Code format

Let’s take a look at code formatting rules:

Use code autoformatting of the integrated development environment (IDE) or code editor. For example, many programmers use Eclipse, IDEA, PyCharm, Visual Studio, and others.
Do not use spaces and tabs for indentation simultaneously. If the tab size changes, the code formatting won’t look good.

Code structuring

Let’s take a look at code structuring rules:

Give a proper structure to the code. A structured programming paradigm aims to improve the clarity and reduce the development time of the programs by using extensive subroutines. Break the code into many subroutines such that each subroutine is responsible for a single task.

In particular, separate reading the input, computing the result, and writing the output. Such practices make it easier to update the resulting code. For example, the input format might change later. Also, such practices make it easier to test the consequent code since computing the result in a separate function simplifies stress testing.

Avoid copy-pasting one section of the code into another section. Copying a piece of code also copies all of its potential bugs. Instead of copying, add a new function (or class), and call it two times with different parameters.
Make the code compact if it doesn’t reduce its readability. For example, if $condition$ is a boolean variable or expression, then use the latter of the following two programs that achieve the same goal:

if $condition$ :
return true
else
return false

Instead, we can simply use the following:

return $condition$

When computing the minimum number in an array, instead of

if $current$ < $minimum$ :
$minimum$ $\leftarrow$ $current$

use

$minimum$ ...