


class HiveTable:
    """Simple class that mimics a Hive table row."""
    def __init__(self, database, tableName):
        self.database =…
14 0 Open
Big data & Spark easy

Z-Order Optimization in Python

A mock concept demonstrating z-order layout optimization by reassigning z-indices based on areas size.

zorder layout optimization
Python
class ZOrderLayout:
    """
    Minimal mock for z-order layout optimization using a stacking score.
    Elements overlap; higher z_index is drawn on top.
    """
    def __init__(self):
        self.elements = []

    def add_element(self, name, area, z_index):
        self.elements.append({"name": name, "area": area…
12 0 Open
ML engineering pipelines easy

How to Save and Load PyTorch Model State Dict in Python

This code demonstrates how to save a PyTorch model's state dict to a file and load it back into a new model instance, verifying weights match.

pytorch state-dict model
Python
import torch
import torch.nn as nn

class SimpleNet(nn.Module):
    def __init__(self):
        super().__init__()
        self.fc1 = nn.Linear(4, 8)
        self.fc2 = nn.Linear(8, 2)

    def forward(self, x):
        x = torch.relu(self.fc1(x))
        return self.fc2(x)

if __name__ == "__main__":
    model = Simp…
13 0 Open
ML engineering pipelines easy

How to do feature selection with VarianceThreshold in Python

This code demonstrates how to use scikit-learn's VarianceThreshold to remove low-variance features from a NumPy array, keeping only those that vary enough to be useful for modeling.

feature selection sklearn machine learning
Python
import numpy as np
from sklearn.feature_selection import VarianceThreshold

def main():
    # Mock dataset: 4 samples, 5 features
    X = np.array([
        [0.1, 0.2, 1.0, 1.0, 0.5],
        [0.2, 0.2, 0.0, 1.0, 0.4],
        [0.1, 0.2, 1.0, 1.0, 0.6],
        [0.3, 0.2, 1.0, 0.0, 0.5]
    ])

    # Select features w…
14 0 Open
Database scaling & optimization easy

Hash index equality mock concept in Python

A simple hash index class in Python that stores key-value pairs in buckets and demonstrates basic equality-based lookup.

hash-index hash-table database
Python
class HashIndex:
    def __init__(self):
        self._buckets = {}

    def insert(self, key, value):
        """Insert a key-value pair into the hash index."""
        index = hash(key) % 10
        if index not in self._buckets:
            self._buckets[index] = []
        self._buckets[index].append((key, value))…
12 0 Open

Browse by section

Each section groups closely related Python snippets.

Guide: free Python code samples library

Copy-ready Python snippets for learners and developers

PythonSkillset code samples are short, focused examples organised by topic and difficulty. Every snippet is server-rendered HTML — readable by search engines and easy to copy. Open any sample, read the notes, copy the code, then press Try in editor to run it in the browser with Pyodide.

How to use this library

  1. Pick a topic section — strings, lists, files, functions, and more
  2. Open a sample, read How it works, and copy the code block
  3. Run it in the IDE, tweak values, then take a related quiz or tutorial lesson

Samples vs tutorials and challenges

Samples are quick reference — one concept per page. For step-by-step teaching, use our Python tutorials. To test yourself, try quizzes or coding challenges. Clean up style with the Python formatter.