Python Style Guides - PEP 8 and PEP 257
Key to wrting clean consistent code in Python
What is PEP?
PEP stands for Python Enhancement Proposal. It is a document that describes new features or changes to the Python language, and is used as a way for the Python community to propose and discuss changes to the language. Each PEP is assigned a unique number, and is reviewed and discussed by the Python community before being implemented.
PEP 8 and why you should learn it
PEP 8 is a style guide for Python code that provides guidelines for writing readable and consistent code. It is important to understand PEP 8 because it helps to make code more maintainable and easier for others to understand.
PEP 8 covers a wide range of topics, including naming conventions, indentation, and commenting. It provides recommendations for naming variables, classes, and functions, as well as guidelines for indentation, line length, and spacing. These conventions help to make code more readable and consistent across different projects.
Additionally, PEP 8 also provides guidance on commenting, which can be especially important for large projects or projects with multiple contributors. Comments help to explain the purpose and functionality of code, making it easier for others to understand and maintain.
Overall, understanding PEP 8 is important for any Python developer because it helps to ensure that code is written in a way that is easy to read, understand, and maintain. This can save time and effort in the long run and make it easier for others to contribute to a project.
PEP 257 and why you should learn it
PEP 257, also known as "Docstring Conventions," is a Python Enhancement Proposal that lays out the conventions and guidelines for writing docstrings in Python. It provides a set of rules for formatting and structuring docstrings so that they are consistent and easy to read across different projects and libraries.
The guidelines in PEP 257 cover topics such as formatting (e.g. the use of triple quotes, capitalization, punctuation), the structure of the docstring (e.g. what information should be included, the use of sections), and examples of good and bad docstrings.
PEP 257 aims to make it easier for developers to understand the code they are working on by providing a common format for docstrings, and it also helps to ensure that the documentation is accurate and up-to-date by encouraging developers to include them in their code.
It is a widely accepted convention in the Python community, and it's followed by most of the libraries, frameworks and projects. Even the Python standard library follows the guidelines of PEP 257.
Docstrings in layman’s terms
In Python, a docstring is a string that appears as the first statement in a module, function, class, or method definition. Docstrings are used to provide documentation for the code, and can be accessed using the built-in help() function or by using the __doc__ attribute.
Docstrings are used to explain what the code does, how it should be used, and any other relevant information that would help someone understand or use the code. They are an important part of writing clear and maintainable code, as they allow others (or future versions of yourself) to understand the purpose and behavior of the code without having to read through the implementation details.
Docstrings are also used by various tools and libraries, such as IDEs and code analyzers, to provide better code navigation, suggestions and intellisense.
By convention, Python docstrings are written in triple quotes (either single or double) and they should be formatted in a way that they are easy to read and understand.
Derrick Cassidy, Coding Made Easy