I've been using Python for quite some time, but I often catch myself writing code in a way that's more reminiscent of JavaScript than truly embracing Python's more elegant paradigms. I'm looking for advice on how to shift my mindset and improve my Python coding style. Are there any specific tips, resources, patterns, or cheat sheets that could help me enhance my Pythonic thinking?
5 Answers
To become more Pythonic, dive into list comprehensions, generators, and libraries like `functools`, `itertools`, and `operator`. Also, don’t forget about 'Import this' for some philosophy, and make sure to check out PEP8 to improve your style. Really, it all boils down to reading and studying well-written Python code.
Familiarize yourself with the Zen of Python and let it guide your coding principles. Also, try to create or find samples of Pythonic code to analyze. Here's a video that highlights common mistakes in Python; it's a great learning tool!
LOL, or just tattoo it on yourself for constant inspiration!
Don't stress too much about being perfectly Pythonic. Sometimes, the more critical issues in your codebase are not about aesthetics but functionality. That said, getting feedback through code reviews or contributing to open-source projects can help you improve significantly.
I recommend watching the video "Beyond PEP 8 -- Best practices for beautiful intelligible code". It covers a lot of great practices that can really change your coding game. It’s a good starting point, and there are plenty of other talks you can find that expand on these ideas.
Absolutely! Raymond Hettinger has some great insights on writing idiomatic Python.
Check out the book "Fluent Python". It’s an excellent resource to help deepen your understanding of Python and write more idiomatic code.
While tools like `functools` and `itertools` are handy, I wouldn't necessarily say they're the be-all and end-all of Pythonic style.