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Brian #1: the state of type hints in Python


“Therefore, type hints should be used whenever unit test are worth writing.”
Type hints, especially for function arguments and return values, help make your code easier to read, and therefore, easier to maintain.
This includes refactoring, allowing IDEs to help with code completion, and allow linters to find problems.
For CPython

No runtime type inference happens.
No performance tuning allowed.
Of course, third party packages are not forbidden to do so.

Non-comment type annotations are available for functions in 3.0+
Variable annotations for 3.6+
In 3.7, you can postpone evaluation of annotations with:
from __future__ import annotations
Interface stub files .pyi files, are allowed now, but this is extra work and code to maintain.

typeshed has types for standard library plus many popular libraries.

How do deal with multiple types, duck typing, and more discussed.
A discussion of type generation and checking tools available now, including mypy
See also: Stanford Seminar - Optional Static Typing for Python - Talk by Guido van Rossum

Interesting discussion that starts with a bit of history of where mypy came from.



Michael #2: Django MongoDB connector


Via Robin on Twitter
Use MongoDB as the backend for your Django project, without changing the Django ORM.
Use Django Admin to access MongoDB
Use Django with MongoDB data fields: Use MongoDB embedded documents and embedded arrays in Django Models.
Connect 3rd party apps with MongoDB: Apps like Django Rest Framework and Viewflow app that use Django Models integrate easily with MongoDB.
Requirements:

Python 3.6 or higher.
MongoDB 3.4 or higher.

Example


inner_qs = Blog.objects.filter(name__contains='Ch').values('name')
entries = Entry.objects.filter(blog__name__in=inner_qs)


Brian #*3: Python Idioms: Multiline Strings*


or “How I use dedent”
Example:


def create_snippet():
code_snippet = textwrap.dedent("""\
int main(int argc, char* argv[]) {
return 0;
}
""")
do_something(code_snippet)


Michael #4: Flaskerizer


A program that automatically creates Flask apps from Bootstrap templates
Bootstrap templates from websites like https://Bootstrapmade.com/ and https://startBootstrap.com are a fast way to get very dynamic website up and running
Bootstap templates typically don't work "out of the box" with the python web framework Flask and require some tedious directory building and broken link fixing before being functional with Flask.
The Flaskerizer automates the necessary directory building and link creation needed to make Bootstrap templates work "out of the box" with Flask.
Queue black turtleneck!


Brian #*5: Learn Python the Methodical Way


From the article:

Make your way through a tutorial/chapter that teaches you some discrete, four-to-six-step skill.
Write down those steps as succinctly and generically as possible.
Put the tutorial/chapter and its solutions away.
Build your project from scratch, peeking only when you’re stuck.
Erase what you built.
Do the project again.
Drink some water.
Erase what you built and do it again.
A day or two later, delete your work and do it again – this time without peeking even once.
Erase your work and do it again.

The notion of treating code like you treat creative writing with rough drafts and sometimes complete do-overs is super liberating.
You’ll be surprised how fast you can do something the second time, the third time, the fourth time. And it’s very gratifying.


Michael #6: PixieDebugger


The Visual Python Debugger for Jupyter Notebooks You’ve Always Wanted
Jupyter already supports pdb for simple debugging, where you can manually and sequentially enter commands to do things like inspect variables, set breakpoints, etc.
Check out the video to get a good idea of its usage: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-tPeEkVqjk