Python Libraries I Actually Use (or at Least Respect)
Here’s a running list of Python libraries I either use in my projects or find interesting enough to lurk on. Some are rock solid. Some are kind of cursed. All of them have earned a spot in my mental toolbox.
API Clients & Integrations
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python-quickbooks
Used to talk to QuickBooks Online. Kind of clunky. Gets the job done.
Needed if you're working with accountants who still print things. -
telnyx-python
For sending SMS. I like Telnyx more than Twilio because they don't make me feel like I'm talking to a fax machine. -
stripe-python
If you’ve touched money in an app, you’ve probably touched this. Solid. Loud. Does everything.
Backend Essentials
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mongo-python-driver (PyMongo)
The official MongoDB driver. No ORM, no nonsense. I write my queries like a caveman and it’s fine. -
bcrypt
Password hashing for when you don’t want to roll your own security and end up on Hacker News. -
itsdangerous
For signing tokens or data that you don’t want people to mess with. Sneaky but powerful. -
orjson
Faster than the standard library’sjson. Shaves milliseconds and makes you feel smart. -
aiofiles
Async file I/O. If you're already in async hell, this makes reading and writing files a little less painful. -
multipart
Fast form-data parser. Nice if you’re building your own thing and not using a bloated framework.
Web Framework / ASGI Stuff
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uvicorn
ASGI server. Small, fast, no drama. Everything MicroPie rides on top of this thing. -
jinja
Templating engine that’s been around since dirt. I still use it. You probably do too. -
python-socketio
Real-time WebSockets that aren’t a nightmare. Miguel makes good stuff. -
micropie My own ASGI framework
AI / GenAI Hype Train
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openai-python
You already know what this is. I’ve used it. You’ve used it. Move on. -
pydantic-ai
Apparently now Pydantic has agents. It’s new. It’s structured. It’s very 2025.