PEP: 554 Title: Multiple Interpreters in the Stdlib Author: Eric Snow Discussions-To: https://discuss.python.org/t/pep-554-multiple-interpreters-in-the-stdlib/24855 Status: Draft Type: Standards Track Content-Type: text/x-rst Created: 05-Sep-2017 Python-Version: 3.13 Post-History: `07-Sep-2017 `__, `08-Sep-2017 `__, `13-Sep-2017 `__, `05-Dec-2017 `__, `04-May-2020 `__, `14-Mar-2023 `__, Abstract ======== CPython has supported multiple interpreters in the same process (AKA "subinterpreters") since version 1.5 (1997). The feature has been available via the C-API. [c-api]_ Multiple interpreters operate in `relative isolation from one another `_, which facilitates novel alternative approaches to `concurrency `_. This proposal introduces the stdlib ``interpreters`` module. It exposes the basic functionality of multiple interpreters already provided by the C-API, along with describing a *very* basic way to communicate (i.e. pass data between interpreters). A Disclaimer about the GIL ========================== To avoid any confusion up front: This PEP is meant to be independent of any efforts to stop sharing the GIL between interpreters (:pep:`684`). At most this proposal will allow users to take advantage of any GIL-related work. The author's position here is that exposing multiple interpreters to Python code is worth doing, even if they still share the GIL. Conversations with past steering councils indicates they do not necessarily agree. Proposal ======== Summary: * add a new stdlib module: "interpreters" * help for extension module maintainers The "interpreters" Module ------------------------- The ``interpreters`` module will provide a high-level interface to the multiple interpreter functionality, and wrap a new low-level ``_interpreters`` (in the same way as the ``threading`` module). See the `Examples`_ section for concrete usage and use cases. Along with exposing the existing (in CPython) multiple interpreter support, the module will also support a very basic mechanism for passing data between interpreters. That involves setting simple objects in the ``__main__`` module of a target subinterpreter. If one end of an ``os.pipe()`` is passed this way then that pipe can be used to send bytes between the two interpreters. Note that *objects* are not shared between interpreters since they are tied to the interpreter in which they were created. Instead, the objects' *data* is passed between interpreters. See the `Shared Data`_ and `API For Sharing Data`_ sections for more details about sharing/communicating between interpreters. API summary for interpreters module ----------------------------------- Here is a summary of the API for the ``interpreters`` module. For a more in-depth explanation of the proposed classes and functions, see the `"interpreters" Module API`_ section below. For creating and using interpreters: +----------------------------------+----------------------------------------------+ | signature | description | +==================================+==============================================+ | ``list_all() -> [Interpreter]`` | Get all existing interpreters. | +----------------------------------+----------------------------------------------+ | ``get_current() -> Interpreter`` | Get the currently running interpreter. | +----------------------------------+----------------------------------------------+ | ``get_main() -> Interpreter`` | Get the main interpreter. | +----------------------------------+----------------------------------------------+ | ``create() -> Interpreter`` | Initialize a new (idle) Python interpreter. | +----------------------------------+----------------------------------------------+ | +----------------------------------+---------------------------------------------------+ | signature | description | +==================================+===================================================+ | ``class Interpreter`` | A single interpreter. | +----------------------------------+---------------------------------------------------+ | ``.id`` | The interpreter's ID (read-only). | +----------------------------------+---------------------------------------------------+ | ``.is_running() -> bool`` | Is the interpreter currently executing code? | +----------------------------------+---------------------------------------------------+ | ``.close()`` | Finalize and destroy the interpreter. | +----------------------------------+---------------------------------------------------+ | ``.run(src_str, /)`` | | Run the given source code in the interpreter | | | | (in the current thread). | +----------------------------------+---------------------------------------------------+ .. XXX Support blocking interp.run() until the interpreter finishes its current work. | +--------------------+------------------+------------------------------------------------------+ | exception | base | description | +====================+==================+======================================================+ | ``RunFailedError`` | ``RuntimeError`` | Interpreter.run() resulted in an uncaught exception. | +--------------------+------------------+------------------------------------------------------+ .. XXX Add "InterpreterAlreadyRunningError"? Help for Extension Module Maintainers ------------------------------------- In practice, an extension that implements multi-phase init (:pep:`489`) is considered isolated and thus compatible with multiple interpreters. Otherwise it is "incompatible". Many extension modules are still incompatible. The maintainers and users of such extension modules will both benefit when they are updated to support multiple interpreters. In the meantime, users may become confused by failures when using multiple interpreters, which could negatively impact extension maintainers. See `Concerns`_ below. To mitigate that impact and accelerate compatibility, we will do the following: * be clear that extension modules are *not* required to support use in multiple interpreters * raise ``ImportError`` when an incompatible module is imported in a subinterpreter * provide resources (e.g. docs) to help maintainers reach compatibility * reach out to the maintainers of Cython and of the most used extension modules (on PyPI) to get feedback and possibly provide assistance Examples ======== Run isolated code ----------------- :: interp = interpreters.create() print('before') interp.run('print("during")') print('after') Run in a thread --------------- :: interp = interpreters.create() def run(): interp.run('print("during")') t = threading.Thread(target=run) print('before') t.start() t.join() print('after') Pre-populate an interpreter --------------------------- :: interp = interpreters.create() interp.run(tw.dedent(""" import some_lib import an_expensive_module some_lib.set_up() """)) wait_for_request() interp.run(tw.dedent(""" some_lib.handle_request() """)) Handling an exception --------------------- :: interp = interpreters.create() try: interp.run(tw.dedent(""" raise KeyError """)) except interpreters.RunFailedError as exc: print(f"got the error from the subinterpreter: {exc}") Re-raising an exception ----------------------- :: interp = interpreters.create() try: try: interp.run(tw.dedent(""" raise KeyError """)) except interpreters.RunFailedError as exc: raise exc.