Python Code
Samples
Copy-ready Python snippets by topic and difficulty — short, focused, and runnable in the browser editor.
Broadcast a Small Reference Table in Python
Simulates SQL-style broadcasting of a small lookup table against a larger fact table in memory for mockups or load tests.
import random
def broadcast_mock(target, source, columns):
result = {}
for col in columns:
if col in target and col in source:
result[col] = target[col] + [source[col][i % len(source[col])] for i in range(len(target[col]))]
elif col in target:
result[col] = target[col]
…
How to Avoid SELECT * and Mock SQL Column Queries in Python
Mock a SQLite cursor to verify that queries specify explicit columns instead of using SELECT *.
import sqlite3
from unittest.mock import Mock, patch
def get_user_emails(connection):
"""Fetch only the required columns instead of SELECT *."""
cursor = connection.cursor()
cursor.execute("SELECT email FROM users")
return [row[0] for row in cursor.fetchall()]
def test_get_user_emails_specific_colu…
How to Mock SQLite executemany When Batch Inserting in Python
Batch insert many rows into SQLite with executemany and mock the cursor for isolated tests.
import sqlite3
from unittest.mock import Mock, patch
def insert_users(conn, users):
"""Insert multiple user records using executemany."""
cursor = conn.cursor()
cursor.executemany(
"INSERT INTO users (name, age) VALUES (?, ?)",
users
)
conn.commit()
return cursor.rowcount
if _…
How to Mock a Function Call in Python with unittest.mock
Use unittest.mock.Mock to wrap a function and spy on its call count and arguments in Python.
import random
from unittest.mock import Mock, patch
def select_n_plus_one(numbers: list[int]) -> int:
"""Return the first number that appears more than once, if any."""
seen = set()
for num in numbers:
if num in seen:
return num
seen.add(num)
return -1
def detect_mock(se…
How to Mock a Hot Shard Split in Python
Simulate a database hot shard splitting into two shards by key ranges when it exceeds a threshold, with a mock class for testing.
import random
from collections import defaultdict
class HotShardMock:
"""Mock implementation of a hot shard split in a distributed database."""
def __init__(self, shard_id="shard_1", max_entries=5):
self.shard_id = shard_id
self.max_entries = max_entries
self.entries = {}
def ad…
How to mock batch commit of transactions in Python
Simulate a transaction batch writer with commit, rollback, and summary logic to test database write patterns without a real database.
import json
from datetime import datetime, timezone
class TransactionBatch:
def __init__(self):
self.pending = []
self.committed = []
self._log = []
def add(self, operation):
self.pending.append(operation)
def commit(self):
if not self.pending:
return …
Idempotent Writes for Sharded Databases in Python
Implement a mock shard with idempotent write support using request IDs to prevent duplicate writes and track the latest value per key.
import json
class ShardMock:
"""Mock distributed shard with idempotent write support."""
def __init__(self, shard_id):
self.shard_id = shard_id
self._store = {}
def write(self, key, value, request_id):
"""Write value only if request_id not yet processed; idempotent."""
i…
ACME LetsEncrypt Mock Challenge Server in Python
A minimal HTTP server that serves key authorizations for ACME/Let's Encrypt DNS-01 or HTTP-01 challenges during testing and validation.
from http.server import HTTPServer, BaseHTTPRequestHandler
import json
# In-memory store simulating the ACME challenge token -> key authorization pair
challenge_store = {
"token_example": "token_example.key_authorization"
}
class AcmeChallengeHandler(BaseHTTPRequestHandler):
def do_GET(self):
# Extra…
Build a Mock OIDC Userinfo Endpoint in Python with Flask
Create a local mock OIDC userinfo endpoint in Flask that returns a standard JSON user payload, ideal for testing auth flows without a real identity provider.
from flask import Flask, jsonify
app = Flask(__name__)
@app.route("/userinfo")
def userinfo():
mock_user = {
"sub": "1234567890",
"name": "John Doe",
"email": "john@example.com",
"email_verified": True,
"groups": ["admin", "dev"]
}
return jsonify(mock_user)
if __n…
How to Mock Environment Variables in Python
A context manager that injects and restores environment variables for isolated testing of config-dependent code.
import os
class EnvInjector:
def __init__(self, mock_vars=None):
self.mock_vars = mock_vars or {}
self.original = {}
def __enter__(self):
for key, value in self.mock_vars.items():
if key in os.environ:
self.original[key] = os.environ[key]
os.env…
How to Mock Environment Variables in Python for 12-Factor Config
Read 12-factor config from env vars and test/mock them with unittest.mock.patch.dict without touching the real environment.
import os
import json
from unittest.mock import patch
def load_config(env_prefix="APP"):
"""Read 12-factor style config from env vars"""
required = ["DATABASE_URL", "API_KEY"]
optional = {"PORT": "8080", "DEBUG": "false"}
config = {}
for key in required:
full_key = f"{env_prefix}_{key…
How to Mock HTTP Responses to Verify HSTS Headers in Python
This code demonstrates how to use unittest.mock to intercept and capture HTTP response headers, specifically the Strict-Transport-Security header, from a mocked HTTPServer handler for security validation.
from http.server import BaseHTTPRequestHandler, HTTPServer
from unittest.mock import patch
class StrictTransportMock(BaseHTTPRequestHandler):
def do_GET(self):
self.send_response(200)
self.send_header("Strict-Transport-Security", "max-age=31536000; includeSubDomains")
self.end_headers()
…
How to Mock OAuth 2.0 Device Code Flow in Python
A mock implementation of the OAuth 2.0 device authorization grant for testing authentication flows without a real provider.
