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Python Code Samples

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

115 matches
Git + Python easy

How to Create a Git Branch if it Doesn't Exist in Python

Utility script that checks if a Git branch exists locally and either creates it or checks it out, with error handling.

git subprocess branch
Python
import subprocess
import sys

def ensure_branch(branch_name):
    """Create a Git branch if it doesn't exist, otherwise checkout it."""
    try:
        # Check if the branch exists locally
        result = subprocess.run(
            ["git", "branch", "--list", branch_name],
            capture_output=True,
         …
12 0 Open
Git + Python easy

How to Create a Git Commit with Message Template in Python

Run a git commit from Python using a standardized message template built from a commit type and description.

git subprocess automation
Python
import subprocess
import sys


def commit_with_template(commit_type: str, description: str) -> None:
    message = f"{commit_type}: {description}"
    try:
        subprocess.run(["git", "commit", "-m", message], check=True)
        print(f"Committed: {message}")
    except subprocess.CalledProcessError as e:
        …
13 0 Open
Git + Python easy

How to Get Git Status and Log in Python

A beginner-friendly helper that runs git status and git log from Python using subprocess, with safe handling for non-repo directories.

git subprocess cli
Python
import subprocess
from pathlib import Path


def git_status(path: str = ".") -> str:
    """Return the current git status as a string."""
    result = subprocess.run(
        ["git", "status", "--short"],
        cwd=path,
        capture_output=True,
        text=True
    )
    return result.stdout.strip() or "No cha…
15 0 Open
Git + Python easy

How to List Changed Files in the Last Git Commit with Python

Runs `git diff --name-only HEAD~1 HEAD` via subprocess to list the names of files changed in the most recent commit.

git subprocess automation
Python
import subprocess

def list_changed_files():
    result = subprocess.run(
        ["git", "diff", "--name-only", "HEAD~1", "HEAD"],
        capture_output=True,
        text=True,
        check=True
    )
    files = result.stdout.strip().splitlines()
    return files

if __name__ == "__main__":
    changed = list_cha…
14 0 Open
Git + Python easy

How to Mirror a Bare Git Repository Backup in Python

Run a git clone --bare subprocess to create a timestamped bare-repo backup folder with error handling.

git backup subprocess
Python
import subprocess
import shlex
from pathlib import Path
from datetime import datetime


def mirror_bare_repo(source_url: str, backup_dir: str) -> str:
    """Mirror a bare git repository to a timestamped backup folder."""
    backup_path = Path(backup_dir)
    backup_path.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)

    timest…
13 0 Open
Git + Python easy

How to Parse git status --porcelain Output in Python

This code runs `git status --porcelain` and parses its output into a list of dictionaries with file paths and status descriptions.

git subprocess parsing
Python
import subprocess

def parse_git_status_porcelain():
    try:
        output = subprocess.check_output(
            ["git", "status", "--porcelain"], 
            text=True, 
            stderr=subprocess.DEVNULL
        )
    except (subprocess.CalledProcessError, FileNotFoundError):
        return []

    entries = …
14 0 Open
Git + Python easy

How to Push Git Tags to a Remote with Python

Push specified git tags (or all tags) to a remote repository using Python's subprocess module with error handling.

git subprocess automation
Python
import subprocess
import sys


def push_tags_to_remote(remote: str = "origin", tags: list[str] | None = None) -> None:
    """
    Push git tags to a remote repository.
    If no tags are given, push all local tags.
    """
    if tags:
        subprocess.run(["git", "push", remote, *tags], check=True)
    else:
     …
12 0 Open
Git + Python easy

How to Run Git Commands from Python with subprocess

This helper runs `git status --short` and `git log --oneline` from Python, captures their output, and returns readable strings with error handling for non-repo directories.

git subprocess automation
Python
import subprocess


def git_status():
    """Return a short, human-readable git status."""
    try:
        output = subprocess.run(
            ["git", "status", "--short"],
            capture_output=True,
            text=True,
            check=True,
        ).stdout.strip()
        return output if output else "W…
14 0 Open
Git + Python easy

How to Stage All Modified Files with git add -u in Python

Runs git add -u from Python to stage all modified and deleted tracked files, then prints the short status.

git subprocess automation
Python
import subprocess


def stage_all_modified_files(repo_path="."):
    """Run git add -u to stage all modified and deleted tracked files."""
    result = subprocess.run(
        ["git", "add", "-u"],
        cwd=repo_path,
        capture_output=True,
        text=True,
    )
    if result.returncode != 0:
        print…
15 0 Open
Git + Python easy

How to sync a fork with upstream in Python

Run git fetch and merge commands from Python with subprocess to sync a forked repository with upstream/main.

git subprocess automation
Python
import subprocess
import sys


def sync_fork_with_upstream():
    """Simulate syncing a forked repo with upstream via git commands."""

