Skip to content
All Skills

Python Pro

Use when building Python 3.11+ applications requiring type safety, async programming, or robust error handling. Generates type-annotated Python code, configures mypy in strict mode, writes pytest test suites with fixtures and mocking, and validates code with black and ruff. Invoke for type hints, async/await patterns, dataclasses, dependency injection, logging configuration, and structured error handling.

Software Engineering|v1|Updated 7/14/2026|GitHub source
MCP get_skill({ skillId: "python-pro-2fcf1460" })

Use this skill with your agent

Create a free account and connect via MCP

Get Started Free
# Python Pro

Modern Python 3.11+ specialist focused on type-safe, async-first, production-ready code.

## When to Use This Skill

- Writing type-safe Python with complete type coverage
- Implementing async/await patterns for I/O operations
- Setting up pytest test suites with fixtures and mocking
- Creating Pythonic code with comprehensions, generators, context managers
- Building packages with Poetry and proper project structure
- Performance optimization and profiling

## Core Workflow

1. **Analyze codebase** — Review structure, dependencies, type coverage, test suite
2. **Design interfaces** — Define protocols, dataclasses, type aliases
3. **Implement** — Write Pythonic code with full type hints and error handling
4. **Test** — Create comprehensive pytest suite with >90% coverage
5. **Validate** — Run `mypy --strict`, `black`, `ruff`
   - If mypy fails: fix type errors reported and re-run before proceeding
   - If tests fail: debug assertions, update fixtures, and iterate until green
   - If ruff/black reports issues: apply auto-fixes, then re-validate

## Reference Guide

Load detailed guidance based on context:

| Topic | Reference | Load When |
|-------|-----------|-----------|
| Type System | `references/type-system.md` | Type hints, mypy, generics, Protocol |
| Async Patterns | `references/async-patterns.md` | async/await, asyncio, task groups |
| Standard Library | `references/standard-library.md` | pathlib, dataclasses, functools, itertools |
| Testing | `references/testing.md` | pytest, fixtures, mocking, parametrize |
| Packaging | `references/packaging.md` | poetry, pip, pyproject.toml, distribution |

## Constraints

### MUST DO
- Type hints for all function signatures and class attributes
- PEP 8 compliance with black formatting
- Comprehensive docstrings (Google style)
- Test coverage exceeding 90% with pytest
- Use `X | None` instead of `Optional[X]` (Python 3.10+)
- Async/await for I/O-bound operations
- Dataclasses over manual __init__ methods
- Context managers for resource handling

### MUST NOT DO
- Skip type annotations on public APIs
- Use mutable default arguments
- Mix sync and async code improperly
- Ignore mypy errors in strict mode
- Use bare except clauses
- Hardcode secrets or configuration
- Use deprecated stdlib modules (use pathlib not os.path)

## Code Examples

### Type-annotated function with error handling
```python
from pathlib import Path

def read_config(path: Path) -> dict[str, str]:
    """Read configuration from a file.

    Args:
        path: Path to the configuration file.

    Returns:
        Parsed key-value configuration entries.

    Raises:
        FileNotFoundError: If the config file does not exist.
        ValueError: If a line cannot be parsed.
    """
    config: dict[str, str] = {}
    with path.open() as f:
        for line in f:
            key, _, value = line.partition("=")
            if not key.strip():
                raise ValueError(f"Invalid config line: {line!r}")
            config[key.strip()] = value.strip()
    return config
```

### Dataclass with validation
```python
from dataclasses import dataclass, field

@dataclass
class AppConfig:
    host: str
    port: int
    debug: bool = False
    allowed_origins: list[str] = field(default_factory=list)

    def __post_init__(self) -> None:
        if not (1 <= self.port <= 65535):
            raise ValueError(f"Invalid port: {self.port}")
```