__cause__ except KeyError: print("got a KeyError from the subinterpreter") Note that this pattern is a candidate for later improvement. Synchronize using an OS pipe ---------------------------- :: interp = interpreters.create() r, s = os.pipe() print('before') interp.run(tw.dedent(f""" import os os.read({r}, 1) print("during") """)) print('after') os.write(s, '') Sharing a file descriptor ------------------------- :: interp = interpreters.create() r1, s1 = os.pipe() r2, s2 = os.pipe() interp.run(tw.dedent(f""" import os fd = int.from_bytes( os.read({r1}, 10), 'big') for line in os.fdopen(fd): print(line) os.write({s2}, b'') """)) with open('spamspamspam') as infile: fd = infile.fileno().to_bytes(1, 'big') os.write(s1, fd) os.read(r2, 1) Passing objects via pickle -------------------------- :: interp = interpreters.create() r, s = os.pipe() interp.run(tw.dedent(f""" import os import pickle reader = {r} """)) interp.run(tw.dedent(""" data = b'' c = os.read(reader, 1) while c != b'\x00': while c != b'\x00': data += c c = os.read(reader, 1) obj = pickle.loads(data) do_something(obj) c = os.read(reader, 1) """)) for obj in input: data = pickle.dumps(obj) os.write(s, data) os.write(s, b'\x00') os.write(s, b'\x00') Capturing an interpreter's stdout --------------------------------- :: interp = interpreters.create() stdout = io.StringIO() with contextlib.redirect_stdout(stdout): interp.run(tw.dedent(""" print('spam!') """)) assert(stdout.getvalue() == 'spam!') A pipe (``os.pipe()``) could be used similarly. Running a module ---------------- :: interp = interpreters.create() main_module = mod_name interp.run(f'import runpy; runpy.run_module({main_module!r})') Running as script (including zip archives & directories) -------------------------------------------------------- :: interp = interpreters.create() main_script = path_name interp.run(f"import runpy; runpy.run_path({main_script!r})") Rationale ========= Running code in multiple interpreters provides a useful level of isolation within the same process. This can be leveraged in a number of ways. Furthermore, subinterpreters provide a well-defined framework in which such isolation may extended. (See :pep:`684`.) Nick Coghlan explained some of the benefits through a comparison with multi-processing [benefits]_:: [I] expect that communicating between subinterpreters is going to end up looking an awful lot like communicating between subprocesses via shared memory. The trade-off between the two models will then be that one still just looks like a single process from the point of view of the outside world, and hence doesn't place any extra demands on the underlying OS beyond those required to run CPython with a single interpreter, while the other gives much stricter isolation (including isolating C globals in extension modules), but also demands much more from the OS when it comes to its IPC capabilities. The security risk profiles of the two approaches will also be quite different, since using subinterpreters won't require deliberately poking holes in the process isolation that operating systems give you by default. CPython has supported multiple interpreters, with increasing levels of support, since version 1.5. While the feature has the potential to be a powerful tool, it has suffered from neglect because the multiple interpreter capabilities are not readily available directly from Python. Exposing the existing functionality in the stdlib will help reverse the situation. This proposal is focused on enabling the fundamental capability of multiple interpreters, isolated from each other, in the same Python process. This is a new area for Python so there is relative uncertainly about the best tools to provide as companions to interpreters. Thus we minimize the functionality we add in the proposal as much as possible. Concerns -------- * "subinterpreters are not worth the trouble" Some have argued that subinterpreters do not add sufficient benefit to justify making them an official part of Python. Adding features to the language (or stdlib) has a cost in increasing the size of the language. So an addition must pay for itself. In this case, multiple interpreter support provide a novel concurrency model focused on isolated threads of execution. Furthermore, they provide an opportunity for changes in CPython that will allow simultaneous use of multiple CPU cores (currently prevented by the GIL--see :pep:`684`). Alternatives to subinterpreters include threading, async, and multiprocessing. Threading is limited by the GIL and async isn't the right solution for every problem (nor for every person). Multiprocessing is likewise valuable in some but not all situations. Direct IPC (rather than via the multiprocessing module) provides similar benefits but with the same caveat. Notably, subinterpreters are not intended as a replacement for any of the above. Certainly they overlap in some areas, but the benefits of subinterpreters include isolation and (potentially) performance. In particular, subinterpreters provide a direct route to an alternate concurrency model (e.g. CSP) which has found success elsewhere and will appeal to some Python users. That is the core value that the ``interpreters`` module will provide. * "stdlib support for multiple interpreters adds extra burden on C extension authors" In the `Interpreter Isolation`_ section below we identify ways in which isolation in CPython's subinterpreters is incomplete. Most notable is extension modules that use C globals to store internal state. (:pep:`3121` and :pep:`489` provide a solution to that problem, followed by some extra APIs that improve efficiency, e.g. :pep:`573`). Consequently, projects that publish extension modules may face an increased maintenance burden as their users start using subinterpreters, where their modules may break. This situation is limited to modules that use C globals (or use libraries that use C globals) to store internal state. For numpy, the reported-bug rate is one every 6 months. [bug-rate]_ Ultimately this comes down to a question of how often it will be a problem in practice: how many projects would be affected, how often their users will be affected, what the additional maintenance burden will be for projects, and what the overall benefit of subinterpreters is to offset those costs. The position of this PEP is that the actual extra maintenance burden will be small and well below the threshold at which subinterpreters are worth it. * "creating a new concurrency API deserves much more thought and experimentation, so the new module shouldn't go into the stdlib right away, if ever" Introducing an API for a new concurrency model, like happened with asyncio, is an extremely large project that requires a lot of careful consideration. It is not something that can be done as simply as this PEP proposes and likely deserves significant time on PyPI to mature. (See `Nathaniel's post `_ on python-dev.) However, this PEP does not propose any new concurrency API. At most it exposes minimal tools (e.g. subinterpreters) which may be used to write code that follows patterns associated with (relatively) new-to-Python `concurrency models `_. Those tools could also be used as the basis for APIs for such concurrency models. Again, this PEP does not propose any such API. * "there is no point to exposing subinterpreters if they still share the GIL" * "the effort to make the GIL per-interpreter is disruptive and risky" A common misconception is that this PEP also includes a promise that interpreters will no longer share the GIL. When that is clarified, the next question is "what is the point?". This is already answered at length in this PEP. Just to be clear, the value lies in:: * increase exposure of the existing feature, which helps improve the code health of the entire CPython runtime * expose the (mostly) isolated execution of interpreters * preparation for per-interpreter GIL * encourage experimentation * "data sharing can have a negative impact on cache performance in multi-core scenarios" (See [cache-line-ping-pong]_.) This shouldn't be a problem for now as we have no immediate plans to actually share data between interpreters, instead focusing on copying. About Subinterpreters ===================== Concurrency ----------- Concurrency is a challenging area of software development. Decades of research and practice have led to a wide variety of concurrency models, each with different goals. Most center on correctness and usability. One class of concurrency models focuses on isolated threads of execution that interoperate through some message passing scheme. A notable example is Communicating Sequential Processes [CSP]_ (upon which Go's concurrency is roughly based). The intended isolation inherent to CPython's interpreters makes them well-suited to this approach. Shared Data ----------- CPython's interpreters are inherently isolated (with caveats explained below), in contrast to threads. So the same communicate-via-shared-memory approach doesn't work. Without an alternative, effective use of concurrency via multiple interpreters is significantly limited. The key challenge here is that sharing objects between interpreters faces complexity due to various constraints on object ownership, visibility, and mutability. At a conceptual level it's easier to reason about concurrency when objects only exist in one interpreter at a time. At a technical level, CPython's current memory model limits how Python *objects* may be shared safely between interpreters; effectively, objects are bound to the interpreter in which they were created. Furthermore, the complexity of *object* sharing increases as interpreters become more isolated, e.g. after GIL removal (though this is mitigated somewhat for some "immortal" objects (see :pep:`683`). Consequently, the mechanism for sharing needs to be carefully considered. There are a number of valid solutions, several of which may be appropriate to support in Python. Earlier versions of this proposal included a basic capability ("channels"), though most of the options were quite similar. Note that the implementation of ``Interpreter.run()`` will be done in a way that allows for may of these solutions to be implemented independently and to coexist, but doing so is not technically a part of the proposal here. The fundamental enabling feature for communication is that most objects can be converted to some encoding of underlying raw data, which is safe to be passed between interpreters. For example, an ``int`` object can be turned into a C ``long`` value, send to another interpreter, and turned back into an ``int`` object there. Regardless, the effort to determine the best way forward here is outside the scope of this PEP. In the meantime, this proposal provides a basic interim solution, described in `API For Sharing Data`_ below. Interpreter Isolation --------------------- CPython's interpreters are intended to be strictly isolated from each other. Each interpreter has its own copy of all modules, classes, functions, and variables. The same applies to state in C, including in extension modules. The CPython C-API docs explain more. [caveats]_ However, there are ways in which interpreters share some state. First of all, some process-global state remains shared: * file descriptors * builtin types (e.g. dict, bytes) * singletons (e.g. None) * underlying static module data (e.g. functions) for builtin/extension/frozen modules There are no plans to change this. Second, some isolation is faulty due to bugs or implementations that did not take subinterpreters into account. This includes things like extension modules that rely on C globals. [cryptography]_ In these cases bugs should be opened (some are already): * readline module hook functions (http://bugs.python.org/issue4202) * memory leaks on re-init (http://bugs.python.org/issue21387) Finally, some potential isolation is missing due to the current design of