flask-api interview questions
flask-api interview questions
Flask is a web application framework written in Python. It is a lightweight framework that is simple,
yet powerful and extensible. Flask is used for developing web applications ranging from small
personal projects to large enterprise-level projects.
Q2.What are the advantages of using Flask over other web frameworks?
The advantages of using Flask over other web frameworks include its simplicity, flexibility, and
extensibility. Flask is also lightweight and easy to learn, making it a popular choice for small projects
or developers new to web development.
Flask includes features such as request handling, routing, templating, debugging, and security. It also
has a built-in development server, supports HTTP and WebSocket protocols, and can be easily
extended with third-party extensions.
The main difference between Flask and Django is that Flask is a microframework while Django is a
full-stack framework. Flask is minimalistic and lightweight, while Django provides a full set of
features, including an ORM, admin interface, and built-in authentication system.
You can install Flask using pip, the Python package manager. Open a command prompt or terminal
and type "pip install flask".
The Flask route decorator is used to map a URL route to a function in a Flask application. It defines
the URL pattern that should trigger the associated function.
You can handle forms in Flask using the Flask-WTF extension, which provides a set of functions and
classes to make form handling easier. It includes features such as form validation, CSRF protection,
and field rendering.
A Flask extension is a third-party package that adds functionality to a Flask application. Extensions
can provide features such as database integration, authentication, caching, and more.
To use a Flask extension, you need to install it using pip, then import it into your Flask application and
initialize it with the app object.
Q10.What is Flask-WTF?
Flask-WTF is a Flask extension that provides support for handling web forms. It includes features such
as form validation, CSRF protection, and field rendering.
Q11.How do you create a Flask application?
To create a Flask application, you need to import the Flask module and create an instance of the
Flask class. You can then define routes, templates, and other application components.
The Flask request object is a global object that contains information about the current HTTP request,
such as the URL, method, headers, and form data.
Q13.What is Flask-RESTful?
Flask-RESTful is a Flask extension that provides support for building RESTful APIs. It includes features
such as request parsing, resource routing, and output formatting.
Q14.What is Flask-SQLAlchemy?
Flask-SQLAlchemy is a Flask extension that provides integration with the SQLAlchemy ORM. It
simplifies database integration by providing a simple interface to define database models and
interact with the database.
To use templates in Flask, you need to create a templates directory in your Flask project and place
your HTML templates in it. You can then use the render_template function to render the template
and pass data to it.
Q16.What is Jinja2?
Jinja2 is a template engine used in Flask and other web frameworks. It provides a simple, yet
powerful syntax for rendering HTML templates.
The Flask context is a container object that holds information about the current application context,
request context, and other important data related to a Flask application. It allows you to access data
that is relevant to the current request or application context, such as the current request object or
the current app configuration.
Q18.What is the difference between the Flask app context and request context?
The Flask app context is a global context that represents the current Flask application. It is created
when the application starts up and is shared across all requests. The Flask request context, on the
other hand, is created for each individual request and contains information specific to that request,
such as the current request object.
You can access the Flask app context using the app_context() method of the Flask object. This
method returns a context object that you can use to access global application data.
You can access the Flask request context using the request_context() method of the Flask object. This
method returns a context object that you can use to access request-specific data.
Q21.What is Flask-Migrate?
Flask-Migrate is a Flask extension that provides support for database migrations using the Alembic
migration engine. It simplifies the process of updating database schemas as your application evolves.
To use Flask-Migrate, you need to install it using pip, then initialize it in your Flask application using
the migrate command. You can then use the migrate command to create, apply, and manage
database migrations.
Q23.What is Flask-Login?
Flask-Login is a Flask extension that provides support for user authentication and session
management. It simplifies the process of handling user login and logout, and provides a secure way
to manage user sessions.
To use Flask-Login, you need to install it using pip, then import it into your Flask application and
initialize it with the app object. You can then use the login_required decorator to require
authentication for certain views.
Q25.What is Flask-Session?
