Python Automation for IT Practice Exam

What the Python Automation for IT exam covers

• Python Scripting Foundations for Automation158 questions
• Files, Data Formats, and Text Processing168 questions
• OS, Process, and Task Automation163 questions
• APIs, Web, and Cloud Automation164 questions
• Network Automation, Testing, and CI/CD158 questions

Free Python Automation for IT practice test questions

A sample of 10 questions with answers and explanations. Sign up free to practice all 811.

1. Question 1Python Scripting Foundations for Automation

   What does the following script print? nums = [1, 2, 3, 4] print([n * n for n in nums if n % 2 == 0])

   • A[4, 16]Correct
   • B[1, 4, 9, 16]
   • C[2, 4]
   • D[1, 9]
   ✓ Correct answer: A

   The comprehension keeps only even values (2 and 4) because of the if filter, then squares each survivor, giving 4 and 16.

   Why the other options are wrong

   • BThat squares every element and ignores the if filter that keeps only even numbers.
   • CThat keeps the even numbers but forgets to square them in the expression part.
   • DThat squares the odd numbers, which is the opposite of the n % 2 == 0 filter.
2. Question 2Python Scripting Foundations for AutomationSelect all that apply

   Select TWO ways to make a Python CLI script exit with a nonzero status a shell can detect.

   • ACall sys.exit(1)Correct
   • BRaise SystemExit(2)Correct
   • CCall sys.exit(0)
   • DReturn 1 from a helper function
   ✓ Correct answer: A, B

   sys.exit(n) and raising SystemExit(n) both terminate the interpreter with that status; any nonzero value signals failure to the calling shell.

   Why the other options are wrong

   • CExit code 0 signals success, not failure.
   • DReturning a value from a function does not set the process exit status.
3. Question 3Files, Data Formats, and Text Processing

   What does the following script print? from pathlib import Path print(Path('logs/app.log').parent)

   • AlogsCorrect
   • Bapp.log
   • Clogs/app.log
   • D.
   ✓ Correct answer: A

   Path.parent returns the path without its final component, so the parent of logs/app.log is logs.

   Why the other options are wrong

   • Bapp.log is the final component (p.name), which parent strips off rather than returns.
   • Cparent removes the last component, so it does not return the full original path.
   • DA single dot is the parent only for a bare file name with no directory part.
4. Question 4Files, Data Formats, and Text Processing

   What does this script print? from pathlib import Path p = Path("report.txt") print(p.with_suffix(".csv"))

   • Areport.csvCorrect
   • Breport.txt.csv
   • Creport
   • D.csv
   ✓ Correct answer: A

   with_suffix replaces the existing extension with the new one, turning report.txt into report.csv.

   Why the other options are wrong

   • Bwith_suffix swaps the extension rather than appending a second one.
   • CThe stem is kept and given the new extension, so it is not stripped to report.
   • DThe file stem report is preserved in front of the new extension.
5. Question 5OS, Process, and Task Automation

   Which call creates a nested directory and does not raise if the path already exists?

   • APath('out/logs').mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)Correct
   • BPath('out/logs').mkdir(parents=True)
   • CPath('out/logs').mkdir()
   • Dos.mkdir('out/logs')
   ✓ Correct answer: A

   parents=True creates any missing intermediate directories, and exist_ok=True suppresses the error when the target already exists, making the call idempotent.

   Why the other options are wrong

   • BWithout exist_ok=True it raises FileExistsError when the directory already exists.
   • CThis has neither flag, so it fails on a missing parent and on an existing target.
   • Dos.mkdir creates only a single level and raises if the parent is missing or the path exists.
6. Question 6OS, Process, and Task Automation

   What does this script print? import os os.environ["STAGE"] = "prod" print(os.environ.get("STAGE"))

   • AprodCorrect
   • BNone
   • CSTAGE
   • DKeyError
   ✓ Correct answer: A

   Assigning to os.environ sets the variable for this process, so the following get returns the value just stored, 'prod'.

   Why the other options are wrong

   • BNone appears only when the key is absent, but it was just assigned.
   • Cget returns the value, not the key name.
   • DThe key exists after assignment, so no lookup error occurs.
7. Question 7APIs, Web, and Cloud Automation

   You need to POST a JSON body and have the Content-Type set to application/json automatically. Which call is correct?

   • Arequests.post(url, json=payload)Correct
   • Brequests.post(url, data=payload)
   • Crequests.post(url, body=payload)
   • Drequests.post(url, params=payload)
   ✓ Correct answer: A

   The json argument encodes the object as JSON and adds the application/json Content-Type header automatically.

   Why the other options are wrong

   • Bdata= sends form-encoded content and does not set a JSON content type.
   • Cbody is not a valid requests parameter.
   • Dparams adds URL query string values, not a request body.
8. Question 8APIs, Web, and Cloud Automation

   True or False: A requests.Session reuses the underlying TCP connection and persists headers across multiple calls to the same host.

   • ATrueCorrect
   • BFalse
   ✓ Correct answer: A

   A Session keeps a connection pool so repeat calls reuse sockets, and any headers or auth set on it apply to every request it sends.

   Why the other options are wrong

   • BIt is not False; connection reuse and persistent headers are the main reasons to use a Session.
9. Question 9Network Automation, Testing, and CI/CD

   Which decorator runs one test function against several input and expected-value pairs?

   • A@pytest.mark.parametrizeCorrect
   • B@pytest.fixture
   • C@pytest.mark.skip
   • D@pytest.loop
   ✓ Correct answer: A

   @pytest.mark.parametrize names the arguments and supplies a sequence of value tuples, and pytest runs the decorated test once per tuple as its own separately reported case. This replaces copy-pasting near-identical tests and makes clear exactly which input failed.

   Why the other options are wrong

   • B@pytest.fixture supplies a single reusable dependency to a test; it does not iterate a test over multiple input sets.
   • C@pytest.mark.skip unconditionally skips the test, so it runs zero times rather than repeating across inputs.
   • DThere is no @pytest.loop decorator in pytest; the API for running one test over data is parametrize.
10. Question 10Network Automation, Testing, and CI/CD

    Which mock method verifies that a patched function was called exactly one time?

    • Amock.assert_called_once()Correct
    • Bmock.was_called(1)
    • Cmock.verify_once()
    • Dmock.assert_ran()
    ✓ Correct answer: A

    unittest.mock provides assert_called_once, which raises AssertionError unless the mock was called exactly one time.

    Why the other options are wrong

    • BThere is no was_called method on Mock objects.
    • CThere is no verify_once method on Mock objects.
    • DThere is no assert_ran method on Mock objects.

Who this Python Automation for IT practice exam is for

This practice set is for anyone preparing for the Python Automation for IT exam - from first-time candidates building a foundation to experienced Python practitioners doing a final review before test day. If you learn best by working through realistic questions and reading why each answer is right or wrong, it is built for you.

How to use this Python Automation for IT practice exam

1. Start with the free sample questions above to gauge your current baseline.
2. Read the full explanation on every question, including why each wrong option is wrong.
3. Track your weak domains and focus your study where you are losing the most marks.
4. Once you are scoring consistently well, take a timed, full-length mock exam.
5. Use your readiness score to decide when you are ready to book the real Python Automation for IT exam.

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• Python Automation for IT study guideKey concepts
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