Productive Python development: How to tackle 5 common issues | TechBeacon

As my experience grew, I understood that this was a common point of pain among Python developers. No matter with whom I spoke – colleagues, strangers at a conference, or developers on web forums and mailing lists – I saw similar struggles. ... Here's how to identify and fix five common issues in your Python development setup. I experienced them all myself, and in some cases helped others through them as a colleague and team lead. If you can avoid these issues, you'll become a happier and more effective Python developer. ### 1. Don't waste time doing the compiler's job When developer brains do what computer brains can do much better then that's usually a costly mistake. One example is programmers spending time hunting bugs that could be spotted just as well by automated tools. For some reason, maybe because of Python's dynamic nature and earlier status as a "scripting" language, it's still rare to see it used with static code analysis tools and linters. … Yet, keeping that focus costs mental energy that we might then lack in other areas of our work: We get tired a little quicker in the afternoon, or introduce a tiny little extra bug with our latest commit. In my experience even small forced pauses and delays add up. Switching files in a slow editor or jumping between apps on a slow computer is frustrating. We can even apply this at a microscopic level and look into editor typing latencies. I believe these micro delays add up, too. They cost us productivity and cause frustration. … ### 4. Don't work with an unpleasant editing environment Working with tools that I don't enjoy crushes my productivity. You might know the feeling. Some tools are so frustrating to work with they zap your energy levels and motivation. What's the most important tool that you work with every day as a developer? For me it's my code editor. For some developers it might be their email client or a team chat app—but let's hope that a large part of your day is spent writing code.