Flask-Session is a Flask extension that provides support for server-side session management. It allows
you to store session data on the server instead of in client-side cookies, which can improve security
and performance.
To use Flask-Session, you need to install it using pip, then import it into your Flask application and
initialize it with the app object. You can then use the session object to read and write session data.
Q27.What is Flask-RESTPlus?
Flask-RESTPlus is a Flask extension that provides support for building RESTful APIs with Swagger
documentation. It includes features such as request parsing, resource routing, and output
formatting, as well as automatic generation of API documentation.
To use Flask-RESTPlus, you need to install it using pip, then import it into your Flask application and
initialize it with the app object. You can then define API resources and models using the Flask-
RESTPlus syntax.
Q29.What is Flask-Babel?
Flask-Babel is a Flask extension that provides support for internationalization and localization. It
allows you to translate your Flask application into multiple languages and formats.
Q32.What is Flask-Mail?
Flask-Mail is a Flask extension that provides support for sending email from your Flask application. It
simplifies the process of sending email by providing a simple interface and supporting multiple email
backends.
To use Flask-Mail, you need to install it using pip, then import it into your Flask application and
initialize it with the app object. You can then create email messages using the Message class and
send them using the Flask-Mail send() method.
Q33.What is Flask-WTF?
Flask-WTF is a Flask extension that provides support for building web forms with validation and CSRF
protection. It simplifies the process of building and processing forms, and includes support for
common form elements and validators.
To use Flask-WTF, you need to install it using pip, then import it into your Flask application and
initialize it with the app object. You can then define forms using the Flask-WTF syntax and use them
in your views.
Q35.What is Flask-Security?
Flask-Security is a Flask extension that provides support for user authentication, password hashing,
and role-based access control. It simplifies the process of securing your Flask application by providing
a simple interface and supporting common security features.
To use Flask-Security, you need to install it using pip, then import it into your Flask application and
initialize it with the app object. You can then use the Flask-Security decorators to secure your views
and implement role-based access control.
Q37.What is Flask-JWT-Extended?
Flask-JWT-Extended is a Flask extension that provides support for JSON Web Tokens (JWT) for user
authentication and authorization. It simplifies the process of securing your Flask application by
providing a simple interface for handling JWTs.
To use Flask-JWT-Extended, you need to install it using pip, then import it into your Flask application
and initialize it with the app object. You can then use the Flask-JWT-Extended decorators to secure
your views and implement JWT-based authentication and authorization.
Q39.What is Flask-Cache?
Flask-Cache is a Flask extension that provides support for caching data in memory, on disk, or in a
distributed cache such as Redis. It simplifies the process of caching data by providing a simple
interface and supporting multiple caching backends.
To use Flask-Cache, you need to install it using pip, then import it into your Flask application and
initialize it with the app object. You can then use the Flask-Cache decorators to cache the output of
your views or specific function calls.
Q41.What is Flask-Script?
Flask-Script is a Flask extension that provides support for command-line scripting and management
of your Flask application. It simplifies the process of running and managing your Flask application by
providing a simple interface and supporting common management tasks.
To use Flask-Script, you need to install it using pip, then import it into your Flask application and
initialize it with the app object. You can then define command-line scripts using the Flask-Script
syntax and run them using the flask command.
Q43.What is Flask-Cors?
Flask-Cors is a Flask extension that provides support for Cross-Origin Resource Sharing (CORS), which
allows your Flask application to access resources from other domains. It simplifies the process of
configuring CORS by providing a simple interface and supporting common configurations.
To use Flask-Cors, you need to install it using pip, then import it into your Flask application and
initialize it with the app object. You can then use the Flask-Cors decorators to configure CORS for
your views.
Q45.What is Flask-RESTful?
Flask-RESTful is a Flask extension that provides support for building RESTful APIs with simple syntax
and conventions. It simplifies the process of building and testing RESTful APIs by providing a simple
interface and supporting common API features.
