Always use os.environ.get() with appropriate defaults instead of direct dictionary access to prevent KeyError exceptions when environment variables are not set. Additionally, extract configuration constants and magic numbers to named module-level variables for better maintainability and consistency.
This pattern prevents runtime crashes when optional environment variables are missing and makes configuration values more discoverable and maintainable.
Problematic pattern:
api_version = os.environ["AZURE_API_VERSION"] or "2024-08-01-preview" # KeyError if not set
await asyncio.sleep(10) # Magic number
Preferred pattern:
# Module-level constants
DEFAULT_API_VERSION = "2024-08-01-preview"
EXTENDED_PERIOD_OF_TIME = 10
# Safe environment variable access
api_version = os.environ.get("AZURE_API_VERSION", DEFAULT_API_VERSION)
await asyncio.sleep(EXTENDED_PERIOD_OF_TIME)
This approach ensures graceful handling of missing environment variables while making configuration values explicit and easily adjustable across the codebase.
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