In this ep, we chat with Rodrigo Girão Serrão about his journey from mathematician to Pythonista. What started as a colleague’s tip turned into 11 years of Python exploration. Rodrigo shares how his background in APL reshaped the way he writes Python, helping him embrace list comprehensions and functional patterns more intuitively.

We dig into his latest side project—a bytecode compiler written in Python—and what that reveals about how Python really works under the hood. Rodrigo unpacks dunder methods, decorators, and how Python’s consistent design makes building elegant, expressive code a joy.

He also shares great advice on giving talks: from deep diving into topics to letting ideas evolve before structuring a presentation. His love for community and clarity in coding is contagious.

Whether you're new to Python or a seasoned dev, this conversation will give you a deeper appreciation for the language we all love.

Connect with Rodrigo on socials:

Github: https://github.com/rodrigogiraoserrao

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rodrigo-gir%C3%A3o-serr%C3%A3o/

Check our these links for some further reading/viewing:

RP podcast: https://realpython.com/podcasts/rpp/252/

The categorisation of the module itertools: https://mathspp.com/blog/module-itertools-overview

A tutorial on decorators: https://mathspp.com/blog/pydonts/decorators

An article about dunder methods: https://mathspp.com/blog/pydonts/dunder-methods

Why APL is a language worth knowing (article): https://mathspp.com/blog/why-apl-is-a-language-worth-knowing

How APL made me a better Python developer (talk/video): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tDy-to9fgaw

The series of articles with the compiler/interpreter: https://mathspp.com/blog/tags/bpci

A tutorial is not a long talk: https://mathspp.com/blog/a-tutorial-is-not-a-long-talk

How I prepare a technical talk: https://mathspp.com/blog/how-i-prepare-a-technical-talk

Structural pattern matching: https://peps.python.org/pep-0636/

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💡🧑‍💻Level up your Python skills in just 6 weeks with our hands-on, mentor-led cohort program. Build and ship real apps while gaining confidence and accountability in a supportive community. Join an upcoming Pybites Developer Cohort today! 🌟✅

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If you found this podcast helpful, please consider following us!

Start Here with Pybites: https://pybit.es

Developer Mindset Newsletter: https://pybit.es/newsletter 💡

Pybites Books: https://pybitesbooks.com/

Bob LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bbelderbos/

Julian LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliansequeira/

Twitter: https://x.com/pybites

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/pybites-podcast/id1545551340

Sp

In this episode, we dive into AI’s impact on software development with Matt Makai, VP of Developer Relations at DigitalOcean and creator of Full Stack Python.

We explore how AI tools are changing coding workflows—from elite devs like Miguel Grinberg and Armin Ronacher to Matt’s own work on the AI-powered PlushCap app. While some see friction, others embrace AI as a co-pilot. Matt shares why staying hands-on with code is key for tech leaders, and why, despite the hype, AI won’t replace developers—it’ll just reshape how we work.

Connect with Matt on socials:

X: https://x.com/fullstackpython

Github: https://github.com/mattmakai

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewmakai/

Matt's projects:

Plushcap: https://www.plushcap.com/

Full Stack Python: https://www.fullstackpython.com/

DigitalOcean: https://www.digitalocean.com/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/digitalocean

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Blogs mentioned:

https://blog.miguelgrinberg.com/post/why-generative-ai-coding-tools-and-agents-do-not-work-for-me

https://lucumr.pocoo.org/2025/6/12/agentic-coding/

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💡🧑‍💻Level up your Python skills in just 6 weeks with our hands-on, mentor-led cohort program. Build and ship real apps while gaining confidence and accountability in a supportive community. Join an upcoming Pybites Developer Cohort today! 🌟✅

___

If you found this podcast helpful, please consider following us!

Start Here with Pybites: https://pybit.es

Developer Mindset Newsletter: https://pybit.es/newsletter 💡

Pybites Books: https://pybitesbooks.com/

Bob LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bbelderbos/

Julian LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliansequeira/

Twitter: https://x.com/pybites

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/pybites-podcast/id1545551340

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1sJnriPKKVgPIX7UU9PIN1

In this episode, we share our own experiences of what it’s like to code in isolation — and why it held us back more than we realised at the time. When you're working solo, it’s easy to miss out on learning opportunities, fall into unhelpful habits, or lose momentum altogether.

But when you start coding alongside others, everything shifts. We talk about how code reviews gave us instant feedback, how collaborating with other devs helped us level up faster, and how the simple act of being part of a team made coding more enjoyable — and a lot less lonely.

Whether you're freelancing, working remotely, or just feeling a bit disconnected, we share some practical ways to break out of that bubble. We also talk about how the PyBytes community has grown to nearly 1,400 developers, all sharing ideas, swapping feedback, landing jobs, and building real connections.

If you’ve been feeling stuck or isolated in your coding journey, this episode might be the nudge you need. Because trust us — once you stop coding alone, everything changes.

Join our Circle Community today! https://pybites.circle.so/c/start-here

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Books mentioned:

Reinventing The Store: https://pybitesbooks.com/books/lFI3EQAAQBAJ

Magician's End: https://pybitesbooks.com/books/nKHPc2SQqScC

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💡🧑‍💻Level up your Python skills in just 6 weeks with our hands-on, mentor-led cohort program. Build and ship real apps while gaining confidence and accountability in a supportive community. Join an upcoming Pybites Developer Cohort today! 🌟✅

___

If you found this podcast helpful, please consider following us!

Start Here with Pybites: https://pybit.es

Developer Mindset Newsletter: https://pybit.es/newsletter 💡

Pybites Books: https://pybitesbooks.com/

Bob LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bbelderbos/

Julian LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliansequeira/

Twitter: https://x.com/pybites

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/pybites-podcast/id1545551340

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1sJnriPKKVgPIX7UU9PIN1