Software Design for Python Programmers

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Principles and patterns
Ronald Mak
  • January 2026
  • ISBN 9781633439498
  • 456 pages
  • printed in black & white
print book available Jan 26, 2026
ePub + liveBook available Jan 26, 2026

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Look inside
Design principles and patterns for building better Python software.

Software Design for Python Programmers shows you how to level up from writing Python code to designing Python applications. Following intuitive “before” and “after” examples of improved code, you’ll learn to plan and execute Python applications effectively and avoid bugs associated with unmanaged state, poorly-formed classes, inflexible functions, and more.

In Software Design for Python Programmers, you’ll learn how to:

  • Analyze requirements and plan application architecture
  • Evolve designs through iterative development
  • Shape Python classes with high cohesion and loose coupling
  • Use decorators to introduce abstraction, enforce constraints, and enrich behavior
  • Apply industry-standard design principles to keep code modular and maintainable
  • Choose and implement the right design patterns for complex challenges

Great applications take advantage of established design principles and patterns that maximize performance, maintainability, and reliability. This book helps you master the “Pythonic” approach to architectural principles, such as encapsulation, abstraction, method variation, and more. The examples are in Python, but the techniques will apply to any object-oriented language.

about the technology

Great software starts with thoughtful design. You’ll be a more effective developer if you can decide how data will flow through your applications, create a winning software architecture, and structure functions, classes, and modules before you write a line of code. This book will get you started!

about the book

Software Design for Python Programmers is a practical guide for creating maintainable, well-structured software in Python. By investigating clear “before and after” examples, you’ll discover how even small design choices can have a huge impact on an application’s clarity and reliability. As you go, you’ll learn how to gather requirements, shape a program’s architecture iteratively, create clean and reusable abstractions, and select design patterns that solve the real problems you’ll face on the job.

what's inside

  • Turn vague requirements into solid designs
  • Python-specific software design techniques
  • Create classes with high cohesion and loose coupling

about the reader

For programmers comfortable with Python syntax.

about the author

Ronald Mak is a former NASA senior scientist. Currently, he teaches data science and computer science at San Jose State University. He is the author of Object-Oriented Software Design in C++.

Learn these techniques and move beyond what the AI bots can do.

Cay Horstmann, Author of Python for Everyone, Third Edition

Highly informative—not just for beginners, but also for working professionals.

Natasha Kulkarni, Oracle

Clear explanations, practical examples, and the focus on real-world application development.

Shantanu Kumar, Amazon

Quite literally a career-changer.

Robert Nicholson, Independent Consultant

Focuses the reader on the principles and patterns without the code getting in the way.

Dermot Doran, Garden Shed Computing
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choose your plan

team

monthly
annual
$49.99
$499.99
only $41.67 per month
  • five seats for your team
  • access to all Manning books, MEAPs, liveVideos, liveProjects, and audiobooks!
  • choose another free product every time you renew
  • choose twelve free products per year
  • exclusive 50% discount on all purchases
  • renews monthly, pause or cancel renewal anytime
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  • Software Design for Python Programmers ebook for free