Compare Version Numbers | Dataford Interview Questions

How would you compare two version numbers when they are provided as strings? Implement a function that returns -1 if the first version is smaller, 1 if it is larger, and 0 if they are equal. Versions contain one or more nonnegative integer components separated by periods; leading zeros do not affect numeric value, and missing trailing components count as zero. For example, 1.01 equals 1.001, while 1.0.1 is greater than 1.

Constraints

1 <= len(version1), len(version2) <= 1000
Each version contains 1 to 1000 components
Each component is a nonnegative integer with at most 9 digits
Components are separated by a single period
Return only -1, 0, or 1

Function Signature

def compare_version(version1, version2):

Your question is Compare Version Numbers. Start with the requirements in the Question tab.

Run and submit as often as you like. When you're ready, talk me through your approach or go straight to the code.

Problem

Constraints

1 <= len(version1), len(version2) <= 1000
Each version contains 1 to 1000 components
Each component is a nonnegative integer with at most 9 digits
Components are separated by a single period
Return only -1, 0, or 1

Function Signature

def compare_version(version1, version2):

Your question is Compare Version Numbers. Start with the requirements in the Question tab.

Run and submit as often as you like. When you're ready, talk me through your approach or go straight to the code.