Modern Python Development

Overview

This skill provides modern Python development guidance for 2025, specializing in:

• •LLM Applications: Structured outputs with Pydantic/Instructor
• •API Development: FastAPI with type safety and dependency injection
• •Clean Architecture: Thin, pragmatic application of hexagonal patterns
• •Modern Tooling: uv, Ruff, mypy, pytest-watch

Designed for TypeScript developers who value simplicity and type safety.

Core Philosophy

Apply these principles to all Python development:

1. •KISS (Keep It Simple): Simple is better than complex
2. •YAGNI (You Aren't Gonna Need It): Implement only what's needed now
3. •Boy Scout Rule: Leave code cleaner than you found it
4. •Reader-Friendly Code: The next engineer should understand immediately

When to Use This Skill

Claude should automatically use this skill when:

• •Setting up new Python projects
• •Designing architecture for LLM applications
• •Making decisions about project structure
• •Choosing between architectural patterns
• •Configuring development tooling (uv, Ruff, mypy)
• •Implementing FastAPI endpoints
• •Structuring tests (unit/integration/functional)
• •Advising TypeScript developers on Python equivalents

Architecture Decision Framework

Step 1: Assess Complexity

Choose structure based on project complexity:

Step 2: Apply Thin Clean Architecture

Only add layers when complexity warrants it.

domain/     → Pure business logic (Pydantic models, services)
ports/      → Interfaces (Protocol classes) - add when needed
adapters/   → External integrations (API, DB, LLM clients)

Key principle: Start simple, refactor when pain points emerge.

Step 3: Choose Project Structure

• •Single Package: Use for most projects (PoC, small-medium apps)
• •Monorepo (uv workspaces): Use when sharing code across multiple services

See REFERENCE.md for detailed structures.

Development Workflow

Initial Setup

# 1. Initialize project
uv init my-project && cd my-project

# 2. Add dependencies
uv add fastapi pydantic uvicorn
uv add --dev pytest pytest-watch ruff mypy

# 3. Configure tools
# See REFERENCE.md for pyproject.toml configs

TDD Workflow

# Terminal 1: Watch tests (auto-run on changes)
uv run ptw -- tests/unit -v

# Terminal 2: Write code
# Follow Red -> Green -> Refactor cycle

Quality Checks

uv run ruff check --fix .  # Lint & auto-fix
uv run mypy src/           # Type check
uv run pytest --cov=src    # Test with coverage

LLM Application Patterns

Type-Safe Structured Outputs

Always use Pydantic for LLM outputs to ensure type safety:

from pydantic import BaseModel, Field

class ExtractedInfo(BaseModel):
    summary: str = Field(description="Brief summary")
    key_points: list[str]
    sentiment: Literal["positive", "neutral", "negative"]

Use Instructor for type-safe LLM calls:

import instructor
from openai import OpenAI

client = instructor.from_openai(OpenAI())
response = client.chat.completions.create(
    model="gpt-4o",
    response_model=ExtractedInfo,
    messages=[{"role": "user", "content": text}]
)
# response is typed as ExtractedInfo ✓

See EXAMPLES.md for more patterns.

FastAPI Best Practices

Dependency Injection Pattern

from fastapi import FastAPI, Depends

def get_service() -> UserService:
    # Initialize dependencies here
    return UserService(repo=get_repo())

@app.post("/users")
async def create_user(
    request: CreateUserRequest,
    service: UserService = Depends(get_service)
):
    return service.create(request)

See EXAMPLES.md for complete examples.

Testing Strategy

3-Layer Test Structure

tests/
├── unit/          # Fast, isolated, no I/O
├── integration/   # With real dependencies (DB, cache)
└── functional/    # E2E API tests

Coverage targets:

• •Unit: 80%+ (business logic)
• •Integration: Key flows only
• •Functional: Critical user journeys

See EXAMPLES.md for test code.

Do's and Don'ts

✅ Do

• •Use type hints everywhere (-> None, list[str], dict[str, Any])
• •Prefer Protocol over ABC for interfaces
• •Use pydantic.BaseModel for data classes with validation
• •Run ruff check --fix before commits
• •Keep functions small and focused

❌ Don't

• •Over-engineer with unnecessary abstraction layers
• •Use Any type unless absolutely necessary
• •Skip type hints "for now"
• •Create classes when functions suffice
• •Add dependencies without clear need

TypeScript Developer Quick Reference

See EXAMPLES.md for detailed mapping.

Output Guidelines

When providing guidance:

1. •Explain the "why" - Rationale behind recommendations
2. •Show concrete examples - Runnable code snippets
3. •Suggest next steps - What to implement/consider next
4. •Flag complexity decisions - When to add vs skip abstraction

Always prioritize working code over perfect architecture.

References

• •REFERENCE.md - Tool configurations, project structures, commands
• •EXAMPLES.md - Code examples, patterns, TypeScript mapping

Checklist for New Projects

• • Project initialized with uv init
• • Dependencies added via uv add
• • pyproject.toml configured (Ruff, mypy, pytest)
• • Project structure matches complexity level
• • Type hints added to all functions
• • Tests written (at least unit tests)
• • TDD workflow established (pytest-watch)
• • Pre-commit hooks considered (optional)