Bonus: Python Tips, Tricks and Best Practices

Discover various Python tips, tricks, and best practices, such as writing Pythonic code, following PEP 8 style guide, and using the Black code formatter.

By Kevin McAleer,    3 Minutes

Introduction

In addition to the basics, it’s also important to familiarize yourself with Python best practices, tips, and tricks. These can help you write more efficient, readable, and Pythonic code. This lesson will introduce you to some of these techniques.

Learning Objectives

• Understand what Pythonic code is.
• Learn about the PEP 8 style guide and the Black code formatter.
• Discover resources for further learning.

Writing Pythonic Code

Pythonic code is a term used to describe code that effectively uses Python idioms and follows widely accepted Python coding conventions. Here are a few examples of Pythonic code:

• Use list comprehensions instead of traditional for loops:

# Non-Pythonic
squares = []
for i in range(10):
    squares.append(i * i)
    
# Pythonic
squares = [i * i for i in range(10)]

• Use built-in functions and libraries:

# Non-Pythonic
def reverse_string(s):
    return s[::-1]
    
# Pythonic
from operator import itemgetter
reverse_string = itemgetter(slice(None, None, -1))

PEP 8 and the Black Code Formatter

PEP 8 is Python’s official style guide. It offers recommendations on how to format your code to make it more readable and consistent. Some recommendations include using 4 spaces per indentation level, limiting lines to a maximum of 79 characters, and using whitespace in a way that is visually clear.

Black is an uncompromising code formatter for Python. It automatically formats your code to conform to the PEP 8 style guide. It’s easy to use, and once you have it set up, you don’t have to worry about manually formatting your code anymore.

# To install Black
pip install black

# To use Black
black your_file.py

Further Learning Resources

Here are some resources for further learning:

• Python Documentation: Official Python documentation and tutorials.
• Real Python: Offers Python tutorials, articles, and other educational content.
• PyBites: Python code challenges and exercises.
• Project Euler: A series of challenging mathematical/computer programming problems.

Summary

In this lesson, you’ve learned about Python best practices, such as writing Pythonic code, following the PEP 8 style guide, and using the Black code formatter. We’ve also shared some resources for further learning. Keep exploring and practicing Python to further enhance your skills.