How And Ways to Step-up Your Game in The Python Programming Arena
What Is Python?
How great would it be to develop (write) your own computer program? Or design a web or desktop application that millions of people could enjoy? Both are possible if you learn to code in Python.
Python is the very versatile, object-oriented programming language used by start-ups and tech giants, Google, Facebook, Dropbox, and IBM. Python is also recommended for aspiring young developers who are interested in pursuing careers in Security, Networking, and Internet-of-Things.
Python is an interpreted, object-oriented, high-level programming language with dynamic semantics. Its high-level built in data structures, combined with dynamic typing and dynamic binding, make it very attractive for Rapid Application Development, as well as for use as a scripting or glue language to connect existing components together.
Python is an interpreted, object-oriented, high-level programming language with dynamic semantics. Python emphasizes readability which is simple and easy to learn syntax, and therefore it’s an ideal coding language for those who want rapid development.
Python’s simple, easy to learn syntax emphasizes readability and therefore reduces the cost of program maintenance.
Python supports modules and packages, which encourages program modularity and code reuse. The Python interpreter and the extensive standard library are available in source or binary form without charge for all major platforms, and can be freely distributed.
Often, programmers fall in love with Python because of the increased productivity it provides. Since there is no compilation step, the edit-test-debug cycle is incredibly fast.
Debugging Python programs is easy: a bug or bad input will never cause a segmentation fault. Instead, when the interpreter discovers an error, it raises an exception. When the program doesn’t catch the exception, the interpreter prints a stack trace.
A source level debugger allows inspection of local and global variables, evaluation of arbitrary expressions, setting breakpoints, stepping through the code a line at a time, and so on. The debugger is written in Python itself, testifying to Python’s introspective power.
On the other hand, often the quickest way to debug a program is to add a few print statements to the source: the fast edit-test-debug cycle makes this simple approach very effective.
How And Ways to Step-up Your Game in The Python Programming Arena
Reading ‘how-to’ tutorials for beginners on the internet is an effective way to get a good grip on the basics of programming, specifically, coding. But as you move forward and get constantly directed to more ‘how-to’ blogs, you’re going to eventually ask, “where do I go from here?”.
As programmers, it’s quite common to have that “as long as it works” mentality.
It doesn’t matter how it looks, as long as it works. It doesn’t matter how long or short, as long as it works.
But you also know that programming is not just all about that. It is also about coding efficiently and making it readable. Not just for machines but also for other programmers. In short, there are more ways to step-up your game in the Python programming arena.
Start with these 7 simple ways:
1. Remember the Python built-in functions.
Python comes with many functions that even master Python coders are probably not able to memorize all. But it would make your coding a lot easier if you could make the most of these built-ins.
In an estimate, a programmer might be needing approximately 25-30 essential functions to make a code running. But don’t be afraid to use more. Here is a list of built-in functions that beginners often miss:
? sum- returns the sum of specified iterable numbers
? enumerate- useful for counting upward while looping over an iterable
? zip- used for looping over multiple iterables at the same time
? bool- checks the truthiness of a Python object
? float- convert integers to floating-point numbers
? sorted- returns specified iterables in a new ordered list
? min and max- returns that min and max of iterables
? breakpoint- a Python debugger that pauses the execution of your code
It is common programmers advice to import all the modules you will be using for your project at the very beginning. You probably follow it religiously, and even sorting them alphabetically.
2. Use Python’s latest releases
Python is a well-maintained machine. So, you could expect updates and releases from time to time. The developers in the Python community are dedicated to making each update more optimized than before.
However, you should be very careful with upgrading to the latest version and make sure that your favorite libraries are compatible with the updates.
3. Be friends with GitHub and Stack Overflow
Reading can greatly improve your coding skills. And GitHub is a place to find really good stuff to read and projects to practice on. GitHub is full of other programmers’ code, programmers from beginners to experts. And you might find it exciting and helpful to learn how these programmers are writing and solving problems with their code.
In the same way, Stack Overflow can be your best friend when you are coding. Especially when you encounter an error you can’t seem to solve on your own. Stack Overflow is overflowing with the answers to most of your questions.
4. Import modules… but not all at once
It is a common programmer advice to import all the modules you will be using for your project at the very beginning. You probably follow it religiously, and even sorting them alphabetically.
But as you go on, you might find it easier to only upload modules as you need them. This way all the modules won’t take so much time to load during startup and can reduce peaks of memory usage.
5. Avoid using global variables
Python is generally faster in retrieving local variables than global ones. Simple, this is another way to boost your coding efficiency. This can also help you avoid unnecessary memory usage and help you keep track of your scopes.
6. Experiment
You know how hard it is to withdraw from your current and most used coding technique. However, experimenting will allow you to discover better techniques, especially when your current technique is not working really well for you.
Besides, programming is a continuous process of learning. So, experimenting can encourage you to be more innovative and creative.
7. Use Python performance tool
There are more, a lot more ways to improve your code and your future projects. Which you’ll find out as you go along your Python journey. Sometimes, you’ll find them very helpful, but you’ll never really know how helpful (or sometimes harmful) it is for your project until it goes to production. Luckily, some tools can help you with this. Profiling and performance tools can help you see how your code will perform in production, as well as error tracking and server metrics.
When you are in a path of mastering something, there could be a couple of self-doubts that you might encounter. You might be feeling too tired of learning new techniques and might think of just going back to the old “as long as it works” habit.
And although this might really work for you, it may not be enough.
Every day, hundreds of motivated people are out there on the internet, boot camps, and conferences to learn how to be a programmer or how to be better at what they do. And if basic knowledge is already good enough for you, sadly, you might be left behind. So, step out of your comfort zone. And step up your Python game.
Why is Python so popular?
Python is the third most popular programming language in the world, behind only Java and C according to the TIOBE index. Python’s popularity can be attributed to the following factors:
? Ease of use
? Simple syntax
? Versatility
What is Python used for?
1. Data Analytics
Python programming is utilized in data analytics, which is a rapidly growing field. There is a demand for those who can collect, manipulate, and organize data at a time when we are creating more data than ever before.
2. AI And Machine Learning
Python is ideal for many machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI) projects due to its reliable, flexible, and simple programming language. In fact, there are lots of Python machine learning and AI libraries and packages available among the favourite programming languages by data scientists.
3. Web Development
Python is an excellent programming language for web development. This is largely owing to the several Python web development frameworks available, including Django, Pyramid, and Flask. Sites and services like Spotify, Reddit, and Mozilla have all made use of these frameworks.
4. Game Development
Python has its uses in the game development industry, despite the fact that it is far from being an industry standard. It’s possible to create simple games using the programming language, which means it can be a useful tool for quickly developing a prototype.
5. Finance
Python is becoming more widely used in finance, particularly in fields such as quantitative and qualitative analysis. It can be a useful tool for predicting asset price trends and automating workflows across multiple data sources, as well as determining asset price trends and predictions.
SEE ALSO : BUSINESS BENEFITS OF CHOOSING PYTHON
Hope this post on How And Ways to Step-up Your Game in The Python Programming Arena helps?