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Billy Branton

Welcome to Advanced Python Training: Refactoring Your Python Code, a comprehensive, in-depth course designed to elevate your Python skills and help you write cleaner, more efficient code. Refactoring is an essential practice in software development that focuses on improving the internal structure of your code without altering its external behavior. By mastering refactoring techniques, you'll not only optimize your code for performance but also enhance its readability, maintainability, and long-term scalability.

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Welcome to Advanced Python Training: Refactoring Your Python Code, a comprehensive, in-depth course designed to elevate your Python skills and help you write cleaner, more efficient code. Refactoring is an essential practice in software development that focuses on improving the internal structure of your code without altering its external behavior. By mastering refactoring techniques, you'll not only optimize your code for performance but also enhance its readability, maintainability, and long-term scalability.

In this course, you’ll dive deep into the world of code refactoring and discover how to transform complex, cluttered, and inefficient code into a well-structured, manageable codebase. The course will guide you step-by-step through the process of identifying areas in your code that need improvement, applying targeted refactoring changes, and learning how to make these changes without breaking the functionality of your software.

What You'll Learn:

  • The Fundamentals of Refactoring: Understand the core principles of refactoring and why it's a critical practice for sustainable software development.

  • Identifying Code Smells: Learn to recognize "code smells"—indicators that your code is in need of improvement. Whether it's wordy conditionals, complex methods, or nested logic, you'll develop the skills to spot unhealthy code early.

  • Refactoring Techniques: From simple code cleanups to complex architectural changes, this course covers a wide array of refactoring techniques. You will learn how to break down large, monolithic methods, eliminate redundant code, and simplify complex logic to create more efficient and readable code.

  • Large-Scale Refactoring: Explore how to manage large codebases and how refactoring plays a vital role in maintaining and scaling complex software systems. You'll learn best practices for refactoring at scale, with an emphasis on iterative and targeted changes rather than broad sweeping revisions.

  • Improving Code Design: Refactoring isn't just about cleaning up code—it's about improving the design of your software. Learn how to prioritize refactoring tasks, organize your code better, and implement design patterns that lead to more modular, flexible, and testable systems.

  • Maintaining Software Integrity: Understand how to safely refactor code by keeping its behavior consistent throughout the process. You’ll learn how to avoid introducing bugs during the refactoring process and ensure that your software continues to work as expected after each change.

Why Take This Course?

  • Real-World Skills: By the end of this course, you will possess practical knowledge and real-world techniques to manage and refactor Python code effectively. You'll be able to improve your own projects or contribute to others with confidence.

  • Comprehensive Coverage: This course doesn’t just skim the surface—it goes deep into the theory and practice of refactoring, giving you the tools to handle both simple and complex code improvements.

  • Build Clean, Maintainable Code: The ultimate goal of refactoring is to produce code that is easy to read, understand, and maintain. This course will help you achieve that goal, making your code more modular, less error-prone, and easier to scale over time.

  • Increase Your Career Prospects: Mastering refactoring is a key skill that employers look for in senior developers. By refining your Python skills and learning how to improve codebases, you will set yourself apart as a high-level developer capable of producing top-quality, maintainable software.

Who This Course is For:

  • Intermediate to advanced Python developers who want to improve their code quality and maintainability.

  • Developers looking to learn how to manage large-scale codebases effectively and refactor them for long-term success.

  • Software engineers seeking to enhance their understanding of design principles and how to apply them in Python projects.

  • Anyone who wants to learn the best practices for maintaining and improving Python code over time.

Course Highlights:

  • Hands-On Exercises: Apply what you’ve learned with practical examples and real-world exercises. Refactor sample code and see the difference in action.

  • Step-by-Step Guidance: Whether you're dealing with small tweaks or large-scale transformations, this course will walk you through each concept and technique with clarity and precision.

  • Supportive Learning Environment: Engage with other learners, ask questions, and get feedback from the course instructor to deepen your understanding of the material.

By the end of this course, you'll have a strong grasp on how to identify, prioritize, and apply refactoring techniques that improve the design and maintainability of your Python code. You'll walk away with the skills and confidence to refactor any Python project—whether it's a small script or a complex software system.

Don’t wait—enroll now and start refactoring your code the right way.

