200-901 Software Development and Design Practice Question
A Python function is designed to fetch device data from multiple sources. It uses *args to accept variable number of API endpoints and **kwargs for optional parameters like timeout. Which function definition correctly implements this?
⚠ Common exam trap
Cisco often tests the distinction between *args (variable positional arguments) and **kwargs (variable keyword arguments), and the trap here is that candidates confuse the syntax or order, thinking **endpoints can appear before *options or that a simple parameter name like options can accept keyword arguments without the double asterisk.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
def fetch_devices(*endpoints, **options):
It uses *endpoints to accept a variable number of positional arguments (the API endpoint strings) and **options to accept any number of keyword arguments (like timeout=30). This matches the requirement for a function that can handle multiple sources with optional parameters, following Python's standard *args/**kwargs pattern.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
def fetch_devices(**endpoints, *options):
Why it's wrong here
Python requires *args before **kwargs in a definition; reversing them raises a syntax error, so the function cannot accept variable positional endpoints. It is tempting because both parameter forms are present and the intent matches the requirement, and it would be correct if written as def fetch_devices(*endpoints, **options).
- ✗
def fetch_devices(endpoints, **options):
Why it's wrong here
Positional parameters before **options means endpoints captures only one argument, so multiple API endpoints cannot be passed variably. The *args syntax is what collects them into a tuple. This definition suits a fixed single endpoint plus keyword options, not the variable-endpoint requirement.
- ✓
def fetch_devices(*endpoints, **options):
Why this is correct
The signature `def fetch_devices(*endpoints, **options)` satisfies both stem constraints: `*endpoints` collects positional API endpoint arguments into a tuple, while `**options` gathers keyword arguments such as `timeout` into a dictionary. This is the only syntax Python permits for combining arbitrary positional and keyword parameters in one definition.
- ✗
def fetch_devices(*endpoints, options):
Why it's wrong here
Placing options after *endpoints without ** makes it a positional parameter, so keyword arguments like timeout raise TypeError. The ** prefix is required to collect arbitrary keyword arguments into a dictionary. This form would suit a required positional argument following variable positional ones, not optional named parameters.
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