I'm about to become a Philly cyclist

And I'm a little nervous. I know people who have gotten hit. I've seen it happen outside my own apartment. I haven't ridden a bike in years. But I feel this is the move for me, and I want to do it right. I've done all the reading about safety and laws and whatnot, but I know that sometimes that can be a tad removed from the actual reality of riding in the city streets. One thing I'm wondering about is red lights/stop signs. I know what the law is for those - the same as if I'm driving a car. But I was talking to my partner who bikes in the city daily and they said that it's actually more dangerous to come to a complete stop (at least at stop signs) because neither drivers nor other cyclists expect it from you, and it's not good to act unpredictably. This makes sense to me, and I know some states that aren't PA have stop-as-yield laws, but I've also seen people blow through stop signs with no regard for human life so like...I'm not tryna die. Obviously if there was any chance a car was coming I wouldn't go, but if I have a sightline into potential traffic and it's very clear that there isn't any, should I still stop? Idgaf about tickets cuz the police def don't care, but I feel like it'd be an annoyance to other cyclists behind me (and myself, if I'm being honest). Similar deal with red lights - depending on the street I've heard some people say to treat them like stop signs and go if the coast is clear. Lord knows I do that as a pedestrian already.

Also, I feel like I'd be most comfortable riding in the center of traffic lanes. I know legally I'm allowed to do that, and I'm getting an e-bike so I'd have no problem coming quickly up to traffic speeds on most streets that I'll be riding, but I was wondering if there are any disadvantages to this since I see so many cyclists hug the right curb a bit.

I'd appreciate any thoughts from people who bike around the city daily - should I strictly adhere to all laws regardless of traffic or inconvenience, or is it safer to strike a bit of balance between the law and what's practical in real-world situations?

Edit: Thank you all for the responses! It's been super helpful. One last question: when CC traffic (or anywhere else I guess) is stopped at a red light or otherwise, is it improper to weave up to the front and get in front of the traffic when the light turns green?