Enroll now

What's inside

Learning objectives

  • Improve code readability by applying effective concepts and techniques
  • Learn to discover ways to identify long methods and refactor them
  • Create objects that keep your code flexible, maintainable, and testable
  • Spot and fix common code smells to create code that is easier to read and understand
  • Apply the single responsibility principle to develop less-coupled code
  • Discover how to combine different refactoring techniques
  • Learn ways to solve the issues caused by overusing primitives
  • Support your evolving code base by refactoring architectural behavior

Syllabus

Welcome
Introduction
Welcome Message
Getting started
Read more
Learn About Refactoring
Learn How to Recognize Issues
Learn About the Comments
Using the conditionals
Understanding Names - Variables, Functions, Classes
Learn About Code Blocks
The Negative Logic
Don't use too Many Parameters
Learning Multiple Returns
Learn About Duplication
Understanding Inconsistency
Learning Similar Patterns
Learn About Poor Formatting
Learning the Code Smell
Learn How to Spot Zombie Code
Learn About Clutter, Complexity & Cleverness
Learning Main Refactoring Techniques
Examples: Refactoring the Code - 5
Why Refactoring
A Brief Intro to Core Refactoring Techniques
Learn and Understand the Rename Technique
Learn and Understand the Move Technique
Learn and Understand the Extract Technique
Learn and Understand the Inline Technique
More About Refactoring Techniques
Learn and Understand the Examples
Using Programming katas
Learn How to Create the program FizzBuzz
Learn How to Create the Roman Numerals kata
Learn to Build a Game - 1
Learn to Build a Game - 2
Examples: Refactoring the Code - 1
Examples: Refactoring the Code - 2
Examples: Refactoring the Code - 3
Examples: Refactoring the Code - 4
Refactoring Code - Let's Inside Refactoring
Refactoring Code - Testing
Learning the Core Concepts
Change your Software
Improve your Software
Clean your Software
Take a look at an example
Working with Others
Learn About Pair Programming
Learn About Mob Programming
Creating Tests for Refactoring
Learn to Improve your Testing
Test Driven Development (TDD)
Course Summary
Summary

Good to know

Know what's good
, what to watch for
, and possible dealbreakers
Focuses on refactoring, which is an essential practice for sustainable software development and improving the internal structure of code without altering its external behavior
Covers a wide array of refactoring techniques, from simple code cleanups to complex architectural changes, which helps learners create more efficient and readable code
Explores how to manage large codebases and how refactoring plays a vital role in maintaining and scaling complex software systems, which is useful for senior developers
Teaches how to safely refactor code by keeping its behavior consistent throughout the process, which helps learners avoid introducing bugs during the refactoring process
Includes hands-on exercises with practical examples and real-world exercises, which allows learners to refactor sample code and see the difference in action
Requires learners to understand the fundamentals of Python before taking this course, which may require additional learning for some students

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Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Advanced Python Training - Refactoring Your Python Code with these activities:
Review Python Fundamentals
Solidify your understanding of Python fundamentals to better grasp advanced refactoring concepts.
Browse courses on Python Basics
Show steps
  • Review basic syntax and data types.
  • Practice writing simple Python scripts.
  • Complete online Python tutorials.
Read 'Clean Code: A Handbook of Agile Software Craftsmanship'
Improve your code quality and readability by studying the principles outlined in 'Clean Code'.
View CLEAN CODE on Amazon
Show steps
  • Read the book and take notes.
  • Reflect on how the principles apply to your own code.
  • Discuss the concepts with other developers.
Read 'Refactoring: Improving the Design of Existing Code'
Gain a deeper understanding of refactoring principles and techniques by studying a classic text on the subject.
View Melania on Amazon
Show steps
  • Read the book cover to cover.
  • Take notes on key concepts and techniques.
  • Try out the examples in Python.
Four other activities
Expand to see all activities and additional details
Show all seven activities
Pair Refactoring with a Peer
Collaborate with a peer to refactor code together, sharing knowledge and improving your skills.
Show steps
  • Find a peer who is also interested in refactoring.
  • Choose a piece of code to refactor together.
  • Discuss different refactoring approaches.
  • Implement the refactoring techniques collaboratively.
  • Review each other's code and provide feedback.
Write a Blog Post on Refactoring Techniques
Reinforce your understanding of refactoring by explaining different techniques in a blog post.
Show steps
  • Choose a specific refactoring technique.
  • Research the technique and its benefits.
  • Write a clear and concise explanation of the technique.
  • Provide examples of how to apply the technique in Python.
  • Publish the blog post on a platform like Medium.
Refactor Open Source Python Projects
Apply refactoring techniques to real-world codebases to solidify your understanding and gain practical experience.
Show steps
  • Find an open-source Python project on GitHub.
  • Identify code smells and areas for improvement.
  • Apply refactoring techniques to clean up the code.
  • Submit a pull request with your changes.
Refactor a Legacy Python Application
Undertake a challenging project to refactor a legacy Python application, applying the concepts learned in the course.
Show steps
  • Choose a legacy Python application to refactor.
  • Analyze the codebase and identify areas for improvement.
  • Create a refactoring plan and prioritize tasks.
  • Implement refactoring techniques iteratively.
  • Test the application thoroughly after each refactoring.