import hashlib
import time
import uuid
class DeviceCodeFlowMock:
def __init__(self):
self.device_codes = {}
def request_device_code(self, client_id, scope="read write"):
device_code = uuid.uuid4().hex
user_code = str(uuid.uuid4().int)[:8].upper()
expires_in = 300
inte…
How to Mock a Content Security Policy Header in Python
Mock a Content-Security-Policy header locally and verify it's served correctly using Python's built-in HTTP server.
import json
from http.server import BaseHTTPRequestHandler, HTTPServer
CSP_HEADER = "default-src 'self'; script-src 'self'; style-src 'self' 'unsafe-inline'"
class MockServer(BaseHTTPRequestHandler):
def do_GET(self):
if self.path == "/":
self.send_response(200)
self.send_header("…
How to Mock a Redis Session Store in Python
An in-memory RedisSessionStore class with TTL-based expiry, get/set/delete/exists methods, and JSON field support—perfect for testing and prototyping without a live Redis.
import time
import json
from collections import defaultdict
class RedisSessionStore:
"""In-memory mock of a Redis-backed session store."""
def __init__(self, ttl=3600):
self._data = defaultdict(dict)
self._expires = {}
self._ttl = ttl
def set(self, session_id, field, value):
…
How to Mock an mTLS Client Certificate in Python
Create a self-signed client certificate and key with OpenSSL, load them into an SSL context, and simulate an mTLS handshake in Python for testing.
import ssl
import socket
import subprocess
import tempfile
from pathlib import Path
def create_mock_certificates():
"""Generate self-signed client certificate and key for mTLS testing."""
with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory() as tmpdir:
cert_path = Path(tmpdir) / "client.crt"
key_path = Path(tmpd…
How to Set X-Frame-Options DENY in Flask with a Mock Response
Set the X-Frame-Options header to DENY in a Flask response to prevent clickjacking, and verify it with Flask's test client.
from flask import Flask, Response
app = Flask(__name__)
@app.route("/")
def index():
response = Response("Hello, World!")
response.headers["X-Frame-Options"] = "DENY"
return response
if __name__ == "__main__":
with app.test_client() as client:
resp = client.get("/")
print(resp.get_da…
How to Test X-Content-Type-Options nosniff in Python with Mocks
Mock httpx responses and verify that a server's X-Content-Type-Options header includes nosniff to prevent MIME sniffing.
import httpx
from unittest.mock import Mock, patch
def fetch_headers(url: str) -> dict:
response = httpx.get(url)
return dict(response.headers)
def mock_nosniff_check(response) -> bool:
content_type = response.headers.get("content-type", "")
x_content_type_options = response.headers.get("x-content-ty…
How to Create a Liveness Probe HTTP Mock in Python
Build a lightweight HTTP server in Python that mimics a Kubernetes-style liveness endpoint, returning JSON health status for local testing.
import http.server
import threading
import time
class LivenessHandler(http.server.BaseHTTPRequestHandler):
def do_GET(self):
if self.path == "/healthz":
self.send_response(200)
self.send_header("Content-Type", "application/json")
self.end_headers()
self.wfi…
How to Implement a Data Helper Class in Python for Production Deployments
Build an environment-aware data helper in Python that loads config, extracts, transforms, and reports on JSON data using small, testable functions.
"""Production-style data helper for beginners.
Demonstrates:
- environment-aware config
- central data extraction
- small, testable functions
"""
import os
import json
from pathlib import Path
from typing import List, Dict, Any
def load_config(env: str = os.getenv("APP_ENV", "development")) -> Dict[str, Any]:
…
How to Mock Kubernetes Secret Mounts in Python
Create and inspect a mock Kubernetes secret volume mount using the official client library and unittest.mock.
import json
from kubernetes import client, config, watch
from unittest.mock import Mock, patch
def create_mock_mount_spec():
"""Create a mock Kubernetes secret volume mount."""
mock_client = Mock()
mock_client.api_version = "v1"
mock_client.kind = "Secret"
mock_client.metadata = {"name": "my-secre…
How to Mock Kubernetes Services with a ClusterIP Registry in Python
Simulate Kubernetes service discovery by assigning ClusterIP addresses to dataclass-defined services, with JSON export for inspection or testing.
import json
from dataclasses import dataclass, asdict
from typing import Dict, Optional
@dataclass
class Service:
name: str
namespace: str
cluster_ip: str
selector: Dict[str, str]
port: int
target_port: Optional[int] = None
class ClusterIPServiceRegistry:
_ip_counter = 0
def __init…
How to Mock a CI Pipeline with Build, Test, and Deploy Stages in Python
Simulate a three-stage CI pipeline (build, test, deploy) in Python with random pass/fail logic, early exit on failure, and measured stage durations.
import time
import random
from dataclasses import dataclass
@dataclass
class StageResult:
name: str
status: str
duration: float
def run_stage(name: str, success_chance: float = 0.9) -> StageResult:
"""Simulate a pipeline stage with random success/failure."""
start = time.time()
time.sleep(r…
How to Mock a Container Registry in Python
Build an in-memory container registry mock with push, tag listing, and manifest retrieval logic for testing deployment tooling.
import json
from collections import defaultdict
class MockRegistry:
def __init__(self):
self.repositories = defaultdict(dict)
def push_image(self, repo: str, tag: str, layers: list[str]) -> None:
self.repositories[repo][tag] = {
"layers": layers,
"size": sum(len(layer…
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
- Pick a topic section — strings, lists, files, functions, and more
- Open a sample, read How it works, and copy the code block
- 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.