16. PEP 8 Compliance

Additional Tips:

• Avoid using import *: This is discouraged because it can lead to namespace pollution.

• Use triple quotes for multi-line strings: This is a good practice for strings that span multiple lines.

By adhering to PEP 8, you can write Python code that is clean, readable, and consistent, improving maintainability and collaboration.

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1. Import Statements

PEP 8 recommends grouping imports into three categories: standard library imports, third-party imports, and local application imports. They should be separated by a blank line.

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# Standard library imports
import os
import sys

# Third-party imports
import requests

# Local application imports
from my_module import my_function

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2. Variable Naming

PEP 8 recommends using lowercase words separated by underscores for variable names, with an exception for class names, which should use the CapitalizedWords convention.

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# Correct variable naming
my_variable = 10
my_long_variable_name = 20

# Correct class naming
class MyClass:
    pass

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3. Function Naming

Function names should be written in lowercase, with words separated by underscores.

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def calculate_area(radius):
    return 3.14 * radius * radius

# Calling the function
area = calculate_area(5)

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4. Indentation

PEP 8 recommends using 4 spaces per indentation level.

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def greet(name):
    if name:
        print(f"Hello, {name}!")
    else:
        print("Hello, World!")

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5. Line Length

PEP 8 recommends limiting lines to 79 characters. If a line is longer, break it into multiple lines.

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# Correct line length
long_string = (
    "This is a really long string that we are going to split into "
    "multiple lines to comply with PEP 8."
)

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6. Blank Lines

PEP 8 suggests using two blank lines before class and function definitions and one blank line between methods in a class.

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class MyClass:
    def __init__(self):
        pass
    
    def my_method(self):
        pass


def another_function():
    pass

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7. Spaces in Expressions and Statements

PEP 8 advises using spaces around operators and after commas, but not before parentheses or indexing brackets.

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# Correct spacing
a = 10 + 20
b = [1, 2, 3, 4]
c = (x * y for x, y in zip(range(3), range(4)))

# Incorrect spacing
a =10+20
b =[1,2,3,4]

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8. Commenting Code

PEP 8 encourages writing comments that explain "why" rather than "what." Comments should be in full sentences and should start with a capital letter.

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# Correct comment
def add(x, y):
    # This function returns the sum of x and y
    return x + y

# Incorrect comment
def add(x, y):
    # add x and y
    return x + y

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9. Docstrings for Functions and Methods

PEP 8 recommends using docstrings to document all public classes and functions. The docstring should summarize the function's behavior and list its arguments and return values.

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def add(a, b):
    """
    Add two numbers together.
    
    Parameters:
    a (int or float): The first number.
    b (int or float): The second number.

    Returns:
    int or float: The sum of the two numbers.
    """
    return a + b

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10. Consistent Use of self in Class Methods

PEP 8 specifies that the first argument of an instance method in a class should always be self, while the first argument of a class method should always be cls.

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class MyClass:
    def instance_method(self, param):
        print(f"Instance method called with {param}")
    
    @classmethod
    def class_method(cls, param):
        print(f"Class method called with {param}")

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