Python Tricks: Simple Hacks to Write Faster Code

If you spend a lot of time writing Python, you’ll love a handful of tricks that shave minutes off every task. These aren’t fancy concepts—just practical shortcuts you can start using right now. We'll cover a few one‑liners, handy library tricks, and quick debugging moves that keep your code clean and your mind clear.

Essential One‑Liners

One‑liners let you do more with fewer lines. For example, swapping two variables is as easy as a, b = b, a. No temporary variable, no extra code.

Need to flatten a list of lists? Try [item for sublist in nested for item in sublist]. It reads like plain English and avoids a nested for loop.

When you want to filter out duplicates while preserving order, use list(dict.fromkeys(your_list)). The dict keeps the first occurrence of each item, giving you a quick de‑duplication trick.

Want a quick way to count items? collections.Counter(your_iterable) builds a frequency map in one line. No need to write a manual dictionary update loop.

Boost Productivity with Libraries

Python’s standard library is full of hidden gems. pathlib replaces messy os.path calls with a simple Path object: Path('folder').mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True) creates nested folders without extra checks.

Reading a CSV? pandas.read_csv('file.csv', usecols=['name', 'age']) instantly loads only the columns you need, saving memory and processing time.

When you need a quick progress bar for loops, tqdm adds it with for item in tqdm(collection):. No more guessing how long a loop will run.

Debugging can be painless with pdb.set_trace(). Drop it anywhere in your code, run the script, and you get an interactive prompt right at that line.

Finally, use functools.lru_cache to memoize expensive function calls. Just add @lru_cache(maxsize=None) above your function, and repeated calls with the same arguments return instantly.

These tricks are easy to adopt and work in any project, whether you’re building a small script or a large application. Try a couple today, and you’ll notice how much smoother coding feels.

Remember, the goal isn’t to write the shortest code possible, but to write code that’s fast to write, easy to read, and quick to run. Keep these shortcuts in your toolbox, and you’ll spend less time wrestling with boilerplate and more time solving real problems.