To use Flask-RESTful, you need to install it using pip, then import it into your Flask application and
create a resource using the Flask-RESTful syntax. You can then define HTTP methods for the resource
and implement the corresponding functions to handle API requests.
Q47.What is Flask-SocketIO?
Flask-SocketIO is a Flask extension that provides support for real-time communication between the
client and server using WebSockets. It simplifies the process of building real-time applications by
providing a simple interface and supporting common WebSocket features.
Q48.How do you use Flask-SocketIO?
To use Flask-SocketIO, you need to install it using pip, then import it into your Flask application and
initialize it with the app object. You can then define SocketIO events using the Flask-SocketIO syntax
and implement the corresponding functions to handle WebSocket events.
Q49.What is Flask-GraphQL?
Flask-GraphQL is a Flask extension that provides support for building GraphQL APIs with simple
syntax and conventions. It simplifies the process of building and testing GraphQL APIs by providing a
simple interface and supporting common GraphQL features.
To use Flask-GraphQL, you need to install it using pip, then import it into your Flask application and
create a GraphQL schema using the Flask-GraphQL syntax. You can then define resolvers for the
schema and implement the corresponding functions to handle GraphQL queries and mutations.
API design is the process of making intentional decisions about how an API will allow different
software components to interact and exchange data with one another. These decisions, which are
captured in a specification format such as OpenAPI or AsyncAPI, help ensure that the API is user-
friendly and able to meet both present and future needs.
API-first design involves designing an API and its functionality at the beginning of the application
development process. When following an API-first design approach, stakeholders create APIs that will
serve as the application’s foundation and the contract between various software components,
allowing for seamless integration and collaboration.
APIs enable different software components, services, or applications to interact and share data. APIs
that are well-designed promote interoperability, efficiency, and reuse while also putting the user
experience first. This increases adoption and allows developers to build on existing solutions to
quickly and easily create modern and complex applications.
REST, which stands for Representational State Transfer, is a set of principles for creating simple,
scalable, and flexible systems that can interact and share data over a network. REST APIs are
stateless, resource-based, and leverage a standardized set of HTTP methods for client and server
communication. REST is the most popular API architectural style and the foundation of the web.
The most basic REST APIs use standard HTTP methods like POST, GET, PUT, and DELETE to perform
Create, Read, Update, and Delete (CRUD) operations on resources that are represented by URLs. An
HTTP request includes four major pieces of information:
1. Method: A standard verb that describes the action being applied to the resource, such as
POST, GET, PUT, or DELETE.
2. Uniform Resource Identifier (URI): Identifies the resource on the server. A URI, which is also
known as an API endpoint, can be either a relative or absolute path, and it may contain data
like path or query parameters. For example, /products might identify a list of
products, /products?type=book might identify books within the product list,
and /products/1234 might identify a specific book.
3. Request headers: Contain metadata about the request as key-value pairs. For instance,
these HTTP headers might include the type of client or browser, the client-supported format,
the message body format, and cache settings.
4. Request body: The payload, which is usually JSON or XML data, that is sent to the server. For
example, if you send a POST request to /products, the request body will contain the data for
the product you want to create.
1. HTTP status code: Indicates the outcome of the request, such as 200 OK for success.
2. Response headers: Contain metadata about the response, including information like the
content type, server details, and caching directives.
3. Response body: The payload that the server sends in response to the request. For example,
this could be HTML from a web page, or it might be JSON or XML data from an API.
An HTTP status code is a three-digit numeric code that a server returns as part of an HTTP response.
The code provides information about the result of the request. For example, a successful request
usually returns a 200 OK status code, while an unsuccessful request might return a 404 Not Found
status code. HTTP status codes are organized into classes: codes in the 200s are successful, 300s
indicate redirection, 400s signify a consumer or client error, and 500s point to a provider or server
error.
What are the most common HTTP status codes you see when working with REST APIs?
• 200 OK
• 201 Created
• 204 No Content
• 401 Unauthorized
• 403 Forbidden
What is a payload?
