Manual Formatting vs Black

Developers should use manual formatting when working in environments where automated formatting tools are unavailable, restricted, or when fine-grained control over code presentation is necessary, such as in legacy systems or specific project requirements meets developers should use black when working on python projects, especially in teams, to enforce consistent coding standards and reduce time spent on style discussions. Here's our take.

Manual Formatting

Nice Pick

Developers should use manual formatting when working in environments where automated formatting tools are unavailable, restricted, or when fine-grained control over code presentation is necessary, such as in legacy systems or specific project requirements

Pros

• It is also useful for learning coding standards and developing good habits, as it forces awareness of style conventions
• Related to: code-style-guides, code-readability

Cons

• Specific tradeoffs depend on your use case

Black

Developers should use Black when working on Python projects, especially in teams, to enforce consistent coding standards and reduce time spent on style discussions

Pros

• It is particularly valuable for large codebases, open-source projects, or CI/CD pipelines where automated formatting ensures code quality and reduces merge conflicts
• Related to: python, code-formatting

Cons

• Specific tradeoffs depend on your use case

The Verdict

These tools serve different purposes. Manual Formatting is a methodology while Black is a tool. We picked Manual Formatting based on overall popularity, but your choice depends on what you're building.

The Bottom Line

Manual Formatting wins

Based on overall popularity. Manual Formatting is more widely used, but Black excels in its own space.