Career center

Learners who complete Advanced Python Training - Refactoring Your Python Code will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:
Python Developer
A Python developer specializes in building and maintaining software applications using the Python programming language. This course on refactoring Python code is designed for those who want to optimize the code they write. A Python developer will learn how to improve code readability, maintainability, and scalability. The course covers a wide array of refactoring techniques, from simple code cleanups to complex architectural changes. The course can guide a Python developer through the process of identifying areas in their code that need improvement, applying targeted refactoring changes, and making these changes without breaking the software's functionality. Someone wishing to become a Python developer should take this course in order to build clean, maintainable code, and increase their career prospects.
Software Developer
A software developer designs, develops, and tests software applications. This advanced Python training course focusing on refactoring equips developers with the expertise to improve the internal structure of their code without altering its external behavior. The course's emphasis on identifying code smells, applying targeted refactoring techniques, and managing large codebases directly contributes to a software developer's ability to write cleaner, more efficient, and scalable code. By understanding how to break down large methods, eliminate redundancy, and simplify logic, the software developer can contribute to more maintainable projects. Someone wishing to become a software developer should take this course in order to build clean, maintainable code, and increase their career prospects.
Software Engineer
A software engineer applies engineering principles to the design, development, maintenance, testing, and evaluation of computer software. Refactoring skills, as taught in this course, are crucial for software engineers aiming to maintain and improve code quality over time. With this course, a software engineer can learn how to identify code smells, apply refactoring techniques, and manage large codebases. The practical knowledge and real-world techniques taught in this course will help software engineers to manage and refactor Python code effectively. Improving code design is an integral part of refactoring, something a software engineer does regularly to organize code better, and implement design patterns that lead to more modular, flexible, and testable systems. Someone wishing to become a software engineer should take this course in order to build clean, maintainable code, and increase their career prospects.
Application Developer
An application developer designs, codes, tests, and analyzes software applications. This course helps application developers improve their code quality and maintainability through refactoring. With the skills taught in this course, an application developer will be able to identify areas in their code that need improvement, apply targeted refactoring changes, and make these changes without breaking functionality. The course covers both simple and complex code improvements. The application developer can learn how to break down large, monolithic methods, eliminate redundant code, and simplify complex logic to create more efficient and readable code. Mastering refactoring is a key skill that employers look for in senior developers. Someone wishing to become an application developer should take this course in order to build clean, maintainable code, and increase their career prospects.
Backend Developer
A backend developer is responsible for server-side logic and databases of web applications. Refactoring skills, as taught in this course, are essential for maintaining and improving the performance and scalability of backend systems. A backend developer can learn how to manage large codebases and refactor them for long-term success with the help of this course. The course emphasizes the importance of iterative and targeted changes, rather than broad sweeping revisions. A backend developer can use this course to learn how to safely refactor code by keeping its behavior consistent throughout the process, avoiding the introduction of bugs and ensuring that the software continues to work as expected after each change. Someone wishing to become a backend developer should take this course in order to build clean, maintainable code, and increase their career prospects.
Full-Stack Developer
A full stack developer works on both the front-end and back-end of applications. This course can help full stack developers improve their ability to write clean, maintainable, and scalable code on the back-end. The course on refactoring Python code will equip a full stack developer with the knowledge and skills to identify code smells, apply refactoring techniques, and manage large codebases effectively. By mastering refactoring techniques, the full stack developer will optimize code for performance and enhance its readability. Large-scale refactoring is covered in the course, which will allow the full stack developer to maintain and scale complex software systems, emphasizing iterative and targeted changes. Someone wishing to become a full stack developer should take this course in order to build clean, maintainable code, and increase their career prospects.
Technical Lead
A technical lead guides a team of developers and ensures code quality. This course will be essential for technical leads who need to guide their team in writing clean, maintainable code. A technical lead can learn how to manage large codebases and refactor them for long-term success with the help of this course. The course emphasizes the importance of iterative and targeted changes, rather than broad sweeping revisions. A technical lead can use this course to learn how to safely refactor code by keeping its behavior consistent throughout the process, avoiding the introduction of bugs and ensuring that the software continues to work as expected after each change.
DevOps Engineer