In the context of APIs, the payload is what goes in the body of the request or response. It contains
the data that is sent as part of an API request or response using a POST or GET method. The payload
contains the actual information being sent, such as JSON or XML data.
Versioning is crucial to API design because it helps maintain compatibility, offer stability, and reduce
disruptions. Versioning also enables incremental updates, supports a wide range of clients, and
fosters user and developer confidence. By isolating changes, versioning ensures that existing clients
won’t break when improvements or fixes are introduced, which allows for smooth and controlled
evolution of the API while encouraging adoption and clear communication about updates and
deprecation plans.
Good API design prioritizes the needs of API consumers while also being clear and consistent in its
naming and behavior, offering helpful error feedback, and using standard and interoperable data
formats. A well-designed API should have logical naming conventions, predictable behavior, and be
easy to understand and use. It should also evolve gradually and thoughtfully, maintaining backward
compatibility to support existing clients while allowing for incremental improvements to meet
changing requirements.
From the beginning, it’s important to establish clear design guidelines and best practices. For
instance, naming conventions, endpoint structures, HTTP methods, and response formats should all
be standardized. Additionally, conducting regular design reviews, using linting to validate that design
conventions are followed, providing clear API documentation, and fostering communication among
the development team contribute to maintaining consistency throughout the API’s lifecycle.
When handling errors and exceptions in API responses, it is important to use standard error
messages that have meaningful status codes and human-readable descriptions of the problem to
help users fix the issue. For client errors (4xx), provide comprehensive error feedback all at once. For
server errors (5xx), avoid revealing sensitive system details, like OS versions, databases, or
stacktraces, while still offering clear information to help users or API developers troubleshoot.
What is the purpose of pagination in API responses, and how would you design it?
Using pagination in API responses helps clients retrieve and display large amounts of data in smaller,
more manageable chunks. Use cursor-based pagination for optimal performance, where an API
consumer navigates the data by making a request, then uses the opaque cursor from the response to
make their next request with a “next” parameter. They can also leverage a “previous” cursor to
retrieve prior data.
If it’s necessary for users to directly access a specific page within your dataset, you can implement
index-based pagination. This method separates the data into discrete pages, which clients can
request by passing in the number of the “page” as a parameter. Although it can negatively affect
performance, index-based pagination can be useful when users require exact control over page
navigation within the dataset.
The word “RESTful” describes APIs or services that adhere to REST principles. To be RESTful, a service
or API must follow the rules and best practices defined by REST, such as properly using HTTP
methods and representing resources as URLs. Being RESTful also entails hiding server
implementation details from clients, which promotes flexibility and scalability. In a RESTful design,
efficient caching techniques can also minimize unnecessary data transfers and boost performance.
RESTful APIs are known for their simplicity and scalability. They map operations to resources using
standard HTTP methods, promoting clarity and ease of use. RESTful APIs also encourage loose
coupling between clients and servers, making it easier to evolve systems over time, and they benefit
from a well-established ecosystem of tools and libraries. In addition, a REST API with a consistent
interface and smart design is inherently easy to find and use, even without extensive documentation.
RESTful APIs can encounter issues with data over-fetching or under-fetching. These problems can
often be reduced by fine-tuning the API structure for more precise data control, but they can also be
an indication of an unsuitable design. Sometimes this issue can be solved by using a different REST
API format, such as JSON:API, which allows the retrieval of specific subsets of available fields. If exact
control over data fetching is crucial, GraphQL might be a better fit.
Another disadvantage of REST is that its request-response model isn’t built for applications that
require live data. Because the client makes a request and then waits for the server to respond,
applications can’t fetch real-time data in an efficient way. RESTful APIs must also encode and decode
binary files like photos and videos before they can be sent. As a result of this overhead, timeouts
may occur when transfers become slower and demand more bandwidth.
Long-running operations are typically handled asynchronously with REST APIs. First, the client
initiates the operation and receives an identifier to track its progress. The client can then check the
status of the operation until it is finished, as the API server processes it in the background and sends
status updates or the final result via the identifier. This approach ensures that long operations do not
block the client and provides a scalable and responsive API.
