Once you’ve learned the vocabulary and syntax of the Python language, how do you progress into learning the right combinations to put into your code? How can Python’s built-in itertools library enhance your skills? This week on the show, we speak with Rodrigo Girão Serrão about teaching Python through his blog and his passion for the itertools library.

We discuss Rodrigo’s different approaches to writing on his blog. He likes to document smaller concepts about Python and building code in his “Today I Learned” series. He’s also been collecting advice about the best way to use core Python features in another series called “Pydon’ts.”

We cover his recent PyCon US tutorial about the built-in itertools module. The functions contained in the module create iterators for efficient looping. We discuss the categories of tools inside the collection and ways to simplify your code.

We also explore the concept of vocabulary versus idioms in writing. Idioms are a group of words that hold a symbolic meaning that goes beyond the literal meaning of the individual words. We dig into how that applies to learning Python and building a personal collection of programming idioms.

This episode is sponsored by AMD.

Course Spotlight: Working With Missing Data in Polars

In this video course, you’ll learn how to deal with missing data in Polars to ensure it doesn’t interfere with your data analysis. You’ll discover how to check for missing values, update them, and remove them.

Topics:

00:00:00 – Introduction
00:02:34 – Creating Polars video course
00:03:27 – How did you start programming and teaching Python?
00:04:59 – Where did mathspp come from?
00:05:38 – Exploring math and programming in university
00:07:48 – Learning APL
00:09:24 – What goes into building the blog?
00:15:05 – The Pydon’ts and writing books
00:18:37 – PyCon US 2025
00:20:46 – Sponsor: AMD
00:21:23 – Teaching a tutorial about itertools
00:28:58 – Categorizing itertools
00:40:39 – Video Course Spotlight
00:41:55 – The difference between me and Shakespeare
00:46:51 – Learning and practicing with idioms
00:51:01 – TIL and asking questions
00:53:54 – What are you excited about in the world of Python?
00:55:40 – What do you want to learn next?
00:57:35 – How can people follow your work online?
01:01:19 – Thanks and goodbye

Show Links:

Level up your Python skills with our expert-led courses:

Efficient Iterations With Python Iterators and Iterables
Working With Python Polars
Working With Missing Data in Polars

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Futures, with Lee Vinsel