**Widgets**: `dbutils.widgets.text("param1", "default")`; `value = dbutils.widgets.get("param1")`. In Run Now: Base parameters. For Jobs: task parameters map to widgets.
**JSON params**: `dbutils.widgets.text("params", "{}")`; `json.loads(dbutils.widgets.get("params"))` for complex config.
**Why Parameterize**: Same notebook for dev/prod; different dates, paths, env. Reproducibility and reuse.
**Scalability Trade-offs**: Too many widgets = clutter....
The complete answer continues with detailed implementation patterns, architectural trade-offs, and production-grade considerations. It covers performance optimization strategies, common pitfalls to avoid, and real-world examples from companies like Virtusa. The answer also includes follow-up discussion points that interviewers commonly explore.
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