Editorial Guidelines

At Real Python, we’re committed to creating the most comprehensive, accurate, and practical Python learning resources available anywhere.

Whether through in-depth tutorials, video courses, interactive quizzes, learning paths, reference content, or our podcast, these guidelines explain how we ensure every piece of content meets our high standards and serves our mission to help Python developers become more awesome.

Our Commitment to Excellence

Every learning resource published on Real Python, from written tutorials to video courses to interactive quizzes, undergoes an extensive multi-stage editorial process involving Python experts, educators, and editors.

This isn’t just proofreading. It’s a comprehensive quality assurance system that typically involves 20-40 hours of expert review per learning resource.

We believe that learning Python should be practical, engaging, and built on rock-solid technical foundations. That’s why we invest significantly more time and expertise into each piece of content than typical programming blogs or tutorial sites. Our learners trust us to provide accurate, up-to-date information they can apply immediately in their own projects.

This commitment to quality is made possible by our community of members who directly support our educational mission, allowing us to maintain the highest editorial standards without compromise.

The Real Python Editorial Process

Our editorial process ensures that every learning resource is technically accurate, educationally effective, and genuinely helpful for Python developers at the appropriate skill level:

Before any content is published, it passes through multiple expert reviews. Python professionals verify all code examples, test them across different environments, and ensure they follow current best practices.

Our educational specialists review the teaching approach, making sure concepts are explained clearly and build logically from foundational knowledge to advanced techniques. Professional editors ensure clarity, consistency, and accessibility.

Therefore, all content on Real Python is vetted for:

Technical accuracy: Guaranteed by Python subject-matter experts
Educational effectiveness: Guaranteed by world-class educators
Language accuracy: Guaranteed by professional editors

We don’t just publish and forget. Our educational materials are living documents that we regularly update as Python evolves, new best practices emerge, and learner feedback provides insights for improvement.

Editorial Independence & Integrity

Our editorial decisions are based solely on what will best serve your learning needs. We maintain a strict separation between our editorial team and any business relationships. Sponsorships or advertising never influence our content decisions, recommendations, or technical advice.

This editorial independence means you can trust that when we recommend a tool, library, or approach, it’s because our experts genuinely believe it’s the best option for the task at hand.

Note: Due to our editorial independence, you’ll only see honest assessments and comparisons, helping you make informed decisions for your own projects.

This independence is fundamental to maintaining the trust of our community and ensuring that Real Python remains a reliable resource for accurate, unbiased Python education.

Quality Through Community Support

Real Python operates on a member-supported model. Membership fees directly fund our extensive editorial process, expert educators, and continuous content updates. This model allows us to focus on creating the best possible learning resources without the compromises that come from relying purely on advertising-based revenue.

Your membership enables us to maintain our rigorous quality standards, pay for our full-time Python experts, educators, and external contributors, as well as continuously improve our content based on your needs.

Our Quality Standards

Every Real Python tutorial meets these specific standards:

Comprehensive Coverage: In-depth exploration of topics, with written content typically averaging 7,000 words, but frequently going above 20,000 per tutorial
Current & Accurate: Tested on the latest versions of Python and updated regularly as new versions release
Subject Matter Experts: Learning content produced exclusively by experienced Python developers active in the community
Practical Focus: Real-world examples and working projects you can build to learn and extend to use in your work and projects
Accessible Learning: Clear explanations that respect your intelligence while ensuring understanding
Complete Code: All examples are fully functional and available for download
Multi-Modal Learning: Content adapted to work effectively in its chosen format, whether written, video, or interactive

Learner Engagement & Feedback

We actively encourage learner feedback through our comment system and community channels. When issues are identified, we prioritize quick updates to maintain accuracy. Our team monitors all feedback channels and typically addresses technical corrections within 48 hours.

This continuous improvement process, driven by our engaged community, helps ensure our content remains accurate, relevant, and genuinely helpful for Python developers worldwide.

The Team Behind the Content

Our learning resources are created by a team of dedicated Python educators, each bringing years of professional development experience and a passion for teaching. You can learn more about our educators, reviewers, and editors on our team page, where we showcase the expertise and backgrounds of the people behind Real Python.

Mission and Values: Learn about our core principles and educational philosophy
About Real Python: Discover our story and approach to Python education
Team: Meet the Python educators who create and review our content

Thank you for being part of the Real Python community. Your support enables us to maintain these high editorial standards and continue creating the comprehensive, practical Python education resources that developers around the world rely on.

If you have any questions about our editorial process or would like to report an issue with any of our content, please don’t hesitate to reach out through our contact page or community channels.