how to become a good python coder

Question

EDITED ALL GREAT COMMENTS - THANK YOU

I started with c++ but as we all know, c++ is a monster. I still have to take it and I do like C++ (it takes programming a step further)

However, currently I have been working with python for a while. I see how you guys can turn some long algorithm into simple one.

I know programming is a progress, and can take up to years of experience. I also know myself - I am not a natural programmer, and software engineering is not my first choice anyway. However, I would like to do heavy programming on my own, and create projects.

How can I become a better python programmer?

Thank you.

Answer 1

• Write code
• Read books, http://www.coderholic.com/free-python-programming-books/
• Read code

• Read tutorials, http://www.dabeaz.com/talks.html, ...

• Write more code

• Do exercises, e.g. http://tinyurl.com/4foex3 (Building Skills in Python)
• Write even more code
• Answer SO python questions, http://stackoverflow.com/unanswered/tagged/python

• Check (your) code occasionally, http://pypi.python.org/pypi/pylint

• Watch talks and presentations:

  • Easy AI in python,
  • Advanced python or understanding Python,
  • http://pycon.blip.tv/, ...

Answer 2

Read code. This will help you learn what works well in Python and what doesn't. As part of this, learn python idioms and the standard library.

Some examples of literature to read:

• http://ivory.idyll.org/articles/advanced-swc/
• http://python.net/~goodger/projects/pycon/2007/idiomatic/handout.html
• http://www.dabeaz.com/generators/

As for the algorithm part you mention, some specific parts of the standard library to learn include:

• itertools
• functools
• contextlib

Answer 3

The already-posted answers are great.

In addition, whenever you're coding something in Python and you start doing something that feels clumsy, take a step back and think. If you can't think of a more elegant way to do it, post it as a question on Stack Overflow. I can't count the number of times that I've seen someone reduce ten lines of Python into one (which is still perfectly easy to read and understand).

Answer 4

One suggestion is to find an open-source project in Python, and start contributing. You may ask "how can I contribute, if I'm a beginner?". One answer is "write tests". Almost any project will welcome you as a tester. Another answer is "documentation", though that is less likely to give immediate benefits.

Answer 5

in addition to suggestions pointed by "The MYYN" I would suggest use of pylint