Python Best Practices for More Pythonic Code

The articles and tutorials in this section contain best practices and other “nuggets of wisdom” to help your write better, more idiomatic, and more Pythonic code.

Here you’ll find specific resources that will teach you how to idiomatically use the features of Python, what sets it apart, and how writing in Python is different than writing code in another language.

As a high-level programming language, Python offers a lot of flexibility and freedom to implement thing. This can make it challenging to pick and choose from “the right way” to do things if there are several viable approaches you can choose from.

Our goal here is to make you a better—more effective, more knowledgeable, more practical—Python developer. You’ll get the most out of these article if you already have some knowledge of Python, and you want to get to the next level.

Single and Double Underscores in Python Names

Single and Double Underscores in Python Names

intermediate best-practices python

How to Catch Multiple Exceptions in Python

How to Catch Multiple Exceptions in Python

intermediate best-practices python

SOLID Principles: Improve Object-Oriented Design in Python

Design and Guidance: Object-Oriented Programming in Python

intermediate best-practices python

How to Replace a String in Python

Replacing a String in Python

basics best-practices

What Does if __name__ == "__main__" Do in Python?

What Does if __name__ == "__main__" Mean in Python?

intermediate best-practices

Reverse Strings in Python: reversed(), Slicing, and More

Reversing Strings in Python

basics best-practices python

Python's filter(): Extract Values From Iterables

Filtering Iterables With Python

intermediate best-practices python

Python enumerate(): Simplify Looping With Counters

Python's enumerate()

Jun 23, 2023 basics best-practices

Python's Self Type: How to Annotate Methods That Return self

Python's Self Type: How to Annotate Methods That Return self

intermediate best-practices python

How to Make Engaging Programming Videos

How to Make Engaging Programming Videos

intermediate best-practices

ChatGPT: Your Personal Python Coding Mentor

ChatGPT: Your Personal Python Coding Mentor

basics best-practices

How to Publish an Open-Source Python Package to PyPI

Publishing Python Packages to PyPI

intermediate best-practices tools

SOLID Principles: Improve Object-Oriented Design in Python

SOLID Principles: Improve Object-Oriented Design in Python

intermediate best-practices python

Python's assert: Debug and Test Your Code Like a Pro

Using Python's assert to Debug and Test Your Code

intermediate best-practices python

How to Check if a Python String Contains a Substring

Check if a Python String Contains a Substring

basics best-practices

Python's del: Remove References From Scopes and Containers

Python's del: Remove References From Scopes and Containers

basics best-practices python

When Should You Use .__repr__() vs .__str__() in Python?

When Should You Use .__repr__() vs .__str__() in Python?

intermediate best-practices

Executing Python Scripts With a Shebang

Executing Python Scripts With a Shebang

intermediate best-practices

How to Evaluate the Quality of Python Packages

How to Evaluate the Quality of Python Packages

intermediate best-practices

How to Check if a Python String Contains a Substring

How to Check if a Python String Contains a Substring

Feb 14, 2023 basics best-practices

How to Iterate Over Rows in pandas, and Why You Shouldn't

How to Iterate Over Rows in pandas, and Why You Shouldn't

intermediate best-practices data-science

Python's Assignment Operator: Write Robust Assignments

Python's Assignment Operator: Write Robust Assignments

intermediate best-practices python

Python's "in" and "not in" Operators: Check for Membership

Python's "in" and "not in" Operators: Check for Membership

basics best-practices python

Everyday Project Packaging With pyproject.toml

Everyday Project Packaging With pyproject.toml

intermediate best-practices tools

Refactoring: Prepare Your Code to Get Help

Refactoring: Prepare Your Code to Get Help

intermediate best-practices

Should You Update to the Latest Python Bugfix Version?

Should You Update to the Latest Python Bugfix Version?

advanced best-practices devops

Build a Tic-Tac-Toe Game Engine With an AI Player in Python

Build a Tic-Tac-Toe Game Engine With an AI Player in Python

advanced best-practices gamedev gui projects python

How to Add Python to PATH

How to Add Python to PATH

basics best-practices devops

When Do You Use an Ellipsis in Python?

When Do You Use an Ellipsis in Python?

intermediate best-practices

How to Replace a String in Python

How to Replace a String in Python

basics best-practices

How to Build Command Line Interfaces in Python With argparse

Building Command Line Interfaces With argparse

intermediate best-practices

Python's property(): Add Managed Attributes to Your Classes

Managing Attributes With Python's property()

intermediate best-practices python

Custom Python Dictionaries: Inheriting From dict vs UserDict

Custom Python Dictionaries: Inheriting From dict vs UserDict

intermediate best-practices data-structures python

Using the "and" Boolean Operator in Python

Using the Python and Operator

basics best-practices python

How Can You Emulate Do-While Loops in Python?

How Can You Emulate Do-While Loops in Python?

basics best-practices python

LBYL vs EAFP: Preventing or Handling Errors in Python

LBYL vs EAFP: Preventing or Handling Errors in Python

intermediate best-practices python

Level Up Your Skills With the Real Python Slack Community

Level Up Your Skills With the Real Python Slack Community

best-practices community

How to Publish an Open-Source Python Package to PyPI

How to Publish an Open-Source Python Package to PyPI

intermediate best-practices tools

Why Is It Important to Close Files in Python?

Why Is It Important to Close Files in Python?

intermediate best-practices

Python's assert: Debug and Test Your Code Like a Pro

Python's assert: Debug and Test Your Code Like a Pro

intermediate best-practices python

Python's all(): Check Your Iterables for Truthiness

Python's all(): Check Your Iterables for Truthiness

basics best-practices python

Python enumerate(): Simplify Looping With Counters

Looping With Python enumerate()

basics best-practices

Python Best Practices Artwork

Writing Idiomatic Python

basics best-practices python

The Walrus Operator: Python's Assignment Expressions

Python Assignment Expressions and Using the Walrus Operator

intermediate best-practices

Reverse Strings in Python: reversed(), Slicing, and More

Reverse Strings in Python: reversed(), Slicing, and More

basics best-practices python

Pass by Reference in Python: Background and Best Practices

Pass by Reference in Python: Best Practices

intermediate best-practices python

Using the "and" Boolean Operator in Python

Using the "and" Boolean Operator in Python

basics best-practices python

The Python return Statement: Usage and Best Practices

Using the Python return Statement Effectively

basics best-practices python