python-peps/peps/pep-3100.rst

PEP: 3100
Title: Miscellaneous Python 3.0 Plans
Author: Brett Cannon <brett@python.org>
Status: Final
Type: Process
Content-Type: text/x-rst
Created: 20-Aug-2004
Post-History:


Abstract
========

This PEP, previously known as :pep:`3000`, describes smaller scale changes
and new features for which no separate PEP is written yet, all targeted
for Python 3000.

The list of features included in this document is subject to change
and isn't binding on the Python development community; features may be
added, removed, and modified at any time.  The purpose of this list is
to focus our language development effort on changes that are steps to
3.0, and to encourage people to invent ways to smooth the transition.

This document is not a wish-list that anyone can extend.  While there
are two authors of this PEP, we're just supplying the text; the
decisions for which changes are listed in this document are made by
Guido van Rossum, who has chosen them as goals for Python 3.0.

Guido's pronouncements on things that will not change in Python 3.0
are recorded in :pep:`3099`.


General goals
=============

A general goal is to reduce feature duplication by removing old ways
of doing things.  A general principle of the design will be that one
obvious way of doing something is enough. [1]_


Influencing PEPs
================

* :pep:`238` (Changing the Division Operator)
* :pep:`328` (Imports: Multi-Line and Absolute/Relative)
* :pep:`343` (The "with" Statement)
* :pep:`352` (Required Superclass for Exceptions)


Style changes
=============

* The C style guide will be updated to use 4-space indents, never tabs.
  This style should be used for all new files; existing files can be
  updated only if there is no hope to ever merge a particular file from
  the Python 2 HEAD.  Within a file, the indentation style should be
  consistent.  No other style guide changes are planned ATM.


Core language
=============

* True division becomes default behavior :pep:`238` [done]
* ``exec`` as a statement is not worth it -- make it a function [done]
* Add optional declarations for static typing :pep:`3107` [10]_ [done]
* Support only new-style classes; classic classes will be gone [1]_ [done]
* Replace ``print`` by a function [14]_  :pep:`3105` [done]
* The ``softspace`` attribute of files goes away. [done]
* Use ``except E1, E2, E3 as err:`` if you want the error variable. [3]_ [done]
* ``None`` becomes a keyword [4]_; also ``True`` and ``False`` [done]
* ``...`` to become a general expression element [16]_ [done]
* ``as`` becomes a keyword [5]_ (starting in 2.6 already) [done]
* Have list comprehensions be syntactic sugar for passing an
  equivalent generator expression to ``list()``; as a consequence the
  loop variable will no longer be exposed :pep:`289` [done]
* Comparisons other than ``==`` and ``!=`` between disparate types
  will raise an exception unless explicitly supported by the type [6]_ [done]
* floats will not be acceptable as arguments in place of ints for operations
  where floats are inadvertently accepted (PyArg_ParseTuple() i & l formats)
* Remove from ... import * at function scope.  [done] This means that functions
  can always be optimized and support for unoptimized functions can go away.
* Imports :pep:`328`
    + Imports will be absolute by default. [done]
    + Relative imports must be explicitly specified. [done]
    + Indirection entries in ``sys.modules`` (i.e., a value of ``None`` for
      ``A.string`` means to use the top-level ``string`` module) will not be
      supported.
* __init__.py might become optional in sub-packages?  __init__.py will still
  be required for top-level packages.
* Cleanup the Py_InitModule() variants {,3,4} (also import and parser APIs)
* Cleanup the APIs exported in pythonrun, etc.
* Some expressions will require parentheses that didn't in 2.x:

  - List comprehensions will require parentheses around the iterables.
    This will make list comprehensions more similar to generator comprehensions.
    [x for x in 1, 2] will need to be:  [x for x in (1, 2)] [done]
  - Lambdas may have to be parenthesized :pep:`308` [NO]

