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PEP: 554
Title: Multiple Interpreters in the Stdlib
Author: Eric Snow <ericsnowcurrently@gmail.com>
Discussions-To: https://discuss.python.org/t/pep-554-multiple-interpreters-in-the-stdlib/24855
Status: Superseded
Type: Standards Track
Content-Type: text/x-rst
Created: 05-Sep-2017
Python-Version: 3.13
Post-History: `07-Sep-2017 <https://mail.python.org/archives/list/python-ideas@python.org/thread/HQQWEE527HG3ILJVKQTXVSJIQO6NUSIA/>`__,
`08-Sep-2017 <https://mail.python.org/archives/list/python-dev@python.org/thread/NBWMA6LVD22XOUYC5ZMPBFWDQOECRP77/>`__,
`13-Sep-2017 <https://mail.python.org/archives/list/python-dev@python.org/thread/EG4FSFG5E3O22FTIUQOXMQ6X6B5X3DP7/>`__,
`05-Dec-2017 <https://mail.python.org/archives/list/python-dev@python.org/thread/BCSRGAMCYB3NGXNU42U66J56XNZVMQP2/>`__,
`04-May-2020 <https://mail.python.org/archives/list/python-dev@python.org/thread/X2KPCSRVBD2QD5GP5IMXXZTGZ46OXD3D/>`__,
`14-Mar-2023 <https://discuss.python.org/t/pep-554-multiple-interpreters-in-the-stdlib/24855/2/>`__,
`01-Nov-2023 <https://discuss.python.org/t/pep-554-multiple-interpreters-in-the-stdlib/24855/26/>`__,
Superseded-By: 734
.. note::
This PEP effectively continues in a cleaner form in :pep:`734`.
This PEP is kept as-is for the sake of the various sections of
background information and deferred/rejected ideas that have
been stripped from :pep:`734`.
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 <Interpreter Isolation_>`_, which
facilitates novel alternative approaches to
`concurrency <Concurrency_>`_.
This proposal introduces the stdlib ``interpreters`` module. It exposes
the basic functionality of multiple interpreters already provided by the
C-API, along with basic support for communicating between interpreters.
This module is especially relevant since :pep:`684` introduced a
per-interpreter GIL in Python 3.12.
Proposal
========
Summary:
* add a new stdlib module: "interpreters"
* add concurrent.futures.InterpreterPoolExecutor
* 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 basic mechanism for
passing data between interpreters. That involves setting "shareable"
objects in the ``__main__`` module of a target subinterpreter. Some
such objects, like ``os.pipe()``, may be used to communicate further.
The module will also provide a minimal implementation of "channels"
as a demonstration of cross-interpreter communication.
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 Communication`_ 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. |
+----------------------------------+---------------------------------------------------+
| ``.set_main_attrs(**kwargs)`` | Bind "shareable" objects in ``__main__``. |
+----------------------------------+---------------------------------------------------+
| ``.get_main_attr(name)`` | Get a "shareable" object from ``__main__``. |
+----------------------------------+---------------------------------------------------+
| ``.exec(src_str, /)`` | | Run the given source code in the interpreter |
| | | (in the current thread). |
+----------------------------------+---------------------------------------------------+
.. XXX Support blocking interp.exec() until the interpreter
finishes its current work.
For communicating between interpreters:
+---------------------------------------------------------+--------------------------------------------+
| signature | description |
+=========================================================+============================================+
| ``is_shareable(obj) -> Bool`` | | Can the object's data be passed |
| | | between interpreters? |
+---------------------------------------------------------+--------------------------------------------+
| ``create_channel() -> (RecvChannel, SendChannel)`` | | Create a new channel for passing |
| | | data between interpreters. |
+---------------------------------------------------------+--------------------------------------------+
concurrent.futures.InterpreterPoolExecutor
------------------------------------------
An executor will be added that extends ``ThreadPoolExecutor`` to run
per-thread tasks in subinterpreters. Initially, the only supported
tasks will be whatever ``Interpreter.exec()`` takes (e.g. a ``str``
script). However, we may also support some functions, as well as
eventually a separate method for pickling the task and arguments,
to reduce friction (at the expense of performance
for short-running tasks).
