Writing Python like it's Rust - more robust code with type hints — Jakub Beránek

Type hints improve code understanding, documentation, and help catch bugs early without needing runtime checks or tests

Use type hints everywhere, especially at interface boundaries (function signatures) and in data classes - they provide self-documenting code that never gets out of sync

Data classes should be preferred over dictionaries and tuples for structured data - they provide better type safety and IDE support

Make illegal states unrepresentable by designing APIs that prevent misuse through types (example: separate types for authenticated/unauthenticated clients)

Type hints enable better IDE support with autocompletion, navigation, and refactoring capabilities

Type checkers like MyPy can validate entire codebases quickly without running the code, providing faster feedback than tests

Type hints are optional and can be gradually adopted - use Any type when needed for maximum flexibility

Consider the tradeoff between type safety and code complexity - not everything needs to be perfectly typed

Type hints don’t affect runtime performance but improve development speed and code maintainability

While Python’s type system isn’t as robust as Rust’s, combining type hints with good API design can prevent many common bugs