Instruction file imported from raffertyuy/github-copilot-prompts (.github/instructions/py.instructions.md). Copyright stays with the author.

Python Coding Best Practices

Python-Specific Guidelines

• Follow PEP 8 for code style and formatting.
• Group imports at the top of the file by standard library, third-party, and local imports.
• Prefer list comprehensions and generator expressions for simple transformations.
• Use type hints for function signatures and variable declarations.

Error Handling

• Avoid using bare except clauses.
• Clean up resources using context managers (with statement) where possible.

Documentation

• Add docstrings to all public modules, classes, functions, and methods.
• Use triple double quotes for docstrings.

Testing

• Write unit tests for all functions and classes.
• Use unittest or pytest frameworks.
• Name test files and functions clearly.

File and Directory Structure

• Use lowercase with underscores for module and file names.
• Organize code into packages and modules logically.
• Place executable code inside if __name__ == "__main__": blocks.

Performance

• Profile and optimize only after identifying bottlenecks.
• Use built-in data structures and libraries where possible.

Version Control

• Commit code with clear, concise messages.
• Do not commit secrets or large binary files.