Pretty straightforward class design exercise.
Start by clarifying requirements: what fields a task has, how tasks are stored, and what 'formatted output' means. Then design a simple Task class with an internal collection (e.g., list) and methods to add tasks and retrieve them, ensuring clean separation of concerns. Finally, implement formatted output via a __str__ or dedicated method, and discuss trade-offs like mutability, ordering, and extensibility.
Pro tip: Mention that you'd use a list for O(1) append and preserve insertion order, but if frequent lookups or uniqueness are needed, a dict keyed by task ID might be better. Also, encapsulate the task list to prevent external mutation, returning a copy or read-only view.
Ask about task attributes (e.g., id, title, status), expected operations (add, list, maybe remove/update), and the desired format for output (e.g., string, JSON, table).
Define the class with an internal data structure (e.g., list) to store tasks, and methods like add_task and get_tasks. Consider whether tasks are represented as dicts, tuples, or separate objects.
Override __str__ or provide a method like format_tasks that returns a human-readable string, such as one task per line with aligned columns or bullet points.
Talk about time complexity of operations, thread safety, persistence, and how to handle invalid input or empty task lists.
Mention writing unit tests for adding tasks, retrieving them, and formatting output, and be prepared to extend the design if requirements change.
AI-generated suggestions, not part of the candidate's original notes. May be inaccurate — verify before relying on them.