Building a site with Python — how should division of labor work with a developer partner?

Committing directly to the main branch is professional suicide. Set up branch protection rules immediately. No merges without at least one approval. Also nail down inter-module communication using strict dataclasses or schema validators; as long as the underlying data structure doesn't break, whatever anyone writes internally shouldn't concern the other.

Back in 2022, another backend dev and I co-founded a similar data-driven site. Because we never signed an IP assignment agreement, my partner walked away when our 180.000 TL budget ran out in month 4 and locked down the repo. I had to scrap the entire project and start over from zero. Get the legal side sorted before touching any code.

Do weekly planning. Score the modules to be built on Monday morning, break them down into task cards and assign a single owner to each card. Don't consider any card done until there are passing tests and a live deployment output by Friday evening. Also, clearly designate the decision-maker on a module-by-module basis.

Having two technical partners with the same level of Python experience is usually a disadvantage, not an advantage. You end up constantly arguing over "this architecture is more elegant, that framework is faster." Unless one of you completely takes on technical leadership and product ownership, you won't even get the first release live just because you're fixated on being equal partners.

cleanest way when coding with a partner is drawing clear lines between roles. just say ill write the service you collect the data.. then tbh the more u mess with each others code the faster both the friendship and the project fall apart, speaking from experience.

Prepare a definition-of-done document to establish concrete delivery criteria: 1) Have unit tests been written for the module? 2) Has it passed code formatting and static analysis checks without errors? 3) Is the documentation ready for the service endpoints? 4) Has it been deployed to the staging server without issues? No module should be considered delivered unless these conditions are met.

edit: fixed a few typos.

does the vesting agreement need to be notarized, or would a simple written protocol signed between us hold up in court? also, if the company hasnt been officially incorporated yet, how do we protect code rights between individuals?

I didn't know that.

Let me clarify the technical side. A partnership without a payment schedule locks up at the first split.

I'm also curious if anyone does it differently.

I completely agree. When you try to change everything at once, nothing settles.

I'm also curious if anyone does it differently.

I'll try it. Just because everyone does it doesn't mean it's right.

Just leaving this note, it might be useful.

Let me share my experience. The only thing separating friendship from partnership is a written contract.

Correct me if I'm wrong.

If I understood correctly, you're saying: Don't hesitate to ask; those who don't ask always pay more.

People defend habits, not processes. I mean resistance comes from there. Of course, it varies if your situation is different.

I agree.

i partly agree partly disagree. when we deecide without measuring we always end up in the same place.

everyone rushing into web development with python gets stuck at the same point.

Let me share what happened to me; it might be useful. Do a small three-month project before talking stocks, so you see each other.

Good luck with that.

My question might sound amateurish sorry about that. Start with a small trial; don't commit to everything at once.

Hope this helps.

Thanks, this was very helpful. Everything goes well for the first three months; problems arise in the fourth.

If I were you, I'd go this route.