Guide · Agent skill
How to use the Python Idiomatic Patterns agent skill
Updated · written with AI from the project's own documentation and checked against our catalogue data
The python-patterns skill teaches your AI agent to write and review Python code in a more idiomatic, conventional style. It covers readable code, explicit configuration, EAFP exception handling, modern type hints, specific exception classes, context managers and comprehensions. This guide shows you how to install it, how to ask for help in a way that triggers it, and what to expect from the results.
Python Idiomatic Patternsaffaan-m/ECC · MIT Download the skill Quick start
- 1Download the ZIP. Download the python-patterns ZIP from this page and unzip it to get the SKILL.md file.
- 2Choose a location. Place the folder in ~/.claude/skills/ for all projects, or in a project's .claude/skills/ for one project.
- 3Or upload in the apps. In the Claude apps, open Settings → Capabilities → Skills and upload the skill.
- 4Make a natural request. Ask for a Python review, refactor or new code in plain language and mention Python.
- 5Check the output. Read the suggested changes and confirm they fit your project's conventions and Python version.
- 6Test the result. Run your own tests and linters, since the skill does not verify correctness.
What is an agent skill, and what does python-patterns do?
An agent skill is a folder with a SKILL.md file that gives an AI agent extra written guidance it can load when a task matches. The python-patterns skill is a set of Python best-practice guidelines, with good and bad code examples written in Spanish.
Once installed, the agent uses these guidelines when it writes new Python code, reviews existing code, refactors older code, or designs packages and modules. The skill is advice only: it does not add tools and does not run anything by itself.
- Prefers readable, obvious code over clever one-liners
- Uses explicit configuration, such as setting up logging with basicConfig instead of hidden side effects
- Favours EAFP (try/except) over checking conditions first (LBYL)
- Applies modern type hints, including built-in list[str] and dict[str, int] on Python 3.9+
- Catches specific exceptions, chains them with 'from e', and avoids bare except
- Uses context managers for resource cleanup and custom exception hierarchies
- Prefers comprehensions and generators over manual loops where they stay simple
Install the python-patterns skill
Download the python-patterns ZIP from this page and unzip it. The skill is a single file, SKILL.md. Then choose one of two locations, depending on whether you want the skill for all your projects or just one.
For personal use across projects, place the unzipped skill folder inside ~/.claude/skills/. For a single project, place it inside that project's .claude/skills/ folder.
If you use the Claude apps instead, open Settings, go to Capabilities, then Skills, and upload the skill there.
- All projects: ~/.claude/skills/python-patterns/
- One project only: .claude/skills/python-patterns/ inside the project folder
- Claude apps: Settings → Capabilities → Skills → upload
Trigger the skill with natural requests
You do not need a special command. The skill is meant to load when your request matches its purpose: writing new Python code, reviewing Python code, refactoring existing code, or designing Python packages and modules. Say what you want in plain language and mention Python.
Naming the goal helps. Asking for type hints, better error handling or a refactor makes it clear which guidelines apply.
- "Review this Python module for error handling and type hints."
- "Refactor this older Python file to use specific exceptions and context managers."
- "Write a function in Python that returns only the active users, in idiomatic style."
- "Suggest how to organise these Python modules into a clean package."
See what good and bad Python looks like
The skill's guidance is built around side-by-side comparisons. For example, it shows that a bare except that returns None hides failures, while catching FileNotFoundError and JSONDecodeError and re-raising a ConfigError with 'from e' keeps the cause visible.
Another example is resource handling. Opening a file with a with statement is preferred over a manual open and close in a finally block. Ask the agent to explain why a change is better, and it can draw on these examples.
- Specific exceptions instead of a bare except
- Exception chaining with 'from e' to preserve the traceback
- with statements instead of manual open and close
- Generators for large files, read line by line
try:
with open(path) as f:
return Config.from_json(f.read())
except FileNotFoundError as e:
raise ConfigError(f"Archivo de config no encontrado: {path}") from eUse the skill for code review and refactoring
Paste a file or point the agent at the code and ask for a review against these guidelines. The agent can flag bare excepts, missing type hints, manual loops that a comprehension would replace, and overly complex comprehensions that should become a function.
Review the suggestions before applying them. The guidelines are opinions about style and structure, so some suggestions may not fit your project's existing conventions.
- Ask for a list of issues first, then ask for the changes
- Ask it to keep behaviour the same when refactoring
- Ask it to explain each change in terms of the guideline it follows
Know the limits and safety notes
The skill does not require anything to be installed. It does not run scripts and does not use the network, according to its files. It consists of the SKILL.md file alone.
The guidance does not state which Python version to target. It mixes Python 3.8 styles (typing.List, Dict, Optional) with 3.9+ styles (built-in list and dict). Tell the agent your Python version so it picks the right syntax.
Generated code still needs testing. The skill is not a linter, test runner or security audit.
- Requires: nothing listed
- Runs scripts: no
- Uses network: no
- Run your own tests and linters on any code it writes or changes
What people use it for
- Reviewing a Python module for bare excepts and missing type hints
- Refactoring older code to use typing and specific exception classes
- Replacing manual loops with comprehensions or generator functions where they stay readable
- Adding context managers for file, connection or transaction handling
- Teaching students the difference between idiomatic and clumsy Python using the good and bad examples
Frequently asked questions
Is the python-patterns skill free?
The skill is published under the MIT licence, as stated on this page. Check the licence file in the source repository for the full terms before you reuse it.
What do I need to use python-patterns?
The source lists no requirements. It does not run scripts or use the network, and it consists of a SKILL.md file. You still need an agent environment that supports skills and Python code to work on.
Where do I install an agent skill?
Unzip the skill into ~/.claude/skills/ for all projects, or into a project's .claude/skills/ folder for one project. In the Claude apps, you can upload it under Settings → Capabilities → Skills.
Does python-patterns run tests or check my code for errors?
No. The skill is written guidance only. It does not act as a linter, test runner or security audit, so you should test any code the agent produces.
Which Python version does the skill target?
The guidance does not state one. It shows both Python 3.8 style typing (Optional, List, Dict) and Python 3.9+ style (built-in list and dict), so tell the agent your version.
How is this different from a linter like Ruff or pylint?
A linter checks code automatically against rules, while this skill gives the agent guidelines and examples to follow when writing or reviewing code. The skill does not run any checks itself, so use a linter alongside it if you want automated enforcement.
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Our verdict
Use python-patterns if you want Python code written or reviewed in a cleaner, more conventional style, or if you are refactoring older code toward type hints and proper error handling. Pick something else if you need verified correctness or a security audit, or if you work outside Python, because the skill is advice, not a checker.
Download the skill