Presentation: How I learned to love Python's type hinting

For this evening, we'll be joining Blaine Buxton as he demonstrates the use of Python's optional type hinting support. As part of Python 3.5, support for providing a formal way to indicate the type of a value within your code was implemented. This comes with many benefits such as:

1. informing you of potential errors before running your code
2. improving the readability of code bases (both large and small) by explicitly declaring the types of values as a form of self-documentation

Regardless of your background: be it a data scientist, web developer, systems engineer to name a few – type hints can help you be a better thinker.

• Blaine will be using VS Code, PyGame, and mypy.

Agenda

• Why add optional types?
• Quick introduction to types, protocols, and optionals.
• How types can catch errors. This includes how to deal with classic NULL(None) issues.
• Types document usage simply.
• It's not all or nothing - it's incremental and doesn't affect runtime.
• Flexibility is not lost.
• All questions answered.

Timeline
- 6:30pm - 7:00pm: Opportunity to meet the other Tampa Bay Python members in-person
- 7:00pm - 8:00pm: Blaine will be sharing with the group what makes Python's optional type hinting so great
- 8:00pm - 8:30pm: Another chance to socialize and make friends. Also, we might try to continue the party by heading to a local bar for drinks/food.

Please be courteous and make sure to RSVP as we will have limited seating.

About the location

• The venue is a historical building, as such, it is not wheelchair accessible.
• Please safely use GPS navigation to get to the event, there are entrances to the parking lot on W Kathleen St and W Aileen St.
• There will be plenty of parking, just avoid named spots.
• The entrance to the event is on the West side of the building, you will ascend the first of two flights of stairs to find glass doors into the building, and then directly to your left, you will ascend the second flight of stairs into the event space. You will see a long hallway, head towards the sign and you will find the seating area!
• Feel free to mingle and stake out a spot to sit.