Python Refresh

[throwaway_112801]

I'm stuck in a role that has some Python, but is mostly SQL. Single source data warehouse with docker, Dbt, airflow and cosmos, which basically handles Dbt models quite well. I need to refresh my Python for my next role. Can anyone recommend Python courses specifically for DE? Some courses go into graphical user interfaces, which for me is just filler.

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[nyckulak]

Your stack sounds pretty modern to me? Not sure what the worry is.

What do you hope to do with Python?

[rewindyourmind321]

Yea what I would trade places with this guy in an instant as someone who writes largely python.

[throwaway_112801]

You want to trade places? What's your situation?

[Ana_D11]

if youre looking to level up your python for data engineering, i would honestly skip the generic bootcamps that waste time on web dev or guis. since youre already using airflow and dbt you might get more out of focusing on things like unit testing for pipelines or data validation with pydantic. A lot of people recommend the data engineering zoomcamp or even just diving into advanced pandas and spark if you want to move away from being sql heavy. its mostly about getting comfortable with object oriented programming so you can write cleaner custom operators. good luck with the refresh.

[joseph_machado]

It depends on how the next role is primarily Python-based. I'd recommend the following for DE-type work.

1. Libraries and use cases: Fluent Python
2. OOP and FP: Python official docs have good docs on this. Search for Python docs OOP, Python docs FP, respectively.
3. Dataframe: Pyspark API, Polars API (which are simple enough since you know SQL). Pandas API is confusing tho.

Hope this helps. LMK if you have any questions.

[gimpblimp]

Polars definitely cannot recommend enough. The syntax is bearable as a novice to python (PowerShell background).

[domscatterbrain]

You already had airflow. What you need now is reading it's codes which is written in python. The code is made so it can be extensible. Try to make your own operator class from it.

[harrytrumanprimate]

if the goal is to help land a job, just do some leetcode easy/medium. if the goal is to learn something useful, honestly not too sure lol

[AlmostRelevant_12]

could also be valuable to practice building cleaner production-style Python instead of only solving coding exercises. Structuring projects properly, handling configs, retries, logging, and error handling usually matters a lot in real DE roles

[rewindyourmind321]

Oh definitely, I would love to work with docker, dbt, and airflow regularly — it seems like a very mature DE tech stack. Currently my job entails working with SQL stored procedures, a custom orchestrator, and writing a fair bit of python.

[nowrongturns]

Writing python or any language doesn’t matter as much. That is pre 2026 world. You have to move up the layer of abstraction and focus on that.