Ever had multiple columns in your DataFrame and thought, โHmm, wouldnโt it be great if I could just mash these into one clean column?โ Whether you're cleaning names, constructing addresses, or stitching strings together for a custom key โ concatenating values in a DataFrame is a go-to move. Letโs walk through all the nifty ways... Continue Reading →
Creating an Empty Pandas DataFrame
In the world of data wrangling, sometimes you start with nothingโliterally. Maybe youโre prepping to collect API results. Or you're waiting for user input. Or building up data from scratch during a loop. Whatever the reason, knowing how to create an empty DataFrame with defined columns is a must-have trick in your Python toolbox. Letโs... Continue Reading →
strftime() vs strptime() โ The Dynamic Duo of Python DateTime
Ah, Python dates. You never quite realize how much of a mess they areโuntil you're knee-deep in some API response with a timestamp like "2025-04-10T14:30:00Z" and someone asks you to make sense of it. Enter the Batman and Robin of Python's datetime module:๐ strftime() โ the Formatter๐ strptime() โ the Parser Letโs break this dynamic... Continue Reading →
Parsing Dates with strptime() in Python
Youโve seen it beforeโsome CSV or API gives you a weird string like "2025-04-10 15:45:00" and you think, "Cool, but how do I work with this?" Say hello to strptime() โ the friendly counterpart to strftime(). While strftime formats datetime objects into strings, strptime does the reverse: it parses strings into datetime objects. strftime() can... Continue Reading →
Mastering strftime() in Python
If youโve ever pulled a datetime value in Python and thought, โUgh, what even is this format?โ โ youโre not alone. Python gives us strftime() for that exact reason. Whether you want to show 2025-04-10 as "10 April, 2025" or "Thursday 10th of April 2025, 03:45 PM" โ strftime has your back. Let's decode it... Continue Reading →
*args vs **kwargs in Python โ What’s the Difference and When to Use Them?
Python is a language that values simplicity and flexibility, and nowhere is that more evident than in how it handles function arguments. If you've ever come across *args and **kwargs and wondered, "Whatโs going on here?" โ you're in the right place. Letโs break it down with plain English, some real examples, and use cases... Continue Reading →
Understanding **kwargs in Python: A Beginnerโs Guide
In Python, the flexibility of functions is one of the things that makes it a favorite language for developers. You can pass arguments in multiple ways, which allows you to create more dynamic and versatile functions. One such way is through kwargs. But what exactly is kwargs, and why is it so useful? Let's dive... Continue Reading →
Function Overloading in Python
In many programming languages like C++ or Java, function overloading is a familiar term โ you can define multiple functions with the same name but different arguments. Python, however, has its own way of making things happen. So, what happens if you try this in Python? def greet(name): print("Hello", name) def greet(name, age): print("Hello", name,... Continue Reading →
ExcelWriter Engines in Python (Pandas 2.0+)
Letโs be honestโExcel isnโt going anywhere. Whether you're building a weekly report, automating insights, or sending a โfancyโ output to a stakeholder, chances are, you're still saving stuff as .xlsx. And if you're in Python land, pandas.ExcelWriter is your trusty sidekick. Butโwhat powers this tool behind the scenes? Yep, weโre talking about the engines. With... Continue Reading →
Pandas DataFrame vs. Spark DataFrame: Which One Should You Use & When?
Ever felt like your laptopโs about to take off while processing that โinnocentโ CSV file with 1 million rows? ๐Yep. Youโre probably using Pandas, and itโs starting to sweat. Thatโs where Spark DataFrames come in โ but wait, donโt ditch Pandas just yet!Letโs break it down. Think of it like this: Pandas is your reliable... Continue Reading →