---
title: Refactoring in Python
description: Conference talk by Tin Marković on refactoring demanding Python code — design patterns, approaches, and lessons from production systems.
pdf_link: /static/refactoring-python.pdf
pdf_comment: >
    Branded with Kiwi.com, which has provided me with time and
    opportunity to make this talk and present it several times over.
youtube_link: https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/VlfVwbf58U4
youtube_comment: One of first versions of this talk, at a Moscow conference.
---
# Refactoring in Python
**Design patterns and approaches.**

## Abstract
A talk describing experiences and lessons learned from tackling extremely
demanding code. How to bring order to mismanaged code and elevate the code
base to a standard that's acceptable in today's tech environment.

Python makes wonderful code accessible at our fingertips, but it also allows
us to take a lot of liberty. When you start, code is beautiful and makes
sense. With each step you walk on, you find more and more hacks showing up.
Eventually, the brilliant codebase you've started with can not be seen under
the mud.

Not every code-base can be rewritten, not everything can be redone from
scratch. Cool libraries often take a lot of liberty with code structure
and make cross-integration difficult, if not impossible. Tests sound ideal,
but in practice, they're just so hard to make right. Why is this, and how
to change it?

The talk will tackle the problems in three parts: 

- **The Easy Wins**: 
What to do to instantly increase the code quality in your organisation. 
How? Why isn't it enough?
- **Patterns and Antipatterns**: 
How to identify code that "smells", how to replace it? 
How to integrate into old code, better?
- **The Philosophy**: 
What approach to set down for the future? 
Why to care? How to write replaceable code. 
How to prevent history from repeating.

The talk closes with audience discussion and experiences, questions and 
proposals - building a collection of some on-premise tips and tricks.