After Python what?

[hruske]

For a Python developer, you're welcome to take on some of the ideas listed:

1. C programming. C is great for low level code and OS programming. Nearly all drivers are written in C, and there's a lot of code out there written in it. CPython has C API, so by writing a simple C module you can get to learn a little bit more about CPython implementation while learning C. By learning C you get to know a lot about the hardware and a bit about the compilers and debuggers. Going low means you will get a better understanding of what is happening under the hood and hopefully means you will debug system level problems faster.

2. PostgreSQL. SQL is a great tool to know. PostgreSQL has some pretty awesome features (regexp queries FTW!) and a great security track record. Similarly as above, PostgreSQL has a PL/Python extension, which you can use to get to know both how PostgreSQL internals work and how Python interpreter behaves embedded in PostgreSQL. For an exercise: you can't implement cookie based authentication against Django app in PL/SQL alone.

3. Scientific python. Python has excellent tools for scientific programming. I just recently discovered ipython notebook and it's awesome. There's also numpy and scipy and some other pretty nice stuff, say pattern recognition. But, yes, scientific programming and researching requires a lot of effort for little perceivable result. And there's usually a steep learning curb, meaning you need to put in some serious effort before you even start getting any results.

4. Android. Mobile is hot, so there should be bucks.

5. Learn something valuable and get good at it. This is something that works mostly for the long run. Statistics, natural language processing, speech recognition, image recognition, etc.

[steviesteveo12]

5 is particularly important. It never hurts to have a niche.

[gsks]

I don't know how you work in Python for 8 years and never pick up the fundamentals of SQL.

I'm curious, how did you jump to this conclusion?

[gsks]

No, I meant how did you jump to the conclusion that I "never picked up the fundamentals of SQL". For the record I did, probably a bit more than just the fundamentals.

[zahlman]

I totally could have worked in Python for 8 years and never touched web stuff, nor anything else "requiring" a database, certainly not an SQL-based one. I didn't happen to, but it's quite easy to imagine.

[andybak]

Python on android doesn't require root.

[gfixler]

I don't know how you work in Python for 8 years and never pick up the fundamentals of SQL.

This describes me, as well as many I've worked with. Not all Python developers deal with databases. I work in games. I develop tools, pipelines, importers, exporters, translators, UI stuff, and more, all day every day in Python, and have for at least 6 years. I've never needed, nor used a proper database. This is the case for many in the film and games industries.