Programming Foundations with DevOps - Review Flashcards

Vocabulary practice flashcards covering data manipulation, file handling, functions, DevOps, Docker, and control structures based on the lecture notes.

Python Dictionary

A built-in data structure that stores information as unique key-value pairs enclosed in curly braces, allowing data access using meaningful names instead of numeric positions.

CRUD Operations

An acronym representing the four basic data manipulation functions: Create, Read, Update, and Delete.

JSON

A flexible, text-based data format structured as key-value pairs that supports numbers, strings, arrays, objects, and booleans, widely used for APIs and application data exchange.

CSV

A plain-text data format structured in rows and columns with comma-separated values, best suited for spreadsheet data and simple tabular storage.

CSV vs JSON

CSV stores tabular data in rows and columns with smaller file sizes but no nested data support, whereas JSON supports nested key-value pairs, complex application data types, and heavy API usage.

Relational Database (SQL)

A database system that stores structured data in tables composed of rows and columns with a fixed schema, ensuring high data integrity (e.g., PostgreSQL, MySQL, SQLite).

NoSQL Database

A database system that stores semi-structured or unstructured data flexibly as documents (such as JSON-like objects) with a flexible schema (e.g., MongoDB, CouchDB, DynamoDB).

SQL vs NoSQL

SQL databases use structured tables and fixed schemas (e.g., PostgreSQL), while NoSQL databases use flexible document-based storage and dynamic schemas (e.g., MongoDB).

Python Dictionary Methods

Built-in functions for manipulating dictionaries, including keys() to get dictionary keys, values() for values, items() for key-value tuple pairs, and update() to merge key-value pairs from another dictionary.

Python List (Array)

A built-in sequence data structure that stores multiple ordered, mutable elements of heterogeneous data types using zero-based indexing.

Shallow Copy vs Deep Copy

A shallow copy creates a new list object but retains references to inner nested mutable objects, while copy.deepcopy() creates a completely independent clone including all nested structures.

File Handling Modes

Modes specified in open() defining file access behavior: 'r' (read-only default), 'r+' (read/write), 'w' (write-only overwrite/create), 'w+' (write/read overwrite), 'a' (append), and 'b' (binary).

File Read Methods

Methods for reading files in Python: read() reads all content into a single string, readline() reads a single line up to a specified size, and readlines() returns a list containing each line in the file.

DRY Principle

"Don't Repeat Yourself" - A software development practice focused on reducing code duplication by reusing functions and centralizing logic in a single place.

KISS Principle

"Keep It Simple" - A programming principle advocating clear, simple solutions and prioritizing code readability over complex or clever constructs.

IPO Model

A software structuring model that divides program execution into three distinct steps: Input, Process, and Output.

Function

A block of organized, reusable code used to perform a single, related action.

Formal Arguments

The parameter names listed inside a function's definition that serve as placeholders for incoming values inside the function.

Actual Arguments

The real values or variables passed into a function when it is called.

Positional Arguments

Function arguments that are passed and matched based strictly on the position and order in which they are defined.

Keyword Arguments

Function arguments passed by explicitly naming each parameter, allowing arguments to be supplied in any order.

*args

A function argument syntax that accepts any arbitrary number of positional arguments and packs them into a tuple.

**kwargs

A function argument syntax that accepts any arbitrary number of keyword arguments and packs them into a dictionary.

Local Variable Scope

The accessibility boundary of variables declared inside a function, which come to life when the function is called and disappear when function execution ends.

Procedural Design

The process of planning the workflow, inputs, steps, and outputs needed to solve a problem prior to writing actual code.

Python Module

A text file containing definitions of functions, classes, variables, or constants saved with a .py extension that can be imported and reused across programs.

DevOps

A culture and practice where developers build applications with operations, deployment, and hosting in mind from Day One to bridge development and systems operations.

Environmental Drift

Deployment issues where missing OS libraries or mismatched dependency versions across machines cause applications to fail outside the local development environment.

Docker Image

An immutable, read-only frozen snapshot that packages application code, runtime, operating system libraries, and configurations into a 100% repeatable blueprint.

Docker Container

An isolated, lightweight, live running instance built directly from a Docker Image that shares system resources dynamically.

Dockerfile

A plain-text instruction manual where system specifications, base images, dependencies to install, and startup commands are declared to build a Docker Image.

Docker Registry

A central cloud repository (such as Docker Hub) where pre-built Docker Images are stored, shared, and pulled.

Docker Volume

A persistent storage mechanism that mounts host folder directories inside disposable containers to retain saved data permanently.

Control Flow

The order in which individual statements, instructions, and function calls are executed within a software program.

Sequential Control Flow

The default control flow mode where program statements are executed one after another in the exact order they appear.

Conditional Control Flow

The control flow mode where a program makes dynamic decisions and chooses execution paths based on Boolean expression truth values (using if, elif, else).

Iteration Control Flow

The repeated execution of a code block for as long as a specified condition is met or through items of a sequence (using while or for loops).

range() Function

A built-in Python function that generates a range sequence object containing integers from start up to, but not including, stop by step increments.

break Statement

A control flow statement used in loops to immediately stop loop execution when a specified condition is satisfied.

continue Statement

A control flow statement used in loops to skip remaining statements in the current iteration and proceed directly to the next iteration.