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 in current OS thread
--------------------------------------
::
interp = interpreters.create()
print('before')
interp.exec('print("during")')
print('after')
Run in a different thread
-------------------------
::
interp = interpreters.create()
def run():
interp.exec('print("during")')
t = threading.Thread(target=run)
print('before')
t.start()
t.join()
print('after')
Pre-populate an interpreter
---------------------------
::
interp = interpreters.create()
interp.exec(tw.dedent("""
import some_lib
import an_expensive_module
some_lib.set_up()
"""))
wait_for_request()
interp.exec(tw.dedent("""
some_lib.handle_request()
"""))
Handling an exception
---------------------
::
interp = interpreters.create()
try:
interp.exec(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.exec(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.
Interact with the __main__ namespace
------------------------------------
::
interp = interpreters.create()
interp.set_main_attrs(a=1, b=2)
interp.exec(tw.dedent("""
res = do_something(a, b)
"""))
res = interp.get_main_attr('res')
Synchronize using an OS pipe
----------------------------
::
interp = interpreters.create()
r1, s1 = os.pipe()
r2, s2 = os.pipe()
def task():
interp.exec(tw.dedent(f"""
import os
os.read({r1}, 1)
print('during B')
os.write({s2}, '')
"""))
t = threading.thread(target=task)
t.start()
print('before')
os.write(s1, '')
print('during A')
os.read(r2, 1)
print('after')
t.join()
Sharing a file descriptor
-------------------------
::
interp = interpreters.create()
with open('spamspamspam') as infile:
interp.set_main_attrs(fd=infile.fileno())
interp.exec(tw.dedent(f"""
import os
for line in os.fdopen(fd):
print(line)
"""))
Passing objects via pickle
--------------------------
::
interp = interpreters.create()
r, s = os.pipe()
interp.exec(tw.dedent(f"""
import os
import pickle
reader = {r}
"""))
interp.exec(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.exec(tw.dedent("""
print('spam!')
"""))
assert(stdout.getvalue() == 'spam!')
# alternately:
interp.exec(tw.dedent("""
import contextlib, io
stdout = io.StringIO()
with contextlib.redirect_stdout(stdout):
print('spam!')
captured = stdout.getvalue()
"""))
captured = interp.get_main_attr('captured')
assert(captured == 'spam!')
A pipe (``os.pipe()``) could be used similarly.
Running a module
----------------
::
interp = interpreters.create()
main_module = mod_name
interp.exec(f'import runpy; runpy.run_module({main_module!r})')
Running as script (including zip archives & directories)
--------------------------------------------------------
::
interp = interpreters.create()
main_script = path_name
interp.exec(f"import runpy; runpy.run_path({main_script!r})")
Using a channel to communicate
------------------------------
::
tasks_recv, tasks = interpreters.create_channel()
results, results_send = interpreters.create_channel()
def worker():
interp = interpreters.create()
interp.set_main_attrs(tasks=tasks_recv, results=results_send)
interp.exec(tw.dedent("""
def handle_request(req):
...
def capture_exception(exc):
...
while True:
try:
req = tasks.recv()
except Exception:
# channel closed
break
try:
res = handle_request(req)
except Exception as exc:
res = capture_exception(exc)
results.send_nowait(res)
"""))
threads = [threading.Thread(target=worker) for _ in range(20)]
for t in threads:
t.start()
requests = ...
for req in requests:
tasks.send(req)
tasks.close()
for t in threads:
t.join()
Sharing a memoryview (imagine map-reduce)
-----------------------------------------
::
data, chunksize = read_large_data_set()
buf = memoryview(data)
numchunks = (len(buf) + 1) / chunksize
results = memoryview(b'\0' * numchunks)
tasks_recv, tasks = interpreters.create_channel()
def worker():
interp = interpreters.create()
interp.set_main_attrs(data=buf, results=results, tasks=tasks_recv)
interp.exec(tw.dedent("""
while True:
try:
req = tasks.recv()
except Exception:
# channel closed
break
resindex, start, end = req
chunk = data[start: end]
res = reduce_chunk(chunk)
results[resindex] = res
"""))
t = threading.Thread(target=worker)
t.start()
for i in range(numchunks):
if not workers_running():
raise ...
start = i * chunksize
end = start + chunksize
if end > len(buf):
end = len(buf)
tasks.send((start, end, i))
tasks.close()
t.join()
use_results(results)
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`.)