CPython. Improvements are currently going on to address gaps in this area: * GC is not run per-interpreter [global-gc]_ * at-exit handlers are not run per-interpreter [global-atexit]_ * extensions using the ``PyGILState_*`` API are incompatible [gilstate]_ * interpreters share memory management (e.g. allocators, gc) * interpreters share the GIL Existing Usage -------------- Multiple interpreter support is not a widely used feature. In fact, the only documented cases of widespread usage are `mod_wsgi `_, `OpenStack Ceph `_, and `JEP `_. On the one hand, these cases provide confidence that existing multiple interpreter support is relatively stable. On the other hand, there isn't much of a sample size from which to judge the utility of the feature. Alternate Python Implementations ================================ I've solicited feedback from various Python implementors about support for subinterpreters. Each has indicated that they would be able to support multiple interpreters in the same process (if they choose to) without a lot of trouble. Here are the projects I contacted: * jython ([jython]_) * ironpython (personal correspondence) * pypy (personal correspondence) * micropython (personal correspondence) .. _interpreters-list-all: .. _interpreters-get-current: .. _interpreters-create: .. _interpreters-Interpreter: "interpreters" Module API ========================= The module provides the following functions:: list_all() -> [Interpreter] Return a list of all existing interpreters. get_current() => Interpreter Return the currently running interpreter. get_main() => Interpreter Return the main interpreter. If the Python implementation has no concept of a main interpreter then return None. create() -> Interpreter Initialize a new Python interpreter and return it. It will remain idle until something is run in it and always run in its own thread. The module also provides the following classes:: class Interpreter(id): id -> int: The interpreter's ID. (read-only) is_running() -> bool: Return whether or not the interpreter's "run()" is currently executing code. Code running in subthreads is ignored. Calling this on the current interpreter will always return True. close(): Finalize and destroy the interpreter. This may not be called on an already running interpreter. Doing so results in a RuntimeError. run(source_str, /): Run the provided Python source code in the interpreter, in its __main__ module. This may not be called on an already running interpreter. Doing so results in a RuntimeError. A "run()" call is similar to an exec() call (or calling a function that returns None). Once "run()" completes, the code that called "run()" continues executing (in the original interpreter). Likewise, if there is any uncaught exception then it effectively (see below) propagates into the code where ``run()`` was called. Like exec() (and threads), but unlike function calls, there is no return value. If any "return" value from the code is needed, send the data out via a pipe (os.pipe()). The big difference from exec() or functions is that "run()" executes the code in an entirely different interpreter, with entirely separate state. The interpreters are completely isolated from each other, so the state of the original interpreter (including the code it was executing in the current OS thread) does not affect the state of the target interpreter (the one that will execute the code). Likewise, the target does not affect the original, nor any of its other threads. Instead, the state of the original interpreter (for this thread) is frozen, and the code it's executing code completely blocks. At that point, the target interpreter is given control of the OS thread. Then, when it finishes executing, the original interpreter gets control back and continues executing. So calling "run()" will effectively cause the current Python thread to completely pause. Sometimes you won't want that pause, in which case you should make the "run()" call in another thread. To do so, add a function that calls "run()" and then run that function in a normal "threading.Thread". Note that the interpreter's state is never reset, neither before "run()" executes the code nor after. Thus the interpreter state is preserved between calls to "run()". This includes "sys.modules", the "builtins" module, and the internal state of C extension modules. Also note that "run()" executes in the namespace of the "__main__" module, just like scripts, the REPL, "-m", and "-c". Just as the interpreter's state is not ever reset, the "__main__" module is never reset. You can imagine concatenating the code from each "run()" call into one long script. This is the same as how the REPL operates. Supported code: source text. Uncaught Exceptions ------------------- Regarding uncaught exceptions in ``Interpreter.run()``, we noted that they are "effectively" propagated into the code where ``run()`` was called. To prevent leaking exceptions (and tracebacks) between interpreters, we create a surrogate of the exception and its traceback (see :class:`traceback.TracebackException`), set it to ``__cause__`` on a new ``RunFailedError``, and raise that. Directly raising (a proxy of) the exception is problematic since it's harder to distinguish between an error in the ``run()`` call and an uncaught exception from the subinterpreter. API For Sharing Data -------------------- As discussed in `Shared Data`_ above, multiple interpreter support is less useful without a mechanism for sharing data (communicating) between them. Sharing actual Python objects between interpreters, however, has enough potential problems that we are avoiding support for that in this proposal. Nor, as mentioned earlier, are we adding anything more than the most minimal mechanism for communication. That very basic mechanism, using pipes (see ``os.pipe()``), will allow users to send data (bytes) from one interpreter to another. We'll take a closer look in a moment. Fundamentally, it's a simple application of the underlying sharing capability proposed here. The various aspects of the approach, including keeping the API minimal, helps us avoid further exposing any underlying complexity to Python users. Communicating Through OS Pipes '''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' As noted, this proposal enables a very basic mechanism for communicating between interpreters, which makes use of ``Interpreter.run()``: 1. interpreter