* In order to get rid of the confusion between __builtin__ and __builtins__,
  it was decided to rename __builtin__ (the module) to builtins, and to leave
  __builtins__ (the sandbox hook) alone. [#builtin]_ [#builtins]_ [done]
* Attributes on functions of the form ``func_whatever`` will be renamed
  ``__whatever__`` [17]_ [done]
* Set literals and comprehensions [19]_ [20]_ [done]
  {x} means set([x]); {x, y} means set([x, y]).
  {F(x) for x in S if P(x)} means set(F(x) for x in S if P(x)).
  NB. {range(x)} means set([range(x)]), NOT set(range(x)).
  There's no literal for an empty set; use set() (or {1}&{2} :-).
  There's no frozenset literal; they are too rarely needed.
* The ``__nonzero__`` special method will be renamed to ``__bool__``
  and have to return a bool. The typeobject slot will be called
  ``tp_bool`` [23]_ [done]
* Dict comprehensions, as first proposed in :pep:`274` [done]
  {K(x): V(x) for x in S if P(x)} means dict((K(x), V(x)) for x in S if P(x)).

To be removed:

* String exceptions: use instances of an Exception class [2]_ [done]
* ``raise Exception, "message"``: use ``raise Exception("message")`` [12]_
  [done]
* ``x``: use ``repr(x)`` [2]_ [done]
* The ``<>`` operator: use ``!=`` instead [3]_ [done]
* The __mod__ and __divmod__ special methods on float. [they should stay] [21]_
* Drop unbound methods [7]_ [26]_ [done]
* METH_OLDARGS [done]
* WITH_CYCLE_GC [done]
* __getslice__, __setslice__, __delslice__ [#sequence-types]_;
  remove slice opcodes and use slice objects. [done]
* ``__oct__``, ``__hex__``: use ``__index__`` in ``oct()`` and ``hex()``
  instead. [done]
* ``__methods__`` and ``__members__`` [done]
* C APIs (see code):
  PyFloat_AsString, PyFloat_AsReprString, PyFloat_AsStringEx,
  PySequence_In, PyEval_EvalFrame, PyEval_CallObject,
  _PyObject_Del, _PyObject_GC_Del, _PyObject_GC_Track, _PyObject_GC_UnTrack
  PyString_AsEncodedString, PyString_AsDecodedString
  PyArg_NoArgs, PyArg_GetInt, intargfunc, intintargfunc

  PyImport_ReloadModule ?


Atomic Types
============

* Remove distinction between int and long types; 'long' built-in type and
  literals with 'L' or 'l' suffix disappear [1]_ [done]
* Make all strings be Unicode, and have a separate bytes() type [1]_
  The new string type will be called 'str'. See :pep:`3137`. [done]
* Return iterable views instead of lists where appropriate for atomic
  type methods (e.g. ``dict.keys()``, ``dict.values()``,
  ``dict.items()``, etc.); iter* methods will be removed. [done]
* Make ``string.join()`` stringify its arguments? [18]_ [NO]
* Fix open() so it returns a ValueError if the mode is bad rather than IOError.
  [done]

To be removed:

* ``basestring.find()`` and ``basestring.rfind()``; use ``basestring.index()``
  or ``basestring.[r]partition()`` or
  ``basestring.rindex()`` in a try/except block??? [13]_ [UNLIKELY]
* ``file.xreadlines()`` method [#file-object]_ [done]
* ``dict.setdefault()``? [15]_ [UNLIKELY]
* ``dict.has_key()`` method; use ``in`` operator [done]
* ``list.sort()`` and ``builtin.sorted()`` methods: eliminate ``cmp``
  parameter [27]_ [done]

Built-in Namespace
==================

* Make built-ins return an iterator where appropriate (e.g. ``range()``,
  ``zip()``, ``map()``, ``filter()``, etc.) [done]
* Remove ``input()`` and rename ``raw_input()`` to ``input()``.
  If you need the old input(), use eval(input()). [done]
* Introduce ``trunc()``, which would call the ``__trunc__()`` method on its
  argument; suggested use is for objects like float where calling ``__int__()``
  has data loss, but an integral representation is still desired? [8]_ [done]
* Exception hierarchy changes :pep:`352` [done]
* Add a ``bin()`` function for a binary representation of integers [done]

To be removed:

* ``apply()``: use ``f(*args, **kw)`` instead [2]_ [done]
* ``buffer()``: must die (use a bytes() type instead) (?) [2]_ [done]
* ``callable()``: just use isinstance(x, collections.Callable) (?) [2]_ [done]
* ``compile()``: put in ``sys`` (or perhaps in a module of its own) [2]_
* ``coerce()``: no longer needed [2]_ [done]
* ``execfile()``, ``reload()``: use ``exec()`` [2]_ [done]
* ``intern()``: put in ``sys`` [2]_, [22]_ [done]
* ``reduce()``: put in ``functools``, a loop is more readable most of the
  times [2]_, [9]_ [done]
* ``xrange()``: use ``range()`` instead [1]_ [See range() above] [done]
* ``StandardError``: this is a relic from the original exception hierarchy;
   subclass ``Exception`` instead. [done]


Standard library
================

* Reorganize the standard library to not be as shallow?
* Move test code to where it belongs, there will be no more test() functions
  in the standard library
* Convert all tests to use either doctest or unittest.
* For the procedures of standard library improvement, see :pep:`3001`

To be removed:

* The sets module.  [done]
* stdlib modules to be removed
    + see docstrings and comments in the source
        - ``macfs`` [to do]
        - ``new``, ``reconvert``, ``stringold``, ``xmllib``,
          ``pcre``, ``pypcre``, ``strop`` [all done]
    + see :pep:`4`
        - ``buildtools``,
          ``mimetools``,
          ``multifile``,
          ``rfc822``,
          [to do]
        - ``mpz``, ``posixfile``, ``regsub``, ``rgbimage``,
          ``sha``, ``statcache``, ``sv``, ``TERMIOS``, ``timing`` [done]
        - ``cfmfile``, ``gopherlib``, ``md5``, ``MimeWriter``, ``mimify`` [done]
        - ``cl``, ``sets``, ``xreadlines``, ``rotor``, ``whrandom`` [done]
    + Everything in lib-old :pep:`4` [done]
        - ``Para``, ``addpack``, ``cmp``, ``cmpcache``, ``codehack``,
          ``dircmp``, ``dump``, ``find``, ``fmt``, ``grep``,
          ``lockfile``, ``newdir``, ``ni``, ``packmail``, ``poly``,
          ``rand``, ``statcache``, ``tb``, ``tzparse``, ``util``,
          ``whatsound``, ``whrandom``, ``zmod``
* ``sys.exitfunc``: use atexit module instead [#sys-module]_,
  [#exitfunc-patch]_ [done]
* ``sys.exc_type``, ``sys.exc_values``, ``sys.exc_traceback``:
  not thread-safe; use ``sys.exc_info()`` or an attribute
  of the exception [2]_ [11]_ [#sys-module]_ [done]
* ``sys.exc_clear``: Python 3's except statements provide the same
  functionality [24]_ :pep:`3110` [#sys-module]_ [done]
* ``array.read``, ``array.write`` [#array-module]_
* ``operator.isCallable`` : ``callable()`` built-in is being removed
  [#operator-module]_ [#remove-operator-funcs]_ [done]
* ``operator.sequenceIncludes`` : redundant thanks to
  ``operator.contains`` [#operator-module]_  [#remove-operator-funcs]_ [done]
* In the thread module, the acquire_lock() and release_lock() aliases
  for the acquire() and release() methods on lock objects.
  (Probably also just remove the thread module as a public API,
  in favor of always using threading.py.)
* UserXyz classes, in favour of XyzMixins.

* Remove the unreliable empty() and full() methods from Queue.py? [25]_
* Remove jumpahead() from the random API? [25]_
* Make the primitive for random be something generating random bytes
  rather than random floats? [25]_
* Get rid of Cookie.SerialCookie and Cookie.SmartCookie? [25]_
* Modify the heapq.heapreplace() API to compare the new value to the top
  of the heap? [25]_

Outstanding Issues
==================

* Require C99, so we can use // comments, named initializers, declare variables
  without introducing a new scope, among other benefits.  (Also better support
  for IEEE floating point issues like NaN and infinities?)

