The three key files in a Python project are the Docker file, the Makefile, and the requirements.txt.
Makefile
The Makefile is particularly important because it allows you to automate various steps in your project, such as installation, deployment, and linting.
Essentially, the Makefile acts like a set of recipes that help you streamline your work by not having to constantly look things up.
The Makefile can include various tasks to automate complex steps in your project, such as installing packages from the requirements.txt file, adding testing functionality, and formatting code. By using a Makefile, you can streamline your workflow and avoid the need to remember and manually execute all of these steps. Overall, the Makefile helps to make managing and developing your code more efficient.
Dockerfile
The Dockerfile is also essential for your Python project. It defines the runtime environment for your code and is required for running and deploying containers. In the present and future, it is unlikely that projects will not use a Dockerfile, making it a must-have. The runtime packages specified in the Docker file are critical for containerising and deploying your code effectively.
Requirements File
The requirements.txt file is where you list the Python packages that are required for your project. It is important because it allows you to specify the exact version numbers of your packages, which ensures that someone who uses your project in the future will have the same package versions as you. This helps to avoid potential issues that may arise from using different package versions. Using the freeze command in conjunction with requirements.txt can further automate the process of managing package dependencies in your project.
Conclusion
Having these files in place makes it much easier to set up continuous integration for your project in the future. If you want to learn more about best practices for designing and building a Python project, I recommend checking out the “Hitchhiker’s Guide to Python.” It is a valuable resource that can help you ensure that your project is well-structured and maintainable.
Tim
