Python Cheat Sheet — 1-page PDF
Core syntax, data structures, control flow, functions, OOP, exceptions, I/O, built-ins. The whole course on one dense, printable page for your midterm or final, with every formula typeset and worked examples where they help.
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For a specific exam: Intro to Programming (Python) Final exam study sheet.
- 1 pageUS Letter
- 10 sections10 topics
- Free previewfull sheet with Unlimited
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On the sheet
What’s on it
The topics a typical Python Programming exam tests, all on the one page.
- Data types and operators
- Strings and f-strings
- Lists, tuples, dicts, sets
- Comprehensions
- Control flow
- Functions, args, kwargs
- Classes and dunder methods
- Exceptions
- File I/O
- Common built-ins and standard library
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The free part of the sheet, section by section. Unlock the full sheet to read the rest, edit any block, and print it or save it as a PDF.
01Types & Ops
- Dynamic typing
- Names bind to objects; a variable’s type = object type, not name type.
- Core types:
int,float,bool,str,NoneType,list,tuple,dict,set - Truthiness:
False,None,0,0.0,'',[],(),{},set()are falsy ==tests value;istests identity (same object)
Arithmetic
/ true div; // floor div; % remainder; ** exponent.
Comparisons
Chained: a < b < c ≡ a < b and b < c.
Logic
Short-circuit eval; returns last evaluated operand, not always bool.
Membership
Tests containment in strings, sequences, sets, dict keys.
Bitwise
&, |, ^, ~, <<, >>
On integers; often distinct from logical ops.
Watch out:== None / != None → prefer is None / is not None. and/or precedence lower than comparisons.
02Collections
- List ops:
append,extend,insert,pop,remove,sort,reverse,copy - Tuple ops: packing/unpacking; single-item tuple needs trailing comma:
(1,) - Dict ops:
d[k],get,keys,values,items,update,pop,popitem - Set ops:
add,update,remove,discard,union,intersection,difference
Unpacking
Right side iterable length must match targets unless using starred target a, *mid, b.
Hashability
| Can be key/member? | Examples |
|---|---|
| Yes | int, str, tuple of hashables |
| No | list, dict, set |
Watch out:d[k] raises KeyError if absent; d.get(k, default) is safe. dict preserves insertion order; set does not guarantee order.
03Comprehensions
- Comprehension
- Compact syntax to build a collection from an iterable.
List comp
[expr for x in iterable if cond]
if filters items; multiple for clauses nest left-to-right.
04Functions
Parameters
positional-only, positional-or-keywordargs, keyword-onlykwargs
Defaults may be given for positional-or-keyword or keyword-only params; keyword-only come after *args or a bare *.
Return
Multiple values returned as a tuple.
*args- Extra positional args packed into a tuple.
**kwargs- Extra keyword args packed into a dict.
Call syntax
*seq unpacks sequence; **dict unpacks mapping.
- Scope: local inside function; global module scope
- Use
global xto rebind module variable;nonlocal xfor enclosing function variable - Default args evaluated once at definition time
Watch out:Mutable defaults trap: def f(x, lst=[]): ... reuses same list. Use None sentinel, then create inside.
05Classes
- Class
- Blueprint for objects; attributes hold state; methods operate on instances.
06Exceptions
Custom error
class MyError(Exception):
passWatch out:Catch specific exceptions first. Avoid bare except: unless you truly need to catch everything (incl. KeyboardInterrupt).
07File I/O
- Context manager
with open(path, mode, encoding='utf-8') as f:closes file automatically.
Open modes
r read; w overwrite; a append; x create; b binary; + update.
- Text I/O:
read(),readline(),readlines() - Write:
write(s),writelines(seq) - Iterate line-by-line:
for line in f: - Use
encoding='utf-8'unless specified otherwise
Path
from pathlib import Path
Use Path('dir') / 'file.txt' for path joining.
Ex.Write list lines to file
with open('out.txt','w',encoding='utf-8') as f:\n f.writelines(lines)
Watch out:read() loads whole file into memory; for large files prefer iteration or chunked reads.
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Also on the full Python Programming sheet
8 more sections, with every definition, formula and worked example. Unlimited unlocks every full sheet in the library to edit, print or save as a PDF, and makes unlimited sheets from your own notes.
Strings
- String
- Common methods
- f-string
- Formatting mini-table
Collections
- List
- Tuple
- Dict
- Set
Comprehensions
- Set comp
- Dict comp
- Generator expr
Control Flow
- If
- For
- While
- Loop control
- Range
Functions
- Function
Classes
- Instance method
- Constructor
- Common dunders
Exceptions
- Exception
- Raise
- Try/except
Built-ins
- Common built-ins
- Stdlib picks
- Useful stdlib
FAQ
Questions
About the Python Programming sheet and making your own.
- What does this Python Programming cheat sheet cover?
- It has 10 sections: Types & Ops, Strings, Collections, Comprehensions, Control Flow, Functions, Classes, Exceptions, File I/O and Built-ins. Together they cover the topics a typical Python Programming exam tests, including data types and operators, strings and f-strings, lists, tuples, dicts, sets and comprehensions.
- Is the python cheat sheet free?
- The first part is free to read on this page, with no account needed. The full sheet opens in the app with Unlimited ($4.99 a month or $19 for a semester), where you can edit it, print it or save it as a PDF. It is one US Letter page and prints cleanly in black and white or colour.
- Can I bring this Python Programming cheat sheet to my exam?
- Only if your course allows a note sheet, so check the syllabus. This one is a single US Letter page. If your exam allows a different size, such as a 3x5 or 4x6 index card or one page front and back, Cheat Sheet AI makes one at exactly that size from your own lecture notes.
- How accurate is it?
- The sheet was written by our engine from a standard course outline, then a second model fact-checked every formula and statement against it; it corrected 2 statements before publishing. Notation and emphasis vary between courses, so check it against your own lecture notes.
- Can I make a Python Programming sheet from my own notes?
- Yes. Upload your lecture slides, notes or study guide and Cheat Sheet AI writes a sheet in your course's notation, sized to exactly the space your exam allows. Your first sheets are free.
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