how to become a python developer

Python Developer Skills

Python is the most powerful language you can still read.
- Pau Dubois

Python is actively being used in various domains such as Data Science, Machine Learning, Web Applications, and much more. In this section, we'll cover more than ten must-have skills for python developers that would help you master the art of working with Python —

1. Expertise In Core Python

Before jumping into a framework or a development environment, it is crucial to first master the core concepts of any programming language. The same is the case with Python or any programming language for that matter. You should direct your focus towards getting a solid grasp of various foundational concepts such as:

Variables & Data Types
Data Structure
Exception Handling
File Handling
Object-Oriented Programming
and more

If you don't know where to start, you can find some good and useful resources on the internet. You can even use the Python reference books as they do a wonderful job of covering these topics in their depth.

2. Python Frameworks

Python frameworks are kind of a godsend for developers. They are best at speeding up the development process by eliminating the need to worry about the low-level stuff such as sockets, protocols, or threads. There are several Python frameworks you can pick from, such as Django , Flask , Web2Py , Bottle, to name a few.

Frameworks like these can singlehandedly simplify the life of a Python developer once they get the hang of it. A Python framework can enable you to rapidly develop an application prototype, as a framework can essentially save you from the hassle of typing repeated code. The usability of Python's frameworks isn't just limited to web application development as they also stretch over to cover domains like Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, and Data Science.

Top 5 Frameworks in Python —

3. Python Libraries

One of the best things about Python is that it has one of the largest collections of libraries out there.

According to the Python Package Index, Python has over 267 thousand projects. There is a very high chance that whatever you're planning to create has already been created and is readily available for use, with sufficient documentation.

A smart Python developer must be skilled enough to find, study, and properly implement packages provided by the Python ecosystem as you'll be using them almost every day. These libraries cover an extensive range of domains, such as Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Data Science, and much more. Python also has an active and welcoming community where you can get help from other devs around the world.

Some useful articles related to Python libraries —

Difference between a Python Framework and a Python Library —

4. Front-End Technologies Knowledge

You might be mistaken if you think being a Python developer, you'd only be working with backend technologies. A Python developer often has to work with front-end technologies to ensure that the client-side matches the server-side. In a corporate environment, this would often involve the UI/UX team, Project Managers, and SCRUM Masters for better coordination of the workflow. Working on the front-end gives you a clear picture of both the appearance and working of the application.

But the absence of these responsibilities doesn't mean you shouldn't work on your front-end development skills. A decent knowledge of a handful of front-end technologies like JavaScript , CSS , and HTML will prove beneficial. Even though these skills and experience may not be a must-have everywhere, but they are definitely more than welcome as some projects, if not all, might use them.

5. Machine Learning and AI

Industries like Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence have been booming lately. Part of the reason behind this is the astonishing rate of innovation and a similar rate of implementation of these innovations in the industry. As ML and AI are both highly in-demand technologies, a Python developer should dive into their foundational concepts and algorithms to get a clear understanding.

Proficiency in Data Science will also prove crucial while working with projects dealing with large amounts of data. Once you upskill yourself to acquire, analyze, visualize and predict information from the data, you'll find no trouble in painting a clear picture to your stakeholders from your observations with any accompanying outliers.

Some useful Machine Learning articles —

6. Deep Learning

Once you have covered the fundamentals of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, the next step in your journey should be Deep Learning. Deep Learning is a part of Machine Learning, and the learning processes and techniques are much similar to those of our human brains. We have supervised, semi-supervised, and unsupervised learning.

Once you figure out what Deep Learning is, you should be able to use your new-found skills to develop Deep Learning-powered systems such as:

Recommendation Systems
Natural Language Processing
Image Recognition
Automatic Speech Recognition
Image Restoration
and much more

7. Familiarity with ORM Libraries

ORMs or Object-Relational Mappers are essentially a class of libraries that facilitates the transfer of data from a relational database to Python objects. Developers can use these libraries to directly make changes to the data stored in their databases by using Python code instead of SQL. SQLAlchemy, Peewee ORM , Django ORM , PonyORM , and Tortoise ORM are just some of the many ORM libraries available for Python.

The benefits provided by ORM libraries can often save a significant chunk of your development time while offering you the flexibility to switch to another relational database when required.

8. Version Control

Any software project, be it on Python or any programming language, goes through tons of changes and versions during its development phases. Version controlling can help you keep track of even the tiniest of changes with complete traceability. This becomes increasingly important while working with collaborating with other developers on a project.

There are a few top version control tools such as Git , Mercurial , Apache Subversion, and many more, but Git is the most favorite of them all. While learning version control, you will come across some terms like "commit", "push", "pull", and "fork", which are essentially what makes version control possible. Keep in mind that this will be one of those tools you'll use the most after your IDE or code editor, so we recommend paying close attention while learning this skill.

9. Understanding of Multi-Process Architecture

While developing a web application, a Python developer must pick a development architecture or framework to separate the internal working of the application from the users. Modern-day developers can choose from using the Model View Controller architecture or the Model View Template architecture.

Although it is the role of a Design Engineer but being a Python developer, you should have a basic understanding of how your code will work in release or deployment environments. After understanding the architecture, once you start working on these environments, you should be able to identify and solve the problems in the core framework to achieve better and optimized results.

10. Communication Skills

Good communication skills are a must-have for not just a Python developer but for everyone in a professional or personal environment. A person with good communication skills leaves no gaps or confusion while communicating with others and delivers his/her message crystal clear.

As developers often have to do pair programming with fellow programmers, clear communication becomes even more crucial while collaborating on a project or reviewing code to stay on the same page. Moreover, clear communication with your team members can solve many problems and bring success to any organization.

11. Analytical Skills

Programming can often be a challenging task sometimes, but if you lack the analytical skills required for the job, it will become a nightmare for you. Not just Python, but any developer working with any programming language should have strong analytical skills with a solid experience and a good understanding of the algorithms that drive things.

One of the many skills a good developer has is their ability to write clear, non-redundant, and extremely optimized code with the right logic. Once you start doing this, you should be able to see your analysis skills improve as it is increasingly becoming relevant and important in industries such as Data Science, where you're constantly processing, analyzing, and visualizing data.

12. Design Skills

Let us make it clear that we are not referring to design skills here to the front-end design. By design skills, we refer to designing highly scalable systems. Businesses today thrive on efficiently designed systems and solutions that can be used by everyone with as little downtime as possible.

To fulfill this criterion, you must be aware of the best development techniques and tools, for example, Django or Flask. Both of these frameworks can help build systems that can work efficiently at both the client-side and the server-side.