Implementing Assertions for Debugging Python Code

{
  "title": "Implementing Assertions for Debugging Python Code",
  "description": "Learn how to use assertions effectively in your Python scripts to catch errors early and document your expectations for function inputs and outputs.",
  "category": "Python Cursor Rules",
  "rules": [
    {
      "name": "Use Assertions for Internal Consistency Checks",
      "description": "Employ assertions to verify internal assumptions and invariants within your code, ensuring that the program state aligns with expectations during development and debugging phases."
    },
    {
      "name": "Avoid Using Assertions for User Input Validation",
      "description": "Do not use assertions to validate user inputs or handle runtime errors, as assertions can be disabled in production environments, potentially leading to unhandled exceptions."
    },
    {
      "name": "Provide Clear and Descriptive Assertion Messages",
      "description": "Include informative messages in your assertions to facilitate easier debugging by clearly indicating the nature of the failure when an assertion is triggered."
    },
    {
      "name": "Be Mindful of Performance Implications",
      "description": "Recognize that assertions can impact performance; therefore, avoid placing them in performance-critical sections of code, especially if they involve complex conditions or computations."
    },
    {
      "name": "Disable Assertions in Production Code",
      "description": "Ensure that assertions are disabled in production environments to prevent potential performance degradation and unintended exposure of internal logic."
    },
    {
      "name": "Use Assertions to Document Code Assumptions",
      "description": "Leverage assertions as a form of documentation to make explicit the assumptions and expectations within your code, aiding in maintenance and readability."
    },
    {
      "name": "Limit the Use of Assertions to Development and Testing",
      "description": "Restrict the use of assertions to development and testing phases, and avoid relying on them for error handling in production code."
    }
  ]
}