    # Mock git operations: pretend to fetch from upstream and merge into main
    fetch_result = subprocess.run(
        ["git", "fetch", "upstream"],
        capture_output=True, tex…
12 0 Open
Modern tooling easy

Build a Recipe Runner Mock in Python

A Python script that mocks a command runner recipe system: maps recipe names to shell commands, executes them with subprocess, and prints the output and exit code.

subprocess command-runner recipes
Python
import subprocess
import sys


def run_recipe(recipe: str) -> None:
    """Simulate a command runner recipe by printing the command and exit code."""
    print(f"Running recipe: {recipe}")
    result = subprocess.run(recipe, shell=True, capture_output=True, text=True)
    print(f"Exit code: {result.returncode}")
    i…
15 0 Open
Modern tooling easy

How to Define Nox Sessions in Python

Automate repetitive tasks like testing and linting with reusable Nox sessions.

nox automation task-runner
Python
import nox


@nox.session(python=["3.9", "3.10"])
def tests(session):
    session.install("pytest")
    session.run("pytest")


@nox.session(python="3.9")
def lint(session):
    session.install("ruff")
    session.run("ruff", "check", ".")


if __name__ == "__main__":
    print("Nox sessions defined: tests, lint")
   …
13 0 Open
Modern tooling easy

How to Mock Fabric Connections in Python for Task Testing

Create a lightweight MockConnection class to replace fabric.Connection and test task functions without SSH.

fabric mocking testing
Python
from fabric import Connection


class MockConnection:
    """Minimal mock of fabric.Connection for task testing."""

    def __init__(self):
        self.commands = []

    def run(self, command, **kwargs):
        self.commands.append(command)
        return f"OK: {command}"


def deploy(conn):
    """Deploy the app:…
14 0 Open
Modern tooling easy

Lint a Dockerfile with a Mock Hadolint in Python

A lightweight Python script that simulates hadolint by scanning Dockerfile text for common lint rules and printing violations.

docker linting hadolint
Python
import subprocess
import tempfile
from pathlib import Path


def lint_dockerfile(content: str) -> list[str]:
    """Mock hadolint by checking a few rules and returning violations."""
    violations = []
    lines = content.splitlines()

    for idx, line in enumerate(lines, start=1):
        stripped = line.strip()
  …
14 0 Open
Modern tooling easy

Makefile Targets for lint, test, and build in Python

This Python script defines common Makefile targets (lint, test, build) as subprocess commands, printing each target's command and executing them with error checking.

subprocess makefile tooling
Python
import subprocess

TARGETS = {
    "lint": ["ruff", "check", "."],
    "test": ["pytest", "-q"],
    "build": ["python", "-m", "build"],
}


def run(target: str) -> None:
    if target not in TARGETS:
        raise ValueError(f"Unknown target: {target}")
    print(f"Running {target}...")
    subprocess.run(TARGETS[tar…
14 0 Open
Observability & SRE easy

Rotate Log Files by Size in Python

A mock log rotation script that renames log files exceeding a size threshold, appending numbered backups.

log-rotation pathlib file-management
Python
import os
from pathlib import Path

def rotate_logs(directory: str, max_size: int = 100) -> None:
    """Rotate log files that exceed max_size bytes."""
    log_dir = Path(directory)
    for log_file in sorted(log_dir.glob("*.log"), key=lambda p: str(p)):
        if log_file.stat().st_size > max_size:
            for …
13 0 Open
Big data & Spark easy

How to Mock a File Source Watch Directory in Python

Poll a directory for new files and log changes, simulating a watch directory for data ingestion patterns.

file-watching polling etl
Python
import os
import time
from pathlib import Path


def watch_directory(dir_path: str, poll_interval: float = 1.0, max_iterations: int = 5):
    """
    Mock a file-source watch directory by polling for changes.
    Returns new files detected during each poll cycle.
    """
    directory = Path(dir_path)
    directory.mk…
15 0 Open
ML engineering pipelines easy

How to Do Random Search for Hyperparameter Tuning in Python

A mock random search that samples hyperparameter combinations from a grid and ranks them by a dummy score, with a reproducible seed.

hyperparameter random-search ml
Python
import random

# Mock random search over a small hyperparameter grid
param_grid = {
    "learning_rate": [0.001, 0.01, 0.1],
    "batch_size": [16, 32, 64],
    "num_layers": [1, 2, 3]
}

def random_search(grid, n_iter=5, seed=42):
    """Perform random search over a hyperparameter grid."""
    random.seed(seed)
    k…
13 0 Open
Production deployment patterns easy

How to Deploy Staging Then Production in Python

Walk through a staged deployment mock that promotes from staging to production in sequence with Python.

deployment staging production
Python
import time

def deploy_environment(name: str) -> None:
    print(f"Deploying to {name}...")
    time.sleep(0.1)
    print(f"Deployed to {name} ✔")

def deploy_staging_then_prod() -> None:
    environments = ["staging", "production"]
    for env in environments:
        deploy_environment(env)
        if env == "stagi…
14 0 Open

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Guide: free Python code samples library

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How to use this library

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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.