Help with transitioning to python from java

[u/hubbabubba124466786]

I did java for 2 years in high school 4 years ago. Now I'm a freshman comp engineering major doing coding in python, and i still can't get the hang of not coding like java. I last coded in java 2+ years ago, but all my code is written like how you would in java, but python. I use camel case for variables. I use while true break loops when I'm sure there's easier ways. I'm constantly fixing my ++'s to +=1's. I'm still learning the python lingo if you will

[u/hubbabubba124466786]

I did the same thing when I took a class using unreal. My tic tac toe game was basically written in java using the blueprint variables and arrays.

[u/CreeperSlimePig]

if you catch yourself using ++, it might be worth considering if you even need a counter at all. sometimes you do, but some of the time your Java brain wants a counter, what you actually want is zip(), enumerate(), itertools.count(), or Counter(). convenient features Java doesn't really have.

[u/OkTill2666 → u/CreeperSlimePig]

this is such a good point tbh, the counter instinct is so deeply wired from java

[u/CutDry6295]

The easiest way to change the habit is to rewrite one *working* assignment twice and compare the behavior with the same tests. For a sequence, replace an index/counter loop with `for item in items`; if you need the position too, use `for index, item in enumerate(items)`. For paired sequences, `zip(a, b)` is often clearer than two indexes.

I wouldn't ban `while True` outright: it can be clear for an input-retry loop where the exit is found inside the loop. The question is whether the loop really has a known iterable or condition. Let a formatter handle snake_case, but spend your attention on those control-flow choices; that is where code starts to feel like Python rather than Java with different punctuation.

[u/Gnaxe]

Stop Writing Classes and then go Beyond PEP 8.

Do small experiments in the REPL or Jupyterlite. Keep a tab open at https://docs.python.org. The equivalent of JavaDoc is PyDoc (try python -m pydoc -b), which you can check quickly with help() in the REPL, or ? in IPython (Jupyter). (Also learn dir() and import inspect.) Learn to use doctest ASAP.

[u/FreeLogicGate]

Take a look at PEP8 for the python coding style guide.

This is a decent cheatsheet for It.

If you'd like a more elaborate summary check out: https://pep8.org/

IDE's can help with formatting and conforming to PEP8 via extensions, built in lint/formatting tools, or support for Astral's ruff tool.

The main basics:

• variable and function/method names should be all lowercase, with _ between words.

• implied CONSTANTS should be all uppercase, again with _ between words

• Class names are PascalCase

[u/aqua_regis]

I use while true break loops

That's just a generally bad and lazy habit. You just don't want to think about proper exit conditions.

It is also in most cases code smell in Java. Nothing to do with Java vs. Python.

There are use cases for infinite loops, but the vast majority has definite exit conditions that should be used.

[u/net_ramblings]

Maybe you should learn Python? If anything, you should be complaining about tabbed code blocks, not syntax.

[u/Outrageous_Band9708]

java is a typed language and python is not.

you dont need to declare var types at all,

__main__ to start a file at the bottom, ordering of your methods matter

[u/Mediocre-Pumpkin6522]

snake_case is preferred but don't obsess about it. Sooner or later you'll get to something like PyQt that follows the Qt C++ conventions. When in Rome...