One can use Qgis3 functionality within your standalone python programs - e.g, for making maps.
The basic setup for such a python script would like: https://gist.github.com/spara/1251012
A full description of features available at the python level can be found here: http://docs.qgis.org/testing/en/docs/pyqgis_developer_cookbook/index.html
We include the settings in a module file named $HOME/privatemodules/qgis3
#%Module1.0#####################################################################
##
## qgis3 modulefile
##
## privatemodules/qgis. Generated from dot.in by configure.
##
proc ModulesHelp { } {
global version
puts stderr "\tSets up environment for using Qgis3 in python3"
puts stderr "\n\tVersion $version\n"
}
module-whatis "adds Qgis3 stuff to your environment variables"
# for Tcl script use only
set version 3.2.10
conflict qgis
append-path PYTHONPATH /Applications/MacPorts/Qgis3.app/Contents/Resources/python
append-path LD_LIBRARY_PATH /Applications/MacPorts/Qgis3.app/Contents/MacOS/lib
To use QGIS within your python 3.6 scripts
module load qgis3