Alyssa (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 <nathaniel-asyncio_>`_ on python-dev.)
However, this PEP does not propose any new concurrency API.
At most it exposes minimal tools (e.g. subinterpreters, channels)
which may be used to write code that follows patterns associated with
(relatively) new-to-Python `concurrency models <Concurrency_>`_.
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's stdlib and C-API. Any such solution
is likely to share many characteristics with the others.
In the meantime, we propose here a minimal solution
(``Interpreter.set_main_attrs()``), which sets some precedent for how
objects are shared. More importantly, it facilitates the introduction
of more advanced approaches later and allows them to coexist and cooperate.
In part to demonstrate that, we will provide a basic implementation of
"channels", as a somewhat more advanced sharing solution.
Separate proposals may cover:
* the addition of a public C-API based on the implementation
``Interpreter.set_main_attrs()``
* the addition of other sharing approaches to the "interpreters" module
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, sent to another interpreter, and
turned back into an ``int`` object there. As another example,
``None`` may be passed as-is.
Regardless, the effort to determine the best way forward here is mostly
outside the scope of this PEP. In the meantime, this proposal describes
a basic interim solution using pipes (``os.pipe()``), as well as
providing a dedicated capability ("channels").
See `API For Communication`_ 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 do share some state.
First of all, some process-global state remains shared:
* file descriptors
* low-level env vars
* process memory (though allocators *are* isolated)
* 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:
* extensions using the ``PyGILState_*`` API are somewhat incompatible [gilstate]_
Existing Usage
--------------
Multiple interpreter support has not been a widely used feature.
In fact, there have been only a handful of documented cases of
widespread usage, including
`mod_wsgi <https://github.com/GrahamDumpleton/mod_wsgi>`_,
`OpenStack Ceph <https://github.com/ceph/ceph/pull/14971>`_, and
`JEP <https://github.com/ninia/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-is-shareable:
"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.
is_shareable(obj) -> bool:
Return True if the object may be "shared" between interpreters.
This does not necessarily mean that the actual objects will be
shared. Instead, it means that the objects' underlying data will
be shared in a cross-interpreter way, whether via a proxy, a
copy, or some other means.
The module also provides the following class::
class Interpreter(id):
id -> int:
The interpreter's ID. (read-only)
is_running() -> bool:
Return whether or not the interpreter's "exec()" 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.
set_main_attrs(iterable_or_mapping, /):
set_main_attrs(**kwargs):
Set attributes in the interpreter's __main__ module
corresponding to the given name-value pairs. Each value
must be a "shareable" object and will be converted to a new
object (e.g. copy, proxy) in whatever way that object's type
defines. If an attribute with the same name is already set,
it will be overwritten.
This method is helpful for setting up an interpreter before
calling exec().
get_main_attr(name, default=None, /):
Return the value of the corresponding attribute of the
interpreter's __main__ module. If the attribute isn't set
then the default is returned. If it is set, but the value
isn't "shareable" then a ValueError is raised.
This may be used to introspect the __main__ module, as well
as a very basic mechanism for "returning" one or more results
from Interpreter.exec().
exec(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.
An "interp.exec()" call is similar to a builtin exec() call
(or to calling a function that returns None). Once
"interp.exec()" completes, the code that called "exec()"
continues executing (in the original interpreter). Likewise,
if there is any uncaught exception then it effectively
(see below) propagates into the code where ``interp.exec()``
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())
or channel or other cross-interpreter communication mechanism.