“Do something” operations are those that need to be performed on a system or application but
don’t correspond to a typical CRUD operation. To perform a “do something” operation via a REST API,
you can define a resource with a noun that matches the action or the results of the action. You can
then use this resource like any other resource—for example, to perform an operation that results in a
state change or the creation of a resource, simply execute an action with the POST method and
include the action’s input data in the request body. The response should include the action’s output
data and the appropriate HTTP status code.
What tools do you consider essential for the API design process?
First and foremost, it’s essential to have a robust API design, documentation, mocking, and testing
tool such as Postman. Version control systems, such as Git, are also critical in
managing OpenAPI definitions, as they allow for efficient versioning and synchronization to track
changes over time. Additionally, linting tools help maintain code quality and consistency throughout
your API development process. Together, these tools collectively empower API developers to create
well-structured, comprehensively documented, and thoroughly tested APIs, which enhances their
usability and ease of integration.
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Basic Questions
o WSGI (Web Server Gateway Interface) is a standard for Python web application
development. Flask uses WSGI to communicate with the server.
o The Flask class is the core component of Flask. It creates an application instance that
handles requests and maps URLs to view functions.
Intermediate Questions
o Flask uses the @app.route() decorator to define routes for specific URLs. These
routes link a URL to a Python function.
o Blueprints allow you to organize your application into smaller, modular components.
Each blueprint can handle its routes, templates, and static files.
9. What is the difference between app.run() and using a WSGI server like Gunicorn?
o app.run() is used for development purposes and runs the built-in development
server. For production, a WSGI server like Gunicorn is used for better performance
and reliability.
o Form data can be handled using request.form or Flask-WTF for more advanced form
handling and validation.
Advanced Questions
o Sessions in Flask are managed using the flask.session object, which is a secure way to
store information on the client-side using signed cookies.
o Flask signals are used for event-driven programming. Signals allow components to
notify each other about certain events, such as a request starting or finishing
(before_request, after_request).
o request.form: Used to access form data sent in the request body (POST method).
o Flask supports RESTful APIs using its routing and view functions. Extensions like
Flask-RESTful or Flask-Swagger can simplify API development.
o Flask handles file uploads using request.files. The uploaded file can be saved using
the save() method after checking its content type and size.
Scenario-Based Questions
o Use request.json to handle JSON input and jsonify() to send JSON responses.
Would you like more detailed explanations or examples for any of these questions?
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Here is a collection of important and effective interview questions about APIs to prepare for
technical discussions:
1. What is an API?
o Discuss the principles of REST (e.g., statelessness, resource-based URIs, and HTTP
methods).
5. What are HTTP methods, and how are they used in APIs?
o GET, POST, PUT, DELETE, PATCH, etc., and their specific use cases.
o 200 (OK), 201 (Created), 204 (No Content), 400 (Bad Request), 401 (Unauthorized),
403 (Forbidden), 404 (Not Found), 500 (Internal Server Error).
o Methods like GET, PUT, and DELETE that can be called multiple times without
changing the result.
o Rate limiting controls the number of requests a client can make to an API to prevent
abuse and ensure fairness.
o An API gateway manages and routes API requests, handles rate limiting,
authentication, and other cross-cutting concerns.
o Webhooks push information to the client based on events, while APIs require the
client to pull data.
21. What is a microservices architecture, and how do APIs play a role in it?
o GraphQL allows clients to request only the data they need and provides a single
endpoint for querying.
Scenario-Based Questions
o Discuss endpoints like /products, /cart, /orders, and include authentication, rate
limiting, and pagination.
o Use appropriate HTTP status codes and provide meaningful error messages in a
standardized format.
29. How would you migrate an API to a new version without breaking existing clients?
30. How would you monitor the health and performance of an API in production?
o Use monitoring tools like Prometheus, Grafana, or APM tools (New Relic, Datadog) to
track metrics, latency, and uptime.