I'm in the process of scaling up my Python project, shifting from a small solo effort to a larger team initiative. Currently, my project structure has over 50 modules all lumped in one directory, which makes it hard for others to navigate. The tests are scattered, imports are messy, and while it technically works, it's definitely not user-friendly for additional developers. I'm looking for advice on how to improve this setup. What folder structure works well for medium-sized Python projects? How do you decide whether to organize code by domain or by functionality like models, services, and utilities? Can you share guidelines on import rules, when to split code into packages, and how to manage configuration settings? Ultimately, I want to facilitate onboarding for new developers, reduce coupling, streamline testing, and avoid merge conflicts. What strategies or standards do you follow?
1 Answer
It's hard to give specifics without knowing what your project deals with, but here are some pointers:
- Always keep your tests in a separate folder that reflects the structure of your source code.
- Circular imports are a red flag; they usually indicate that your modules aren't properly organized. Try to avoid them entirely.
- Each module should reside in its own folder, ideally with an `__init__.py` file for clean imports.
Could you give an example of an environment management tool?