Python One-Liners & Tips: A Developer’s
Toolkit
Introduction
Python’s expressive syntax makes it possible to accomplish complex tasks in
surprisingly few lines. This guide collects the most useful patterns, idioms,
and one-liners that every Python developer should know.
Data Structures
Lists
# List comprehension with filter
evens = [x for x in range(100) if x % 2 == 0]
# Flatten nested list
flat = [item for sublist in nested for item in sublist]
# Remove duplicates while preserving order
unique = list([Link](items))
# Chunk a list into groups of n
chunks = [lst[i:i+n] for i in range(0, len(lst), n)]
# Transpose a matrix (list of lists)
transposed = list(zip(*matrix))
# Get every nth element
every_third = lst[::3]
# Reverse a list
reversed_list = lst[::-1]
Dictionaries
# Dictionary from two lists
d = dict(zip(keys, values))
# Merge dictionaries (Python 3.9+)
merged = dict1 | dict2
# Dictionary comprehension
squared = {x: x**2 for x in range(10)}
# Invert a dictionary
inverted = {v: k for k, v in [Link]()}
# Default dictionary for counting
from collections import defaultdict
counts = defaultdict(int)
for item in items:
counts[item] += 1
Sets and Counters
# Count occurrences and find most common
from collections import Counter
word_counts = Counter(words)
top_5 = word_counts.most_common(5)
# Set operations
common = set_a & set_b # intersection
all_items = set_a | set_b # union
only_in_a = set_a - set_b # difference
File I/O
# Read entire file
content = open('[Link]').read()
# Read lines into list (stripped)
lines = open('[Link]').read().splitlines()
# Write JSON with formatting
import json
[Link](data, open('[Link]', 'w'), indent=2, ensure_ascii=False)
# Read JSON
data = [Link](open('[Link]'))
# Read CSV into list of dicts
import csv
rows = list([Link](open('[Link]')))
# Read/write with pathlib (modern approach)
from pathlib import Path
text = Path('[Link]').read_text()
Path('[Link]').write_text('hello world')
# Process large files line by line (memory efficient)
with open('[Link]') as f:
errors = [line for line in f if 'ERROR' in line]
String Manipulation
# Multi-line string formatting
message = f"""
Hello {name},
Your order #{order_id} has been shipped.
Expected delivery: {date:%B %d, %Y}
"""
# Remove prefix/suffix (Python 3.9+)
filename = "report_2026.csv".removesuffix(".csv")
# Pad strings
padded = "42".zfill(5) # "00042"
centered = "title".center(20) # " title "
# Regular expressions
import re
emails = [Link](r'\b[\w.]+@[\w.]+\.\w+\b', text)
cleaned = [Link](r'\s+', ' ', messy_text).strip()
Functional Patterns
# Sort by multiple keys
students = sorted(students, key=lambda s: (-s['grade'], s['name']))
# Map and filter
names = list(map([Link], raw_names))
adults = list(filter(lambda p: p['age'] >= 18, people))
# Reduce
from functools import reduce
product = reduce(lambda a, b: a * b, numbers)
Useful Tricks
# Swap variables
a, b = b, a
# Ternary expression
result = "yes" if condition else "no"
# Walrus operator (Python 3.8+)
if (n := len(data)) > 10:
print(f"Processing {n} items")
# Unpacking with star
first, *middle, last = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
# Dictionary unpacking for function args
config = {'host': 'localhost', 'port': 8080}
connect(**config)
# Context manager for timing
from contextlib import contextmanager
import time
@contextmanager
def timer(label):
start = time.perf_counter()
yield
print(f"{label}: {time.perf_counter() - start:.3f}s")
with timer("database query"):
results = [Link](query)
Date and Time
from datetime import datetime, timedelta
now = [Link]()
dt = [Link]("2026-06-29", "%Y-%m-%d")
formatted = [Link]("%B %d, %Y") # "June 29, 2026"
tomorrow = now + timedelta(days=1)
iso = [Link]()
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