Mastering Python: Best Practices for Fast and Efficient Coding

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Python is a beloved language among developers for its simplicity and versatility. However, writing efficient and clean Python code requires more than just understanding the syntax. It involves adopting best practices that enhance performance and maintainability.

In this article, we’ll explore some of the best practices for writing fast and efficient Python code, inspired by top developers’ techniques. These insights will help you elevate your coding skills and produce high-quality Python code.

1. Optimize List Operations with extend()

When you need to add multiple items to a list, using extend() is more efficient than repeatedly calling append(). This is because extend() adds all elements of an iterable to the list at once, reducing the overhead of multiple method calls.

# Bad
data = [1, 2, 3]
data.append(4)
data.append(5)
data.append(6)

# Good
data = [1, 2, 3]
data.extend([4, 5, 6])

2. Simplify Error Handling with suppress()

Instead of using a try/except block to ignore specific exceptions, you can use the suppress() function from the contextlib module. This makes your code cleaner and more readable.

from contextlib import…