A DevOps engineer automates and streamlines software development processes. The skills taught in this course are valuable for DevOps engineers who need to manage and optimize codebases as part of their automation efforts. A DevOps engineer can use this course to understand the core principles of refactoring, and why it's a critical practice for sustainable software development. The course focuses on improving the design of your software. A DevOps engineer can use the skills taught to prioritize refactoring tasks, organize code better, and implement design patterns that lead to more modular, flexible, and testable systems. Someone wishing to become a DevOps engineer should take this course in order to build clean, maintainable code, and increase their career prospects.
Software Architect
A software architect is responsible for making high-level design choices and setting technical standards, including software coding standards for a project. This course may be useful for software architects who need to ensure code quality and maintainability across large projects. The course focuses on improving the design of your software. A software architect can use the skills taught to prioritize refactoring tasks, organize code better, and implement design patterns that lead to more modular, flexible, and testable systems. This course helps in understanding how to safely refactor code by keeping its behavior consistent throughout the process. Software architect positions may require a master's or doctorate.
Test Automation Engineer
A test automation engineer designs and implements automated tests. This course may be useful for test automation engineers who need to maintain and refactor test code. The course focuses on the fundamentals of refactoring, identifying code smells, and applying refactoring techniques. The test automation engineer will learn how to break down large, monolithic methods, eliminate redundant code, and simplify complex logic to create more efficient and readable code. Maintaining software integrity is an integral part of refactoring, making sure that the behaviors remain consistent throughout the process.
Machine Learning Engineer
A machine learning engineer develops and deploys machine learning models. While not a primary focus, the code quality and maintainability skills taught in this course may be useful for managing machine learning codebases. A machine learning engineer can use this course to improve their code quality and maintainability, manage large-scale codebases, and enhance their understanding of design principles. This course focuses on improving the design of your software. The machine learning engineer can use the skills taught to prioritize refactoring tasks, organize code better, and implement design patterns that lead to more modular, flexible, and testable systems. Machine learning engineer positions typically require advanced degrees.
Data Engineer
A data engineer builds and maintains data pipelines and infrastructure. This course may be helpful for data engineers who use Python to build and maintain data processing systems. The data engineer can learn how to improve code quality and maintainability, manage large-scale codebases, and enhance the understanding of design principles. The course will guide them step-by-step through the process of identifying areas in their code that need improvement, applying targeted refactoring changes, and learning how to make these changes without breaking the functionality of their software. Data engineer positions often require advanced degrees.
Data Scientist
A data scientist analyzes and interprets complex data. While not a core skill, understanding code maintainability, gained in this course, may be helpful for data scientists who work with large Python codebases. The data scientist can learn how to improve code quality and maintainability, manage large-scale codebases, and enhance the understanding of design principles. The course will guide them step-by-step through the process of identifying areas in their code that need improvement, applying targeted refactoring changes, and learning how to make these changes without breaking the functionality of their software. Data scientists often hold advanced degrees.
System Administrator
A system administrator maintains computer systems and servers. This course may be helpful for system administrators who write Python scripts to automate tasks and need to maintain those scripts. This course may allow a system administrator to improve their code quality and maintainability, manage large-scale codebases, and enhance their understanding of design principles. The course will guide them step-by-step through the process of identifying areas in their code that need improvement, applying targeted refactoring changes, and learning how to make these changes without breaking the functionality of their software.
Research Scientist
A research scientist conducts research and develops new technologies. While not a core requirement, code quality and maintainability, gained in this course, can be helpful for managing research codebases. The research scientist can learn how to improve code quality and maintainability, manage large-scale codebases, and enhance the understanding of design principles. The course will guide them step-by-step through the process of identifying areas in their code that need improvement, applying targeted refactoring changes, and learning how to make these changes without breaking the functionality of their software. Research scientist positions typically require advanced degrees.

Reading list

We've selected two books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in Advanced Python Training - Refactoring Your Python Code.
Focuses on writing clean, readable, and maintainable code. It covers principles, patterns, and practices for writing high-quality code, including topics like naming, functions, objects, and error handling. While not solely focused on refactoring, it provides a strong foundation for understanding what constitutes good code, which is essential for effective refactoring. It useful reference tool for developers.

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