A calls ``os.pipe()`` to get a read/write pair of file descriptors (both ``int`` objects) 2. interpreter A calls ``run()`` on interpreter B, including the read FD via string formatting 3. interpreter A writes some bytes to the write FD 4. interpreter B reads those bytes Several of the earlier examples demonstrate this, such as `Synchronize using an OS pipe`_. Interpreter Restrictions ======================== Every new interpreter created by ``interpreters.create()`` now has specific restrictions on any code it runs. This includes the following: * importing an extension module fails if it does not implement multi-phase init * daemon threads may not be created * ``os.fork()`` is not allowed (so no ``multiprocessing``) * ``os.exec*()`` is not allowed (but "fork+exec", a la ``subprocess`` is okay) Note that interpreters created with the existing C-API do not have these restrictions. The same is true for the "main" interpreter, so existing use of Python will not change. .. Mention the similar restrictions in PEP 684? We may choose to later loosen some of the above restrictions or provide a way to enable/disable granular restrictions individually. Regardless, requiring multi-phase init from extension modules will always be a default restriction. Documentation ============= The new stdlib docs page for the ``interpreters`` module will include the following: * (at the top) a clear note that support for multiple interpreters is not required from extension modules * some explanation about what subinterpreters are * brief examples of how to use multiple interpreters (and communicating between them) * a summary of the limitations of using multiple interpreters * (for extension maintainers) a link to the resources for ensuring multiple interpreters compatibility * much of the API information in this PEP Docs about resources for extension maintainers already exist on the `Isolating Extension Modules `_ howto page. Any extra help will be added there. For example, it may prove helpful to discuss strategies for dealing with linked libraries that keep their own subinterpreter-incompatible global state. .. _isolation-howto: https://docs.python.org/3/howto/isolating-extensions.html Note that the documentation will play a large part in mitigating any negative impact that the new ``interpreters`` module might have on extension module maintainers. Also, the ``ImportError`` for incompatible extension modules will have a message that clearly says it is due to missing multiple interpreters compatibility and that extensions are not required to provide it. This will help set user expectations properly. Alternative Solutions ===================== One possible alternative to a new module is to add support for interpreters to ``concurrent.futures``. There are several reasons why that wouldn't work: * the obvious place to look for multiple interpreters support is an "interpreters" module, much as with "threading", etc. * ``concurrent.futures`` is all about executing functions but currently we don't have a good way to run a function from one interpreter in another Similar reasoning applies for support in the ``multiprocessing`` module. Deferred Functionality ====================== In the interest of keeping this proposal minimal, the following functionality has been left out for future consideration. Note that this is not a judgement against any of said capability, but rather a deferment. That said, each is arguably valid. Shareable Objects ----------------- Earlier versions of this proposal included a mechanism by which the data underlying a given object could be passed to another interpreter or even shared, even if the object can't be. Without channels there isn't enough benefit to keep the concept of shareable objects around. Interpreter.call() ------------------ It would be convenient to run existing functions in subinterpreters directly. ``Interpreter.run()`` could be adjusted to support this or a ``call()`` method could be added:: Interpreter.call(f, *args, **kwargs) This suffers from the same problem as sharing objects between interpreters via queues. The minimal solution (running a source string) is sufficient for us to get the feature out where it can be explored. Interpreter.run_in_thread() --------------------------- This method would make a ``run()`` call for you in a thread. Doing this using only ``threading.Thread`` and ``run()`` is relatively trivial so we've left it out. Synchronization Primitives -------------------------- The ``threading`` module provides a number of synchronization primitives for coordinating concurrent operations. This is especially necessary due to the shared-state nature of threading. In contrast, interpreters do not share state. Data sharing is restricted to the runtime's shareable objects capability, which does away with the need for explicit synchronization. If any sort of opt-in shared state support is added to CPython's interpreters in the future, that same effort can introduce synchronization primitives to meet that need. CSP Library ----------- A ``csp`` module would not be a large step away from the functionality provided by this PEP. However, adding such a module is outside the minimalist goals of this proposal. Syntactic Support ----------------- The ``Go`` language provides a concurrency model based on CSP, so it's similar to the concurrency model that multiple interpreters support. However, ``Go`` also provides syntactic support, as well as several builtin concurrency primitives, to make concurrency a first-class feature. Conceivably, similar syntactic (and builtin) support could be added to Python using interpreters. However, that is *way* outside the scope of this PEP! Multiprocessing --------------- The ``multiprocessing`` module could support interpreters in the same way it supports threads and processes. In fact, the module's maintainer, Davin Potts, has indicated this is a reasonable feature request. However, it is outside the narrow scope of this PEP. C-extension opt-in/opt-out -------------------------- By using the ``PyModuleDef_Slot`` introduced by :pep:`489`, we could easily add a mechanism by which C-extension modules could opt out of multiple interpreter support. Then the import machinery, when operating in a subinterpreter, would need to check the module for support. It would raise an ImportError if unsupported. Alternately we could support opting in to multiple