The big difference from exec() or functions is that
"interp.exec()" 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 "interp.exec()" will effectively cause the current
Python thread to completely pause. Sometimes you won't want
that pause, in which case you should make the "exec()" call in
another thread. To do so, add a function that calls
"interp.exec()" and then run that function in a normal
"threading.Thread".
Note that the interpreter's state is never reset, neither
before "interp.exec()" executes the code nor after. Thus the
interpreter state is preserved between calls to
"interp.exec()". This includes "sys.modules", the "builtins"
module, and the internal state of C extension modules.
Also note that "interp.exec()" 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 "interp.exec()" call into one
long script. This is the same as how the REPL operates.
Supported code: source text.
.. XXX Add "InterpreterAlreadyRunningError"?
In addition to the functionality of ``Interpreter.set_main_attrs()``,
the module provides a related way to pass data between interpreters:
channels. See `Channels`_ below.
Uncaught Exceptions
-------------------
Regarding uncaught exceptions in ``Interpreter.exec()``, we noted that
they are "effectively" propagated into the code where ``interp.exec()``
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 ``interpreters.RunFailedError``, and raise that.
Directly raising (a proxy of) the exception is problematic since it's
harder to distinguish between an error in the ``interp.exec()`` call
and an uncaught exception from the subinterpreter.
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.
.. XXX 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.
API For Communication
=====================
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 a basic mechanism for communication.
That mechanism is the ``Interpreter.set_main_attrs()`` method.
It may be used to set up global variables before ``Interpreter.exec()``
is called. The name-value pairs passed to ``set_main_attrs()`` are
bound as attributes of the interpreter's ``__main__`` module.
The values must be "shareable". See `Shareable Types`_ below.
Additional approaches to communicating and sharing objects are enabled
through ``Interpreter.set_main_attrs()``. A shareable object could be
implemented which works like a queue, but with cross-interpreter safety.
In fact, this PEP does include an example of such an approach: channels.
Shareable Types
---------------
An object is "shareable" if its type supports shareable instances.
The type must implement a new internal protocol, which is used to
convert an object to interpreter-independent data and then converted
back to an object on the other side. Also see
`is_shareable() <interpreters-is-shareable_>`_ above.
A minimal set of simple, immutable builtin types will be supported
initially, including:
* ``None``
* ``bool``
* ``bytes``
* ``str``
* ``int``
* ``float``
We will also support a small number of complex types initially:
* ``memoryview``, to allow sharing :pep:`3118` buffers
* `channels <Channels_>`_
Further builtin types may be supported later, complex or not.
Limiting the initial shareable types is a practical matter, reducing
the potential complexity of the initial implementation. There are a
number of strategies we may pursue in the future to expand supported
objects, once we have more experience with interpreter isolation.
In the meantime, a separate proposal will discuss making the internal
protocol (and C-API) used by ``Interpreter.set_main_attrs()`` public.
With that protocol, support for other types could be added
by extension modules.
Communicating Through OS Pipes
''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
Even without a dedicated object for communication, users may already
use existing tools. For example, one basic approach for sending data
between interpreters is to use a pipe (see ``os.pipe()``):
1. interpreter A calls ``os.pipe()`` to get a read/write pair
of file descriptors (both ``int`` objects)
2. interpreter A calls ``interp.set_main_attrs()``, binding the read FD
(or embeds it using string formatting)
3. interpreter A calls ``interp.exec()`` on interpreter B
4. interpreter A writes some bytes to the write FD
5. interpreter B reads those bytes
Several of the earlier examples demonstrate this, such as
`Synchronize using an OS pipe`_.
.. _interpreters-create-channel:
.. _interpreters-RecvChannel:
.. _interpreters-SendChannel:
Channels
--------
The ``interpreters`` module will include a dedicated solution for
passing object data between interpreters: channels. They are included
in the module in part to provide an easier mechanism than using
``os.pipe()`` and in part to demonstrate how libraries may take
advantage of ``Interpreter.set_main_attrs()``
and the protocol it uses.
