Python Developer Skills (With Examples And How To Improve)

Updated 4 March 2023

Python is a high-level, object-oriented programming language that is flexible, easy to learn and widely used. Programmers use Python to create software, data analytics and modelling, task automation and web development. If you are looking for career opportunities in Python, you can benefit from learning about various position's skill requirements. In this article, we define and list different Python developer skills, share steps on how to improve them, provide ways to show them in the workplace and offer ways to highlight them on your resume and cover letter and during an interview.

Please note that none of the companies, institutions or organisations mentioned in this article are associated with Indeed.

What are Python Developer Skills?

Python developer skills are a combination of technical and soft capabilities that programmers use in their work or to advance their careers. Python developers generally have a bachelor's degree in computer science, computer engineering or a related field. Companies may also hire candidates with a strong portfolio of Python projects and industry experience, regardless of their educational qualifications. Developers can also take further studies to stay current with Python frameworks and libraries and their use in various fields, such as artificial intelligence, embedded application, game development and web development.

Examples Of Python Developer Skills

Here are some examples of technical and soft skills necessary for Python developers:

Knowledge of core Python

Strong knowledge in Python programming is essential for the role. It is imperative when writing quality code. Some core concepts to focus on include:

Data types
Control structures
Functions
Exception handling
Parallel programming
Debugging and testing
Metaprogramming

Knowledge of frameworks

Frameworks are a collection of modules or packages that enable developers to build custom solutions without coding from the beginning. This facility helps reduce time and effort during product development. There are three types of frameworks:

Full-stack framework: A full-stack framework is a collection of software tools and libraries that provide front-end and back-end functionality for building web applications.
Micro frameworks: A micro framework is a minimalistic web application that is lightweight, fast and flexible. These are useful in small projects or in building prototypes.
Asynchronous frameworks: An asynchronous framework is a web application structure that uses asynchronous programming to handle multiple requests and tasks concurrently without blocking the main thread. This structure allows the application to manage multiple requests efficiently and improves overall performance.

Data analysis and visualisation

Data analysis and visualisation are important steps in intelligence science to gain insights from complex datasets and present them visually. Python provides several libraries for analysis, such as pandas and NumPy and for data visualisation, such as Matplotlib. These libraries enable Python developers to analyse complex material and create visualisations to aid decision-making.

Experience using version control platforms

Version control platforms enable developers to track code changes, solve integration conflicts and collaborate on different projects. Experience using version control platforms can enable collaborative coding, simpler code review, record keeping, issue tracking, deployment and branch management. This experience can also help enhance productivity, streamline workflows and improve code quality and maintenance.

Communication and collaboration

Python developers work with software developers, database administrators, system administrators and other information technology (IT) employees as part of their daily tasks. They may also collaborate with technical and product managers to help ensure that the software they develop meets a client's needs. Strong communication and collaboration proficiencies are essential for success in this role.

Time management and organisational skills

Python developers may work on multiple projects at once. This flexibility requires them to develop, deploy and maintain multiple code branches simultaneously. Effective time management and organisational attributes are essential for the timely completion of projects. These proficiencies involve prioritising tasks, setting clear goals, creating schedules and to-do lists and using tools and technologies to increase efficiency and productivity.

How To Improve Python Developer Skills?

Here are some steps to improve your Python expertise:

1. Strengthen your fundamental skills in the field

Here are some ways to strengthen your fundamental skills:

Learning the basics of Python programming through video tutorials, technical blogs and books
Reading official Python documentation to get familiar with the basic concepts and features of the Python language and system
Getting familiar with common libraries, such as NumPy, pandas and Matplotlib
Working on Python projects to strengthen your skills and learn to debug and fix errors you encounter
Taking part in coding events to solve challenging problems and learn new technical skills
Participating in community discussions and attending workshops and events

2. Get certified

Certifications help developers master new tools, frameworks and libraries. These tools help developers stay up to date with recent trends in the field. Here are some standard certificates in Python:

Certified Entry-Level Python Programmer
Certified Associate in Python Programmer
Certified Expert in Python Programming

3. Focus on writing quality code

Writing quality code helps communicate the program flow to other developers. Quality code helps ensure excellent software and makes it easy to maintain, re-use and re-develop. Here are some tips to improve code quality:

Write clear, concise and readable code. Use meaningful variable and function names and add inline comments when necessary.
Use best practices and established conventions. Follow the style guide of Python Enhancement Proposal 8, use exception handling and write unit tests. Keep your code concise and aim to use modular programming to enhance code quality.
Refactor and improve code. Review and update code to ensure it is maintainable, scalable and efficient.
Use automated code review tools. You can use automated tools to check your code quality and verify its adherence to coding standards, best practices and potential security risks. Also, refer to its code improvement suggestions to help you write better code quickly.

4. Learn new technologies

Areas such as machine learning (ML), deep learning, data analytics, visualisation, big data and business intelligence use Python extensively. A basic understanding of these concepts can help you extract valuable insights from large amounts of intelligence and make predictions and forecasts. Here are some ways to learn about new technologies:

Understanding basic statistics, probability and linear algebra
Enrolling in online courses in analytics, big data or data science based on your interests
Practising operations, such as data cleaning, preparation, transformation, training, testing and deployment on open-source datasets

5. Maintain a repository

A code repository contains all your project's files and updates made to it. It also contains README files, notes, flow diagrams and comprehensive documentation. Try adding a link to the repository on your resume to promote it to potential employers. Doing this helps them evaluate your coding skills, assess your coding style and determine your knowledge of frameworks, libraries and tools. You can also include projects in emerging fields to highlight your willingness to discover and implement new concepts.

Python Developer Skills In The Workplace

Here are some ways to highlight your Python expertise in the workplace:

Optimise code performance. Try to identify areas in the code that need optimising through code review, monitoring resource utilisation, profiling and extensive testing. Then, you might use caching, memory, parallel and algorithmic optimisation techniques to improve performance.
Automate repetitive tasks. You can identify repetitive, time-consuming business processes and devise strategies to automate them. These strategies can help teams focus on tasks that require problem-solving and critical-thinking abilities.
Conduct training sessions. Try partnering with junior developers and other IT staff on Python fundamentals and coding best practices. This can be done by conducting webinars and seminars and writing technical blogs.

How To Highlight Python Developer Skills?

Here are some ways to highlight your Python efficiencies on your resume and cover letter and during your interview:

For a resume and cover letter

Review the job description to identify relevant keywords to include on your resume or cover letter. Some attributes you may want to introduce are proficiency in Python libraries and frameworks, data analysis and visualisation, automation, ML libraries, application integration and cloud platforms. Including them in your resume's professional summary and skills section is likely to be advantageous. When writing a cover letter to the hiring manager, describe your skills and knowledge in the second paragraph and provide an example of your most impressive achievements using those skills.

For a job interview

Highlight relevant expertise and experiences during your interview and discuss how you used your talents to solve business challenges or optimise processes. Quantify your accomplishments to emphasise the impact of your work. For instance, you can describe a time when you utilised multiprocessing in Python to reduce run-time by 50%.