what is pythonic?

Question

i know pythonic is thinking like python is thinking. but what exactly does that mean?
it is not the same as the zen - right?

Answer 1

Yes, indeed :)
Simply saying - you can almost always solve a problem in many ways. But 'pythonic' is only when you pick the easiest and most clear way.

For example, if you want to print a string letter by letter, you can use a for loop, a while loop and some other solutions. But a for loop seems natural.

Within that, you can iterate:
for i in range(len(string)):
print(string[i])
which will work.

But the most pythonic would be:
for i in string:
print(i)

Answer 2

There is a Python coding convention (PEP8) which outlines that. In general, the code is Pythonic when it is clear to read and it is predictable what it's doing without having to actually run it. The concept is really vague, though, and even if your code is not considered 'pythonic', if it works -- it's fine :)

Answer 3

@Edgar True. Corrected :)

Answer 4

Simplest and Clearest..... for ex:

In C++
int temp
temp = a;
a = b;
b = temp;

Pythonic way:
a, b = b, a

Answer 5

For me pythonic is when the code uses the structures that are specific to Python (such as list comprehensions or generator expressions). I understand them as closer to the usual human communication. I agree with Kuba's example. I would say that an alternative pythonic way for the loop would also be:

[print(i) for i in string]

(a human would say to another: "Print all elements of the string" / "For each element of the string, print it")

Having first learnt languages like Basic, Pascal, C, it was a bit difficult for me not to code in Python following the habits from the other languages. Since I joined Sololearn, I think I learned to code more pythonic in Python :)

My non-pythonic approach of https://www.sololearn.com/Discuss/902040/m-challenge-number-squeezer:
https://code.sololearn.com/cyPjvtD8k99D/

A pythonic approach:
https://code.sololearn.com/c9vfDMD4YT7p/

Answer 6

@kuba thanks for the answer.
clear to read and no side effects. isn't it a good idea for any language?

Answer 7

I just came across a quote about Python from McKinney, the creator of Pandas: “I loved it for its economy of expressions. You can express complicated ideas in Python with very little code, and it is very easy to read.” That sounds like a definition for "pythonic".

Answer 8

pythonic is putting on your spiked helmet with a ale in hand. you and your bros hopping in a longship, sailing off into the great unknown looking for villages to raid. chopping down trees with a flannel shirt on. waking up in the morning and eating spam and bacon, then topping it off with more spam. it could also be interpreted as clean, efficient and explicit code.

Answer 9

I'm a coding newbie who is learning all of this stuff. I'm grateful for everything you guys have shared. Thank you.

Answer 10

(Keep it simple and consise.)

There is also another term in the Python world and that is Pythonist is someone who lives and breathes this language everyday.

Basically speaks and thinks Python.

Answer 11

no I haven't. can't say I've read any fiction in a long time. sounds like a interesting book though. my comment was just a monty python reference. the creator named it after it hence why u see so many references of spam and what not in tutorials/books.

Answer 12

You missed the `range` builtin in the first for-loop.

Answer 13

The way I see it, being pythonic is the surest way to improve your code's efficiency and optimality by using a more idiomatic syntax than what first comes to mind (like pseudo - code for instance).
But you may not always want to be really pythonic if you feel otherwise : it's a matter of style.

Answer 14

@stephen you read Thoreaus Walden?

Answer 15

It is something greag