A channel is a simplex FIFO. It is a basic, opt-in data sharing
mechanism that draws inspiration from pipes, queues, and CSP's
channels. [fifo]_ The main difference from pipes is that channels can
be associated with zero or more interpreters on either end. Like
queues, which are also many-to-many, channels are buffered (though
they also offer methods with unbuffered semantics).
Channels have two operations: send and receive. A key characteristic
of those operations is that channels transmit data derived from Python
objects rather than the objects themselves. When objects are sent,
their data is extracted. When the "object" is received in the other
interpreter, the data is converted back into an object owned by that
interpreter.
To make this work, the mutable shared state will be managed by the
Python runtime, not by any of the interpreters. Initially we will
support only one type of objects for shared state: the channels provided
by ``interpreters.create_channel()``. Channels, in turn, will carefully
manage passing objects between interpreters.
This approach, including keeping the API minimal, helps us avoid further
exposing any underlying complexity to Python users.
The ``interpreters`` module provides the following function related
to channels::
create_channel() -> (RecvChannel, SendChannel):
Create a new channel and return (recv, send), the RecvChannel
and SendChannel corresponding to the ends of the channel.
Both ends of the channel are supported "shared" objects (i.e.
may be safely shared by different interpreters. Thus they
may be set using "Interpreter.set_main_attrs()".
The module also provides the following channel-related classes::
class RecvChannel(id):
The receiving end of a channel. An interpreter may use this to
receive objects from another interpreter. Any type supported by
Interpreter.set_main_attrs() will be supported here, though at
first only a few of the simple, immutable builtin types
will be supported.
id -> int:
The channel's unique ID. The "send" end has the same one.
recv(*, timeout=None):
Return the next object from the channel. If none have been
sent then wait until the next send (or until the timeout is hit).
At the least, the object will be equivalent to the sent object.
That will almost always mean the same type with the same data,
though it could also be a compatible proxy. Regardless, it may
use a copy of that data or actually share the data. That's up
to the object's type.
recv_nowait(default=None):
Return the next object from the channel. If none have been
sent then return the default. Otherwise, this is the same
as the "recv()" method.
class SendChannel(id):
The sending end of a channel. An interpreter may use this to
send objects to another interpreter. Any type supported by
Interpreter.set_main_attrs() will be supported here, though
at first only a few of the simple, immutable builtin types
will be supported.
id -> int:
The channel's unique ID. The "recv" end has the same one.
send(obj, *, timeout=None):
Send the object (i.e. its data) to the "recv" end of the
channel. Wait until the object is received. If the object
is not shareable then ValueError is raised.
The builtin memoryview is supported, so sending a buffer
across involves first wrapping the object in a memoryview
and then sending that.
send_nowait(obj):
Send the object to the "recv" end of the channel. This
behaves the same as "send()", except for the waiting part.
If no interpreter is currently receiving (waiting on the
other end) then queue the object and return False. Otherwise
return True.
Caveats For Shared Objects
--------------------------
Again, Python objects are not shared between interpreters.
However, in some cases data those objects wrap is actually shared
and not just copied. One example might be :pep:`3118` buffers.
In those cases the object in the original interpreter is kept alive
until the shared data in the other interpreter is no longer used.
Then object destruction can happen like normal in the original
interpreter, along with the previously shared data.
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 <isolation-howto_>`_ 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 be
updated to clearly say 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.
Open Questions
==============
* will is be too confusing that ``interp.exec()`` runs in the current thread?
* should we add pickling fallbacks right now for ``interp.exec()``, and/or
``Interpreter.set_main_attrs()`` and ``Interpreter.get_main_attr()``?
* should we support (limited) functions in ``interp.exec()`` right now?
* rename ``Interpreter.close()`` to ``Interpreter.destroy()``?
* drop ``Interpreter.get_main_attr()``, since we have channels?
* should channels be its own PEP?
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.
