Python Variable Naming vs C++ Variable Naming

Question

I am starting to get deeper in learning Python and having a great time doing it but there is one thing that is bothering me. Why is it in C++ answers/tutorial/books are variables namedLikeThis and in Python they are named_like_this?

Is this just personal preference or is it a convention that should be followed for readability/clarity sake? Not a big deal but I don't want to be the weird guy writing annoying looking code.

Answer 1

People writing Python generally follow PEP8 (http://www.python.org/dev/peps/pep-0008/).

Answer 2

To expand on @thebjorn's answer, from PEP8:

Package and Module Names

Modules should have short, all-lowercase names. Underscores can be used in the module name if it improves readability. Python packages should also have short, all-lowercase names, although the use of underscores is discouraged.

...

Class Names

Class names should normally use the CapWords convention.

...

Function Names

Function names should be lowercase, with words separated by underscores as necessary to improve readability.

mixedCase is allowed only in contexts where that's already the prevailing style (e.g. threading.py), to retain backwards compatibility.

...

Method Names and Instance Variables

Use the function naming rules: lowercase with words separated by underscores as necessary to improve readability.

...

Constants

Constants are usually defined on a module level and written in all capital letters with underscores separating words.

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I definitely recommend reading PEP8 in its entirety, not only the naming conventions part. You'll be a much better Pythonista for it :)