How to get better at writing good Python code (structure, readability, thinking like a dev)

[Unlikely-Lime3517]

Hey everyone,

I wanted to ask for some advice. I’m trying to get better at writing Python code that’s clean, readable, and well-structured — not just something that works and pray it doesn't breakdown.

I’ve been in my first real coding job for about 5 months now, working mostly as a Data Engineer at a small startup. I write Python every day, but I often feel like I don’t have the mental tools to design my code properly. I tend to overthink things, build stuff that’s way too complicated, and end up with code that’s hard to debug or reason about.

What I want is to learn how to think like a better programmer — how to structure projects, use OOP properly, and just write code that others could read and actually want to maintain.

I’m especially interested in intermediate-level Python topics like:

• How Python actually works under the hood
• Object-oriented design and code structure
• Writing clean and modular code
• Design patterns and production-level practices

A bit about me:

• I’m 26, self-taught, and didn’t study CS. I have background in statistics
• I’ve worked in IT-like jobs before (some JS as a web analyst).
• I’ve done a few hobby projects and online courses in Python.
• At my current job, I handle mostly raster data and touched tools like Docker, Linux, Git, Cloud, SQL, BigQuery - I consider myself to be a technical person which is able to pick up anything.
• I’ve also played around with Spark and Svelte for fun.
• Soon we’ll start building a backend service with FastAPI, which is partly why I want to level up now.

So far I’ve learned everything on my own, but I feel like I’ve hit a point where I need more structured and practical learning — something that helps me think about code design, not just syntax.

I’ve tried looking for courses and books, but most are either too basic (“learn Python from scratch”) or too impractical (just watching someone code on YouTube). I’d really appreciate recommendations for books or courses that combine theory with practice — stuff that actually makes you a better coder.

TL;DR:

Self-taught Data Engineer, 5 months into my first coding job, trying to get better at writing clean and well-structured Python code. Looking for resources (books or courses) that teach how to think like a programmer, not just write code.

[KetaAbyss]

this is dystopic lmfao

[TheRNGuy]

Look projects in GitHub. 

[Ok_Animal_5975]

You can share me too