### Async pattern
```python
import asyncio
import httpx

async def fetch_all(urls: list[str]) -> list[bytes]:
    """Fetch multiple URLs concurrently."""
    async with httpx.AsyncClient() as client:
        tasks = [client.get(url) for url in urls]
        responses = await asyncio.gather(*tasks)
        return [r.content for r in responses]
```

### pytest fixture and parametrize
```python
import pytest
from pathlib import Path

@pytest.fixture
def config_file(tmp_path: Path) -> Path:
    cfg = tmp_path / "config.txt"
    cfg.write_text("host=localhost\nport=8080\n")
    return cfg

@pytest.mark.parametrize("port,valid", [(8080, True), (0, False), (99999, False)])
def test_app_config_port_validation(port: int, valid: bool) -> None:
    if valid:
        AppConfig(host="localhost", port=port)
    else:
        with pytest.raises(ValueError):
            AppConfig(host="localhost", port=port)
```

### mypy strict configuration (pyproject.toml)
```toml
[tool.mypy]
python_version = "3.11"
strict = true
warn_return_any = true
warn_unused_configs = true
disallow_untyped_defs = true
```

Clean `mypy --strict` output looks like:
```
Success: no issues found in 12 source files
```
Any reported error (e.g., `error: Function is missing a return type annotation`) must be resolved before the implementation is considered complete.

## Output Templates

When implementing Python features, provide:
1. Module file with complete type hints
2. Test file with pytest fixtures
3. Type checking confirmation (mypy --strict passes)
4. Brief explanation of Pythonic patterns used

## Knowledge Reference

Python 3.11+, typing module, mypy, pytest, black, ruff, dataclasses, async/await, asyncio, pathlib, functools, itertools, Poetry, Pydantic, contextlib, collections.abc, Protocol

[Documentation](https://jeffallan.github.io/claude-skills/skills/language/python-pro/)
#engineering#full-stack#backend#developmentpythonpipmypyblackruffpytest

Related Skills

More skills in Software Engineering

Accessibility Standards

Comprehensive web accessibility standards based on WCAG 2.2 AA, with 38+ anti-patterns, legal enforcement context (EAA, ADA Title II), WAI-ARIA patterns, and framework-specific fixes for modern web frameworks and libraries.

#github-copilot#accessibilityMIT

Accord

Authoring unified specification packages across Business/Development/Design teams via staged elaboration (L0 Vision → L1 Requirements → L2 Team Detail → L3 Acceptance Criteria). No code. Use when authoring cross-team specs, building L0-L3 packages, or aligning Biz/Dev/Design on a single source of truth.

#broad-capability#developmentMIT

Acquire Codebase Knowledge

Use this skill when the user explicitly asks to map, document, or onboard into an existing codebase. Trigger for prompts like "map this codebase", "document this architecture", "onboard me to this repo", or "create codebase docs". Do not trigger for routine feature implementation, bug fixes, or narrow code edits unless the user asks for repository-level discovery.

#github-copilot#documentationMIT

Acreadiness Assess

Run the AgentRC readiness assessment on the current repository and produce a static HTML dashboard at reports/index.html. Wraps `npx github:microsoft/agentrc readiness` and hands off rendering to the @ai-readiness-reporter custom agent. Supports policies (--policy) for org-specific scoring. Use when asked to assess, audit, or score the AI readiness of a repo.

#github-copilot#planningMIT

Acreadiness Generate Instructions

Generate tailored AI agent instruction files via AgentRC instructions command. Produces .github/copilot-instructions.md (default, recommended for Copilot in VS Code) plus optional per-area .instructions.md files with applyTo globs for monorepos. Use after running /acreadiness-assess to close gaps in the AI Tooling pillar.

#github-copilot#skillMIT

Acreadiness Policy

Help the user pick, write, or apply an AgentRC policy. Policies customise readiness scoring by disabling irrelevant checks, overriding impact/level, setting pass-rate thresholds, or chaining org baselines with team overrides. Use when the user asks about strict mode, AI-only scoring, custom weights, CI gating, or wants org-wide standardisation.

#github-copilot#planningMIT