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Copy-ready Python snippets by topic and difficulty — short, focused, and runnable in the browser editor.
How to Watch a Directory for New Files in Python
Poll a directory at regular intervals and detect newly added files, printing each one as it appears.
import time
import os
from pathlib import Path
WATCH_DIR = Path("watched_files")
def watch_for_new_files(directory: Path, sleep_time: float = 1.0, max_iterations: int = 10):
"""Poll a directory for new files and print when one appears."""
directory.mkdir(exist_ok=True)
existing = set(os.listdir(directory…Tail last N lines of growing log file in Python
Prints the last n lines of a log file and follows new content appended to it, polling for size changes.
import time
from pathlib import Path
def tail_log(file_path, n=10, poll_interval=1.0, timeout=10):
"""
Print the last n lines and follow new lines appended to a growing log file.
"""
path = Path(file_path)
# Read the last n lines from the current file
with path.open("r", encoding="utf-8") as f…How to Monitor Process RSS Memory in Python
Poll the VmRSS field from /proc/PID/status to watch a process's resident memory and alert on growth.
import os
import time
import subprocess
import sys
def get_rss_mb(pid):
"""Return RSS memory in MB for a given process ID."""
try:
with open(f"/proc/{pid}/status", "r") as f:
for line in f:
if line.startswith("VmRSS:"):
return int(line.split()[1]) / 1024…How to Watch a Folder and Convert New Images in Python
Watch a folder for new files and mock-convert images by copying and renaming them in an output directory.
import time
import hashlib
from pathlib import Path
from datetime import datetime
def mock_convert_image(source: Path, dest_dir: Path) -> Path:
"""Mock image conversion: copy bytes and add .converted suffix."""
dest = dest_dir / f"{source.stem}.converted{source.suffix}"
dest.write_bytes(source.read_bytes(…Trigger a Pipeline When a New File Appears in a Directory
Poll a directory every 0.5 seconds and return the name of the first new file that appears, or None after a timeout.
import time
from pathlib import Path
def watch_for_file(directory: str, interval: float = 0.5, timeout: float = 10.0) -> str | None:
"""Poll a directory and trigger when a new file appears."""
watch_dir = Path(directory)
watch_dir.mkdir(exist_ok=True)
known_files = set(watch_dir.iterdir())
s…How to Poll an Operation Status Endpoint in Python
Mock a polling endpoint in Python that simulates checking an async operation's status until it completes or times out.
import time
import random
def poll_status(url: str, timeout: float = 5.0) -> dict:
"""Mock a polling endpoint that eventually returns a completed status."""
start = time.time()
while time.time() - start < timeout:
# Simulate delayed response
time.sleep(0.2)
# 80% chance to report …How to Implement an Outbox Table Poll Publisher in Python
This code simulates an outbox pattern with a class that polls for pending records and publishes them as JSON messages, removing only those that are due.
import time
import json
from dataclasses import dataclass, asdict
from datetime import datetime, timedelta
@dataclass
class OutboxRecord:
id: int
topic: str
payload: dict
created_at: datetime
class OutboxPollPublisher:
def __init__(self, poll_interval_seconds=1):
self.poll_interval = poll…Kafka Consumer Poll Loop Mock in Python
Simulate a Kafka consumer poll loop with a mock class, process messages in batches, and commit offsets to understand streaming consumption patterns.
import time
class MockKafkaConsumer:
def __init__(self, topic, messages):
self.topic = topic
self.messages = list(messages)
self.position = 0
def poll(self, timeout_ms=100):
if self.position >= len(self.messages):
time.sleep(timeout_ms / 1000)
return []…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.
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…Browse by section
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Samples vs tutorials and challenges
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