python-guidelines

Python Guidelines

Integrate into existing code. Don't append to it.

Simple is better than complex. Flat is better than nested. Errors should never pass silently. Unless explicitly silenced. If the implementation is hard to explain, it's a bad idea.

-- The Zen of Python (PEP 20)

Code Philosophy

• Match existing naming, importing, and signature patterns. Use existing utilities and data structures.
• Functions have a single purpose. Don't hardcode behavior that makes them less general.
• No trivial wrappers for 2 lines or less. Inline it.
• Inline single-use variables at the usage site.
• No try/except unless critical. Let errors surface.
• No duplicate code.
• Functions handle their own input validation. No if-else checks in main.
• Use pathlib, not os.path.
• Consider API and time costs for MongoDB/Gemini/OpenAI/Claude/Voyage.

Don't do this:

# Generate comment report only if requested
if include_comments:
    comment_report = generate_comments_report(start_date, end_date, team, verbose)
else:
    comment_report = ""
    print("   Skipping comment analysis (disabled)")

Do this:

comment_report = generate_comments_report(start_date, end_date, team, verbose) if include_comments else ""

Ask yourself: "Am I adding code, or integrating into what exists?"

Simplicity Over Abstraction

YAGNI: You Aren't Gonna Need It.

Don't build for hypothetical future requirements. Add complexity only when the current task demands it.

Avoid:

• Abstract base classes for a single implementation
• Configuration options nobody asked for
• Error handling for impossible scenarios
• Wrapper classes around a single function
• Dependency injection when direct calls work
• Generic type parameters for one concrete type

Three similar lines of code is better than a premature abstraction. Refactor when the third real use case appears, not before.

But simplicity does not mean chaos. Always maintain:

• Clear function names that describe what they do
• Logical grouping of related code into modules
• Consistent naming conventions across the project
• Clean separation between I/O and logic
• Explicit parameters over global state or side effects

Ask yourself: "Is this abstraction solving a problem I have right now, or one I'm imagining?"

Environment

• Package manager: uv (NOT pip)
• Virtual env: source .venv/bin/activate or uv run python -c "..."
• 3rd party packages: Find source with python -c "import pkg; print(pkg.__file__)", then Read.

Testing Discipline

Never assume anything. Run python -c "..." to verify hypotheses about code behavior, package functions, or data structures before suggesting a plan or exiting plan mode.

Ask yourself: "Did I verify this with python -c before building on it?"

Google-Style Docstrings

• Summary: Imperative mood ("Calculate", not "Calculates")
• Args: All parameters with types and descriptions. No default values. Indent 4 spaces.
• Types: int | str unions, uppercase shapes (N, M), lowercase builtins list/dict/tuple, capitalize Any/Path
• Optional: name (type, optional): Description
• Returns: Always (type) in parentheses. Never tuple types. Separate named values for multiple returns.
• Sections: Examples (>>>), Notes, References (plaintext only). Section titles at 0 indent.
• Omit: "Returns:" if nothing returned, "Args:" if no args, "Raises:" unless critical
• Classes: Attributes section only, omit Methods/Args. Don't convert single-line to multiline.
• __init__: Args only. No Examples/Notes/Methods/References.
• Tests: Single-line docstrings only.
• Erase default values from existing arg descriptions. Optionally include minimal Examples.

Ask yourself: "Would a new developer understand this function from the docstring alone?"

Reference Files

For deeper guidance, see the reference files in references/:

• zen-of-python.md -- Full Zen of Python (PEP 20) with annotations
• google-style-guide.md -- Curated sections: exceptions, defaults, imports, naming, comments
• idiomatic-patterns.md -- 18 Python idioms with before/after code examples
• effective-python-tips.md -- Key tips from "Effective Python" by Brett Slatkin, organized by category