Input and Output in Python - Interview Questions and Answers

The input() function always returns data as a string

age = input("Enter your age: ")
print(type(age))  # Output: <class 'str'>

Convert the input using int()

num = int(input("Enter a number: "))
print(num * 2)  # Doubles the input number

Use split()

x, y = input("Enter two numbers: ").split()
print("X:", x, "Y:", y)

Convert inputs to integers using map()

x, y = map(int, input("Enter two numbers: ").split())
print(x + y)

Use list comprehension

numbers = [int(x) for x in input("Enter numbers: ").split()]
print(numbers)

Use try-except

try:
    num = int(input("Enter an integer: "))
    print(num)
except ValueError:
    print("Invalid input! Please enter an integer.")

Use a loop

lines = []
while True:
    line = input()
    if line == "":  # Stop on empty input
        break
    lines.append(line)
print(lines)

se sys.stdin.read()

import sys
data = sys.stdin.read()
print(data)

Use sys.argv

import sys
print("Arguments:", sys.argv[1:])

Use print()

print("Hello, World!")

Separate values with commas

print("Hello", "Python", 2025)

Use f-strings (Python 3.6+).

name = "Alice"
age = 25
print(f"My name is {name} and I am {age} years old.")

Use end=""

print("Hello", end=" ")
print("World!")

Use * operator.

print("Python " * 3)  # Output: Python Python Python

Use sep parameter

print("Python", "Java", "C++", sep=" | ")

Use the file argument in print()

with open("output.txt", "w") as f:
    print("Hello, file!", file=f)

Use str.ljust(), str.rjust(), or str.center()

print("Hello".ljust(10), "World".rjust(10))

Use zfill()

num = 42
print(str(num).zfill(5))  # Output: 00042

Use f-strings or format().

pi = 3.14159
print(f"Pi rounded: {pi:.2f}")  # Output: Pi rounded: 3.14

In Python 2, print is a statement (print "Hello"). In Python 3, print() is a function.

Use end="".

print("Hello", end="")

Use Unicode escape sequences.

print("\u2764")  # 

Use triple quotes.

text = """This is
a multi-line
input"""
print(text)

It waits for user input but does not display a prompt.

The user is prompted first, then the result is printed.

print("You entered:", input("Enter something: "))

Yes

def get_name():
    return input("Enter your name: ")
name = get_name()
print("Hello,", name)

sys.stdin.read() reads the whole input at once, while input() reads one line.

Use open() to read from a file.

with open("input.txt") as f:
    data = f.read()
print(data)

Use ANSI escape codes or libraries like colorama.

print("\033[31mHello in Red\033[0m")