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Serious Python: Black-Belt Advice on Deployment, Scalability, Testing, and More

Name: Serious Python: Black-Belt Advice on Deployment, Scalability, Testing, and More
Rating: 4.0 (146 reviews)
Author: Julien Danjou

Author: Julien Danjou

4.0/5 · 100+ ratings

An indispensable collection of practical tips and real-world advice for tackling common Python problems and taking your code to the next level. Features interviews with high-profile Python developers who share their tips, tricks, best practices, and real-world advice gleaned from years of experience.

Sharpen your Python skills as you dive deep into the Python programming language with Serious Pyt…

Sharpen your Python skills as you dive deep into the Python programming language with Serious Python. You'll cover a range of advanced topics like multithreading and memorization, get advice from experts on things like designing APIs and dealing with databases, and learn Python internals to help you gain a deeper understanding of the language itself. Written for developers and experienced programmers, Serious Python brings together over 15 years of Python experience to teach you how to avoid common mistakes, write code more efficiently, and build better programs in less time.

As you make your way through the book's extensive tutorials, you'll learn how to start a project and tackle topics like versioning, layouts, coding style, and automated checks. You'll learn how to package your software for distribution, optimize performance, use the right data structures, define functions efficiently, pick the right libraries, build future-proof programs, and optimize your programs down to the bytecode. You'll also learn how to:

Make and use effective decorators and methods, including abstract, static, and class methods
Employ Python for functional programming using generators, pure functions, and functional functions
Extend flake8 to work with the abstract syntax tree (AST) to introduce more sophisticated automatic checks into your programs
Apply dynamic performance analysis to identify bottlenecks in your code
Work with relational databases and effectively manage and stream data with PostgreSQL

If you've been looking for a way to take your Python skills from good to great, Serious Python will help you get there. Learn from the experts and get seriously good at Python with Serious Python! Show more

Appears in following lists

15 Advanced Python Books: Level Up Your Skills

Reviews

Priya

★ 4/5

This Python book was a decent read, offering some genuinely fun examples. While I found myself already familiar with a good portion of the material, the organization was undeniably excellent. It's a solid choice if you're looking for a well-structured introduction or refresher.

Anya

★ 5/5

This book is a fantastic resource for anyone looking to deepen their Python skills beyond the basics. It's definitely geared towards intermediate and advanced learners, offering a solid challenge that's well worth the effort.

Anya

★ 5/5

This book is absolutely fantastic and has genuinely revolutionized my approach to Python coding. It brilliantly tackles the double-edged sword of Python's accessibility, helping me move beyond a superficial understanding I'd held for years. I've transformed a major project from messy code into a published PyPi package with auto-generated documentation, all thanks to the insights gained here. It's easily the best Python resource I've encountered since I first started programming over a decade ago; if you're a self-taught Python developer looking to level up, you absolutely must pick this up.

Anya

★ 4/5

This book dives into some neat, advanced Python features and its surrounding ecosystem. While the code examples are wonderfully concise and to the point, I found some chapters more engaging than others, which is probably down to individual project needs. The biggest drawback is its age; the Python world moves so quickly, and the frequent mentions of Python 2 to 3 migrations really date it, making those sections feel a bit irrelevant now.

Aisha

★ 4/5

This book is a solid choice for intermediate Python developers looking to deepen their understanding. It dives into Python's internals, offers practical coding tips, explores the standard library, and introduces helpful external tools. While it's not the newest publication, much of the advice remains remarkably relevant. The author's personal selection of topics means some sections might resonate more than others, but the wealth of information packed within ensures any Pythonista aiming for the next level will find it valuable. The interviews with experienced developers sprinkled throughout are a fantastic bonus!

Priya

★ 5/5

This Python book is packed with so much useful information across a broad range of subjects. While I did read it from start to finish, some of the content wasn't directly relevant to my current projects, making it a bit of a slow journey at times. Nevertheless, it's definitely a worthwhile read, and I've already found myself revisiting certain parts for guidance in my coding. I'm sure this will be a go-to resource for me for quite a while.

Liam

★ 3/5

This book felt a bit over my head, honestly. While I'm new to Python and have dabbled in programming before, it seemed geared more towards experienced developers transitioning to Python rather than absolute beginners. Some sections were definitely challenging to follow. However, I did find value in specific parts, like the excellent chapter on unit testing and the practical advice for creating APIs around existing libraries, which proved quite helpful for a personal project.

Priya

★ 5/5

This book is a gem for experienced programmers, offering a concise yet highly effective exploration of serious topics. While it's not ideal for absolute beginners to Python, those with a solid grasp of another programming language will find it incredibly insightful. The writing is clear, and the organization is top-notch, making it a valuable read.

Anya

★ 4/5

This book dives deep into Python, offering a wealth of information that might not all be relevant to your specific needs. For me, though, three chapters were an absolute treasure trove, exactly what I was hoping for. Even the sections I don't directly apply to my daily scripting work provided immense value. I wholeheartedly recommend it; the unique tips alone make it a standout resource.

Priya

★ 5/5

This book offers some genuinely useful content, even if it doesn't delve into extreme depth. It highlights critical concepts that are incredibly practical for everyday use, introducing a variety of tools and best practices for tackling specific challenges like unit testing, profiling, and understanding multithreading versus multiprocessing.

Anya

★ 3/5

This book is packed with valuable concepts, though it does come across as a bit hurried. Despite that, I'd still say it's a worthwhile read.

Anya

★ 5/5

This book is absolutely fantastic! I was impressed by how much new information I discovered in every single chapter, and the examples provided were incredibly relevant and to the point. You're guaranteed to gain a ton of knowledge by diving into this read.

Genres

Programming Computer Science Technology Nonfiction Software Technical Coding Computers Reference

Shelves

Coding Computers Software Programming Nonfiction book Computer Science Technology Julien Danjou Technical Reference

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