In part 1, we went over the basics of Python and interacting with the .NET framework from IronPython. In this part, we explore the core development techniques needed for writing applications with IronPython.

Essential to writing large programs for any platform is well-structured code. Without clear structure, it becomes impossible to keep an overview of what parts of the program perform which functions. More importantly, a well-structured program will be much easier to extend and more easily understood by others reading the code.

At the heart of the high-level techniques we use are design patterns. The term design patterns was popularized by a book of the same name, written in 1995 by four authors now immortalized as the Gang of Four. Design patterns formulate common tasks in programming and provide extensible object-oriented solutions. By recognizing places in your programs that are well suited to the use of these patterns, you can take advantage of well-tried approaches that provide a blueprint for aspects of your program structure. In the following chapters, we look at how to apply a few design patterns in IronPython and dive further into both Python and the .NET framework.