Whether you’re a beginner or an expert, these best practices will help you write cleaner and more efficient code that won’t make anyone cringe when they see it.
To set the stage: naming conventions. This might seem like common sense, but trust us there are some Python coders out there who still think “my_var” is a good name for a variable. Here’s the deal: use descriptive names that accurately reflect what your code does. For example, instead of calling it `x`, call it `total_number_of_apples`. This might seem like overkill at first, but trust us it will save you time and headaches in the long run.
Another important best practice is to use comments. Yes, we know what you’re thinking: “But isn’t Python supposed to be easy enough that I don’t need comments?” The answer is yes…but also no. Comments can help clarify your code for other developers (or future versions of yourself), and they can make it easier to understand what each line does. Plus, if you ever have to come back to a project months or years later, trust us you’ll be glad you added comments.
Speaking of making things easier on others: avoid using global variables whenever possible. Instead, use local variables that are scoped within your function. This will help prevent conflicts and make it easier for other developers (or future versions of yourself) to understand what each variable does. Plus, it’s just cleaner code overall.
Now docstrings. These are essentially comments that go inside functions or classes, and they can be incredibly helpful when you’re working on a large project with multiple contributors. Docstrings should include information about the function’s input parameters, output values, and any side effects it might have. They should also provide an explanation of what the function does and why it was written that way.
Finally, testing. This is another area where Python shines thanks to its built-in unittest module, you can easily write tests for your code. Testing is important because it helps catch bugs early on in development, which means less time spent debugging and more time spent writing awesome code.
Remember to use descriptive variable names, add comments where necessary, avoid global variables whenever possible, write docstrings, and test your code thoroughly. And if all else fails…just remember that the cool kids are watching!