Python Project Checklist

Steps to check when starting on a python project

• Use version control
• Setup dependency management
• Add documentation
• Add license
• Add tests
• Add linting
• Check logging
• Setup continuous integration
• Make contribution easier

Version Control

• Use git
• Add .gitignore (gitignore.io)
• Use conventional commits
  • Consider using cz (link)

Optionally you can use mercurial (hg), bazaar, darcs, etc.

Dependency Management

• Use poetry and pyproject.toml (see PEP621)

Optionally, you can stick with setuptools or hatchling

Documentation

• Add README.md
  • Have an intro
  • Have an installation/deploy section
  • Have a usage section
  • Have a live demo made with termtosvg
• Use OpenAPI for API documentation
• Create a documentation page with mkdocs, mkdocs-material and mkdocstrings
• Add badges
  • CI pipeline status
  • Code quality: code coverage, maintainability indexes
  • Package status: package health (see Snyk), vulnerabilities, out of date dependencies
  • General status: maintenance status, uptime (for web)
  • Package info: size, lines of code, license, version
  • Popularity: stars, downloads
  • Discord server
  • Funding via Open Collective
  • Find more at shields.io and badgen.net

License

• Add LICENSE.md with MIT license

Tests

• Use pytest
• Add unit tests
  • Use faker / mimesis for fake data
  • Use hypothesis for property testing
• Add e2e tests
  • Use tavern for API testing
  • Use playwright for UI testing
• Add smoke tests
• Add benchmarks with pytest-benchmark
  • Use pytest-memray to control memory usage
• Add test coverage with pytest-cov

Linting

• Use ruff
• Use mypy
• Use .editorconfig (see .editorconfig)
• Use specific linters
  • Use cspell to check spelling
  • Use shellcheck for shell scripts
  • Use sqlfluff for sql files
  • Use yamllint for yml files
  • Use hadolint for Dockerfiles
  • Use dotenv-linter for env files

Logging

• Use loguru
• Consider change default LOGURU_LEVEL to INFO

Continuous integration

• Use github actions
• Add lint, test, build and publish pipeline stages
• Add badges to README.md

Contribution

• Have CONTRIBUTING.md file (see example and another one)
• Have "Contribution" section in your README.md
• Have CODE_OF_CONDUCT.md file (see example)