I Shipped One Messy Python Script. Here's the 10-Point Checklist That Got It There.

AI can generate a functional Python script in approximately ninety seconds. The script executes successfully, and the user proceeds to the next task. However, the script often persists beyond its initial use. It may include a hard-coded Downloads path or a comment such as # edit before running!!. Subsequently, someone might duplicate it as script_v2_FINAL.py. Weeks later, a teammate may attempt to use the script with a slightly different CSV file, resulting in a raw traceback or, more problemati