* Remove support for old systems, including: BeOS, RISCOS, (SGI) Irix, Tru64


References
==========

.. [1] PyCon 2003 State of the Union:
   https://legacy.python.org/doc/essays/ppt/pycon2003/pycon2003.ppt

.. [2] Python Regrets:
   https://legacy.python.org/doc/essays/ppt/regrets/PythonRegrets.pdf

.. [3] Python Wiki:
   https://wiki.python.org/moin/Python3.0

.. [4] python-dev email ("Constancy of None")
   https://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2004-July/046294.html

.. [5] python-dev email (' "as" to be a keyword?')
   https://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2004-July/046316.html

.. [6] python-dev email ("Comparing heterogeneous types")
   https://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2004-June/045111.html

.. [7] python-dev email ("Let's get rid of unbound methods")
   https://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2005-January/050625.html

.. [8] python-dev email ("Fixing _PyEval_SliceIndex so that integer-like
   objects can be used")
   https://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2005-February/051674.html

.. [9] Guido's blog ("The fate of reduce() in Python 3000")
   https://www.artima.com/weblogs/viewpost.jsp?thread=98196

.. [10] Guido's blog ("Python Optional Typechecking Redux")
   https://www.artima.com/weblogs/viewpost.jsp?thread=89161

.. [11] python-dev email ("anonymous blocks")
   https://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2005-April/053060.html

.. [12] python-dev email ("PEP 8: exception style")
   https://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2005-August/055190.html

.. [13] python-dev email (Remove str.find in 3.0?)
   https://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2005-August/055705.html

.. [14] python-dev email (Replacement for print in Python 3.0)
   https://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2005-September/056154.html

.. [15] python-dev email ("defaultdict")
   https://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2006-February/061261.html

.. [16] python-3000 email
   https://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-3000/2006-April/000996.html

.. [17] python-3000 email ("Pronouncement on parameter lists")
   https://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-3000/2006-April/001175.html

.. [18] python-3000 email ("More wishful thinking")
   https://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-3000/2006-April/000810.html

.. [19] python-3000 email ("sets in P3K?")
   https://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-3000/2006-April/001286.html

.. [20] python-3000 email ("sets in P3K?")
   https://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-3000/2006-May/001666.html

.. [21] python-3000 email ("bug in modulus?")
   https://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-3000/2006-May/001735.html

.. [22] SF patch "sys.id() and sys.intern()"
   https://bugs.python.org/issue1601678

.. [23] python-3000 email ("__nonzero__ vs. __bool__")
   https://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-3000/2006-November/004524.html

.. [24] python-3000 email ("Pre-peps on raise and except changes")
   https://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-3000/2007-February/005672.html

.. [25] python-3000 email ("Py3.0 Library Ideas")
   https://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-3000/2007-February/005726.html

.. [26] python-dev email ("Should we do away with unbound methods in Py3k?")
   https://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2007-November/075279.html

.. [27] python-dev email ("Mutable sequence .sort() signature")
   https://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2008-February/076818.html

.. [#sys-module] Python docs (sys -- System-specific parameters and functions)
   https://docs.python.org/release/2.6/library/sys.html

.. [#operator-module] Python docs (operator -- Standard operators as functions)
   https://docs.python.org/release/2.6/library/operator.html

.. [#array-module] Python docs (array -- Efficient arrays of numeric values)
   https://docs.python.org/release/2.6/library/array.html

.. [#file-object] Python docs (File objects)
   https://docs.python.org/release/2.6/library/stdtypes.html

.. [#sequence-types] Python docs (Additional methods for emulation of sequence types)
   https://docs.python.org/release/2.6/reference/datamodel.html#additional-methods-for-emulation-of-sequence-types

.. [#builtin] Approach to resolving __builtin__ vs __builtins__
   https://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-3000/2007-March/006161.html

.. [#builtins] New name for __builtins__
   https://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2007-November/075388.html

.. [#exitfunc-patch] Patch to remove sys.exitfunc
   https://github.com/python/cpython/issues/44715

.. [#remove-operator-funcs] Remove deprecated functions from operator
   https://github.com/python/cpython/issues/43602

Copyright
=========

This document has been placed in the public domain.