10 nooby Python habits you need to?ditch

Welcome to our comprehensive guide aimed at helping Python beginners improve their coding skills and avoid common mistakes that could flag them as novices. Plus, we’re excited to offer you the chance to win one of four professional licenses for PyCharm! Just leave a comment with the hashtag #PyCharm for your chance to win.

Python, with its simplicity and readability, is a favorite among software developers. However, beginners often find themselves falling into several traps that can hinder their progress and reveal their inexperience. Whether you’re starting your Python journey or looking to refine your skills, this article is for you. Let’s dive into the top things that Python beginners often get wrong.

1. Manual String Formatting

The Mistake: Concatenating strings using the + operator. Better Approach: Use f-strings for a more readable, concise, and error-free code. Example:

2. Manually Closing a?File

The Mistake: Explicitly closing files which can lead to issues if an exception occurs before the close method is called. Better Approach: Utilize the with statement to ensure files are properly closed, even if an error occurs.

3. Using Try-Finally Instead of Context?Managers

The Mistake: Not leveraging context managers for resource management. Better Practice: Prefer context managers (with statement) for handling resources like file operations, network connections, etc., as they make code cleaner and more readable.

4. The Perils of Bare Except?Clauses

The Mistake: Using a bare except: which catches all exceptions, including keyboard interrupts. Better Practice: Catch specific exceptions or use except Exception: to avoid catching SystemExit, KeyboardInterrupt, etc.

5. Misunderstanding the Caret?Operator

The Mistake: Thinking ^ means exponentiation (it's actually bitwise XOR). Better Approach: Use the ** operator for exponentiation.

6. Default Mutable Arguments

The Mistake: Using mutable default arguments can lead to unexpected behavior due to Python’s handling of default values. Better Practice: Default to None and set to a mutable object within the function if necessary.

7. Overlooking Comprehensions:

The Mistake: Not using comprehensions to simplify code.?

Better Practice: Utilize list, dictionary, set, and generator comprehensions for concise and readable code. However, remember to use them appropriately to maintain readability.

8. Misusing Comprehensions

The Mistake: Overusing comprehensions, which can lead to less readable code. Better Practice: While comprehensions are powerful, they are not always the best choice. Use them judiciously to keep your code readable and maintainable.

9. Incorrect Type?Checking

The Mistake: Using == to check an object's type. Better Approach: Use isinstance() for type checking. It supports inheritance and is more flexible.

10. Equality vs.?Identity

The Mistake: Using == instead of is for None, True, or False checks. Better Practice: Use is for comparing with None, True, and False to check identity, not equality.

With these practices in mind, both beginners and those familiar with Python can refine their coding habits to write more efficient, readable, and Pythonic code. The journey from a Python newbie to a proficient developer is filled with learning and growth. By understanding and implementing the better practices highlighted above, you can avoid common pitfalls and improve your coding skills.

Remember, mastering Python?—?or any programming language?—?takes time, patience, and practice. Embrace the learning process, and don’t be afraid to make mistakes. They are invaluable learning opportunities that help you grow as a developer.