interpreters support. However, that would probably exclude many more modules (unnecessarily) than the opt-out approach. Also, note that :pep:`489` defined that an extension's use of the PEP's machinery implies multiple interpreters support. The scope of adding the ModuleDef slot and fixing up the import machinery is non-trivial, but could be worth it. It all depends on how many extension modules break under subinterpreters. Given that there are relatively few cases we know of through mod_wsgi, we can leave this for later. Resetting __main__ ------------------ As proposed, every call to ``Interpreter.run()`` will execute in the namespace of the interpreter's existing ``__main__`` module. This means that data persists there between ``run()`` calls. Sometimes this isn't desirable and you want to execute in a fresh ``__main__``. Also, you don't necessarily want to leak objects there that you aren't using any more. Note that the following won't work right because it will clear too much (e.g. ``__name__`` and the other "__dunder__" attributes:: interp.run('globals().clear()') Possible solutions include: * a ``create()`` arg to indicate resetting ``__main__`` after each ``run`` call * an ``Interpreter.reset_main`` flag to support opting in or out after the fact * an ``Interpreter.reset_main()`` method to opt in when desired * ``importlib.util.reset_globals()`` [reset_globals]_ Also note that resetting ``__main__`` does nothing about state stored in other modules. So any solution would have to be clear about the scope of what is being reset. Conceivably we could invent a mechanism by which any (or every) module could be reset, unlike ``reload()`` which does not clear the module before loading into it. Regardless, since ``__main__`` is the execution namespace of the interpreter, resetting it has a much more direct correlation to interpreters and their dynamic state than does resetting other modules. So a more generic module reset mechanism may prove unnecessary. This isn't a critical feature initially. It can wait until later if desirable. Resetting an interpreter's state -------------------------------- It may be nice to re-use an existing subinterpreter instead of spinning up a new one. Since an interpreter has substantially more state than just the ``__main__`` module, it isn't so easy to put an interpreter back into a pristine/fresh state. In fact, there *may* be parts of the state that cannot be reset from Python code. A possible solution is to add an ``Interpreter.reset()`` method. This would put the interpreter back into the state it was in when newly created. If called on a running interpreter it would fail (hence the main interpreter could never be reset). This would likely be more efficient than creating a new interpreter, though that depends on what optimizations will be made later to interpreter creation. While this would potentially provide functionality that is not otherwise available from Python code, it isn't a fundamental functionality. So in the spirit of minimalism here, this can wait. Regardless, I doubt it would be controversial to add it post-PEP. Copy an existing interpreter's state ------------------------------------ Relatedly, it may be useful to support creating a new interpreter based on an existing one, e.g. ``Interpreter.copy()``. This ties into the idea that a snapshot could be made of an interpreter's memory, which would make starting up CPython, or creating new interpreters, faster in general. The same mechanism could be used for a hypothetical ``Interpreter.reset()``, as described previously. Shareable file descriptors and sockets -------------------------------------- Given that file descriptors and sockets are process-global resources, making them shareable is a reasonable idea. They would be a good candidate for the first effort at expanding the supported shareable types. They aren't strictly necessary for the initial API. Integration with async ---------------------- Per Antoine Pitrou [async]_:: Has any thought been given to how FIFOs could integrate with async code driven by an event loop (e.g. asyncio)? I think the model of executing several asyncio (or Tornado) applications each in their own subinterpreter may prove quite interesting to reconcile multi- core concurrency with ease of programming. That would require the FIFOs to be able to synchronize on something an event loop can wait on (probably a file descriptor?). The basic functionality of multiple interpreters support does not depend on async and can be added later. channels -------- We could introduce some relatively efficient, native data types for passing data between interpreters, to use instead of OS pipes. Earlier versions of this PEP introduced one such mechanism, called "channels". This can be pursued later. Pipes and Queues ---------------- With the proposed object passing mechanism of "os.pipe()", other similar basic types aren't strictly required to achieve the minimal useful functionality of multiple interpreters. Such types include pipes (like unbuffered channels, but one-to-one) and queues (like channels, but more generic). See below in `Rejected Ideas`_ for more information. Even though these types aren't part of this proposal, they may still be useful in the context of concurrency. Adding them later is entirely reasonable. The could be trivially implemented as wrappers around channels. Alternatively they could be implemented for efficiency at the same low level as channels. Support inheriting settings (and more?) --------------------------------------- Folks might find it useful, when creating a new interpreter, to be able to indicate that they would like some things "inherited" by the new interpreter. The mechanism could be a strict copy or it could be copy-on-write. The motivating example is with the warnings module (e.g. copy the filters). The feature isn't critical, nor would it be widely useful, so it can wait until there's interest. Notably, both suggested solutions will require significant work, especially when it comes to complex objects and most especially for mutable containers of mutable complex objects. Make exceptions shareable ------------------------- Exceptions are propagated out of ``run()`` calls, so it isn't a big leap to make them shareable. However, as noted elsewhere, it isn't essential or (particularly common) so we can wait on doing that. Make RunFailedError.__cause__ lazy ---------------------------------- An uncaught exception in a subinterpreter (from ``run()``) is copied to the calling interpreter and set as ``__cause__`` on a ``RunFailedError`` which is then raised. That copying part involves some sort of deserialization in the calling interpreter, which can be expensive (e.g. due to imports) yet is not always necessary. So it may be useful to use an ``ExceptionProxy`` type to wrap the serialized exception and only deserialize it when needed. That could be via ``ExceptionProxy__getattribute__()`` or perhaps through ``RunFailedError.resolve()`` (which would raise the deserialized exception and set ``RunFailedError.__cause__`` to the exception. It may also make sense to have ``RunFailedError.__cause__`` be a descriptor that does the lazy deserialization (and set ``__cause__``) on the ``RunFailedError`` instance. Make everything shareable through serialization ----------------------------------------------- We could use pickle (or marshal) to serialize everything and thus make them shareable. Doing this is potentially inefficient, but it may be a matter of convenience in the end. We can add it later, but trying to remove it later would be significantly more painful. Return a value from ``run()`` ----------------------------- Currently ``run()`` always returns None. One idea is to return the return value from whatever the subinterpreter ran. However, for now it doesn't make sense. The only thing folks can run is a string of code (i.e. a script). This is equivalent to ``PyRun_StringFlags()``, ``exec()``, or a module body. None of those "return" anything. We can revisit this once ``run()`` supports functions, etc. Add a shareable synchronization primitive ----------------------------------------- This would be ``_threading.Lock`` (or something like it) where interpreters would actually share the underlying mutex. The main concern is that locks and isolated interpreters may not mix well (as learned in Go). We can add this later if it proves desirable without much trouble. Propagate SystemExit and KeyboardInterrupt Differently ------------------------------------------------------ The exception types that inherit from ``BaseException`` (aside from ``Exception``) are usually treated specially. These types are: ``KeyboardInterrupt``, ``SystemExit``, and ``GeneratorExit``. It may make sense to treat them specially when it comes to propagation from ``run()``. Here are some options:: * propagate like normal via RunFailedError * do not propagate (handle them somehow in the subinterpreter) * propagate them directly (avoid RunFailedError) * propagate them directly (set RunFailedError as __cause__) We aren't going to worry about handling them differently. Threads already ignore ``SystemExit``, so for now we will follow that pattern. Rejected Ideas ============== Add an API based on pipes ------------------------- (Earlier versions of this PEP proposed "channels" for communicating between interpreters. This idea is written relative to that.) A pipe would be a simplex FIFO between exactly two interpreters. For most use cases this would be sufficient. It could potentially simplify the implementation as well. However, it isn't a big step to supporting a many-to-many simplex FIFO via channels. Also, with pipes the API ends up being slightly more complicated, requiring naming the pipes. Add an API based on queues -------------------------- (Earlier versions of this PEP proposed "channels" for communicating between interpreters. This idea is written relative to that.) Queues and buffered channels are almost the same thing. The main difference is that channels have a stronger relationship with context (i.e. the associated interpreter). The name "Channel" was used instead of "Queue" to avoid confusion with the stdlib ``queue.Queue``. "enumerate" ----------- The ``list_all()`` function provides the list of all interpreters. In the threading module, which partly inspired the proposed API, the function is called ``enumerate()``. The name is different here to avoid confusing Python users that are not already familiar with the threading API. For them "enumerate" is rather unclear, whereas "list_all" is clear. Alternate solutions to prevent leaking exceptions across interpreters --------------------------------------------------------------------- In function calls, uncaught exceptions propagate to the calling frame. The same approach could be taken with ``run()``. However, this would mean that exception objects would leak across the inter-interpreter boundary. Likewise, the frames in the traceback would potentially leak. While that might not be a problem currently, it would be a problem once interpreters get better isolation relative to memory management (which is necessary to stop sharing the GIL between interpreters). We've resolved the semantics of how the exceptions propagate by raising a ``RunFailedError`` instead, for which ``__cause__`` wraps a safe proxy for the original exception and traceback. Rejected possible solutions: * reproduce the exception and traceback in the original interpreter and raise that. * raise a subclass of RunFailedError that proxies the original exception and traceback. * raise RuntimeError instead of RunFailedError * convert at the boundary (a la ``subprocess.CalledProcessError``) (requires a cross-interpreter representation) * support customization via ``Interpreter.excepthook`` (requires a cross-interpreter representation) * wrap in a proxy at the boundary (including with support for something like ``err.raise()`` to propagate the traceback). * return the exception (or its proxy) from ``run()`` instead of raising it * return a result object (like ``subprocess`` does) [result-object]_ (unnecessary complexity?) * throw the exception away and expect users to deal with unhandled exceptions explicitly in the script they pass to ``run()`` (they can pass error info out via ``os.pipe()``); with threads you have to do something similar Always associate each new interpreter with its own thread --------------------------------------------------------- As implemented in the C-API, an interpreter is not inherently tied to any thread. Furthermore, it will run in any existing thread, whether created by Python or not. You only have to activate one of its thread states (``PyThreadState``) in the thread first. This means that the same thread may run more than one interpreter (though obviously not at the same time). The proposed module maintains this behavior. Interpreters are not tied to threads. Only calls to ``Interpreter.run()`` are. However, one of the key objectives of this PEP is to provide a more human-centric concurrency model. With that in mind, from a conceptual standpoint the module *might* be easier to understand if each interpreter were associated with its own thread. That would mean ``interpreters.create()`` would create a new thread and ``Interpreter.run()`` would only execute in that thread (and nothing else would). The benefit is that users would not have to wrap ``Interpreter.run()`` calls in a new ``threading.Thread``. Nor would they be in a position to accidentally pause the current interpreter (in the current thread) while their interpreter executes. The idea is rejected because the benefit is small and the cost is high. The difference from the capability in the C-API would be potentially confusing. The implicit creation of threads is magical. The early creation of threads is potentially wasteful. The inability to run arbitrary interpreters in an existing thread would prevent some valid use cases, frustrating users. Tying interpreters to threads would require extra runtime modifications. It would also make the module's implementation overly complicated. Finally, it might not even make the module easier to understand. Allow multiple simultaneous calls to Interpreter.run() ------------------------------------------------------ This would make sense especially if ``Interpreter.run()`` were to manage new threads for you (which we've rejected). Essentially, each call would run independently, which would be mostly fine from a narrow technical standpoint, since each interpreter can have multiple threads. The problem is that the interpreter has only one ``__main__`` module and simultaneous ``Interpreter.run()`` calls would have to sort out sharing ``__main__`` or we'd have to invent a new mechanism. Neither would be simple enough to be worth doing. Add a "reraise" method to RunFailedError ---------------------------------------- While having ``__cause__`` set on ``RunFailedError`` helps produce a more useful traceback, it's less helpful when handling the original error. To help facilitate this, we could add ``RunFailedError.reraise()``. This method would enable the following pattern:: try: try: interp.run(script) except RunFailedError as exc: exc.reraise() except MyException: ... This would be made even simpler if there existed a ``__reraise__`` protocol. All that said, this is completely unnecessary. Using ``__cause__`` is good enough:: try: try: interp.run(script) except RunFailedError as exc: raise exc.__cause__ except MyException: ... Note that in extreme cases it may require a little extra boilerplate:: try: try: interp.run(script) except RunFailedError as exc: if exc.__cause__ is not None: raise exc.__cause__ raise # re-raise except MyException: ... Implementation ============== The implementation of the PEP has 4 parts: * the high-level module described in this PEP (mostly a light wrapper around a low-level C extension * the low-level C extension module * additions to the ("private") C=API needed by the low-level module * secondary fixes/changes in the CPython runtime that facilitate the low-level module (among other benefits) These are at various levels of completion, with more done the lower you go: * the high-level module has been, at best, roughly implemented. However, fully implementing it will be almost trivial. * the low-level module is mostly complete. The bulk of the implementation was merged into master in December 2018 as the "_xxsubinterpreters" module (for the sake of testing multiple interpreters functionality). Only 3 parts of the implementation remain: "send_wait()", "send_buffer()", and exception propagation. All three have been mostly finished, but were blocked by work related to ceval. That blocker is basically resolved now and finishing the low-level will not require extensive work. * all necessary C-API work has been finished * all anticipated work in the runtime has been finished The implementation effort for :pep:`554` is being tracked as part of a larger project aimed at improving multi-core support in CPython. [multi-core-project]_ References ========== .. [c-api] https://docs.python.org/3/c-api/init.html#sub-interpreter-support .. [CSP] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Communicating_sequential_processes https://github.com/futurecore/python-csp .. [caveats] https://docs.python.org/3/c-api/init.html#bugs-and-caveats .. [cryptography] https://github.com/pyca/cryptography/issues/2299 .. [global-gc] http://bugs.python.org/issue24554 .. [gilstate] https://bugs.python.org/issue10915 http://bugs.python.org/issue15751 .. [global-atexit] https://bugs.python.org/issue6531 .. [bug-rate] https://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-ideas/2017-September/047094.html .. [benefits] https://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-ideas/2017-September/047122.html .. [reset_globals] https://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2017-September/149545.html .. [async] https://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2017-September/149420.html https://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2017-September/149585.html .. [result-object] https://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2017-September/149562.html .. [jython] https://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-ideas/2017-May/045771.html .. [multi-core-project] https://github.com/ericsnowcurrently/multi-core-python .. [cache-line-ping-pong] https://mail.python.org/archives/list/python-dev@python.org/message/3HVRFWHDMWPNR367GXBILZ4JJAUQ2STZ/ .. _nathaniel-asyncio: https://mail.python.org/archives/list/python-dev@python.org/message/TUEAZNZHVJGGLL4OFD32OW6JJDKM6FAS/ * mp-conn https://docs.python.org/3/library/multiprocessing.html#connection-objects * main-thread https://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-ideas/2017-September/047144.html https://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2017-September/149566.html * petr-c-ext https://mail.python.org/pipermail/import-sig/2016-June/001062.html https://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-ideas/2016-April/039748.html Copyright ========= This document has been placed in the public domain.