Add convenience API
-------------------
There are a number of things I can imagine would smooth out
*hypothetical* rough edges with the new module:
* add something like ``Interpreter.run()`` or ``Interpreter.call()``
that calls ``interp.exec()`` and falls back to pickle
* fall back to pickle in ``Interpreter.set_main_attrs()``
and ``Interpreter.get_main_attr()``
These would be easy to do if this proves to be a pain point.
Avoid possible confusion about interpreters running in the current thread
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
One regular point of confusion has been that ``Interpreter.exec()``
executes in the current OS thread, temporarily blocking the current
Python thread. It may be worth doing something to avoid that confusion.
Some possible solutions for this hypothetical problem:
* by default, run in a new thread?
* add ``Interpreter.exec_in_thread()``?
* add ``Interpreter.exec_in_current_thread()``?
In earlier versions of this PEP the method was ``interp.run()``.
The simple change to ``interp.exec()`` alone will probably reduce
confusion sufficiently, when coupled with educating users via
the docs. It it turns out to be a real problem, we can pursue
one of the alternatives at that point.
Clarify "running" vs. "has threads"
-----------------------------------
``Interpreter.is_running()`` refers specifically to whether or not
``Interpreter.exec()`` (or similar) is running somewhere. It does not
say anything about if the interpreter has any subthreads running. That
information might be helpful.
Some things we could do:
* rename ``Interpreter.is_running()`` to ``Interpreter.is_running_main()``
* add ``Interpreter.has_threads()``, to complement ``Interpreter.is_running()``
* expand to ``Interpreter.is_running(main=True, threads=False)``
None of these are urgent and any could be done later, if desired.
A Dunder Method For Sharing
---------------------------
We could add a special method, like ``__xid__`` to correspond to ``tp_xid``.
At the very least, it would allow Python types to convert their instances
to some other type that implements ``tp_xid``.
The problem is that exposing this capability to Python code presents
a degree of complixity that hasn't been explored yet, nor is there
a compelling case to investigate that complexity.
Interpreter.call()
------------------
It would be convenient to run existing functions in subinterpreters
directly. ``Interpreter.exec()`` 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 ``interp.exec()`` call for you in a thread.
Doing this using only ``threading.Thread`` and ``interp.exec()`` 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.
Poisoning channels
------------------
CSP has the concept of poisoning a channel. Once a channel has been
poisoned, any ``send()`` or ``recv()`` call on it would raise a special
exception, effectively ending execution in the interpreter that tried
to use the poisoned channel.
This could be accomplished by adding a ``poison()`` method to both ends
of the channel. The ``close()`` method can be used in this way
(mostly), but these semantics are relatively specialized and can wait.
Resetting __main__
------------------
As proposed, every call to ``Interpreter.exec()`` will execute in the
namespace of the interpreter's existing ``__main__`` module. This means
that data persists there between ``interp.exec()`` 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.exec('globals().clear()')
Possible solutions include:
* a ``create()`` arg to indicate resetting ``__main__`` after each
``interp.exec()`` 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.
A possible solution is to provide async implementations of the blocking
channel methods (``recv()``, and ``send()``).
Alternately, "readiness callbacks" could be used to simplify use in
async scenarios. This would mean adding an optional ``callback``
(kw-only) parameter to the ``recv_nowait()`` and ``send_nowait()``
channel methods. The callback would be called once the object was sent
or received (respectively).
(Note that making channels buffered makes readiness callbacks less
important.)
Support for iteration
---------------------
Supporting iteration on ``RecvChannel`` (via ``__iter__()`` or
``_next__()``) may be useful. A trivial implementation would use the
``recv()`` method, similar to how files do iteration. Since this isn't
a fundamental capability and has a simple analog, adding iteration
support can wait until later.
Channel context managers
------------------------
Context manager support on ``RecvChannel`` and ``SendChannel`` may be
helpful. The implementation would be simple, wrapping a call to
``close()`` (or maybe ``release()``) like files do. As with iteration,
this can wait.
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.
Return a lock from send()
-------------------------
When sending an object through a channel, you don't have a way of knowing
when the object gets received on the other end. One way to work around
this is to return a locked ``threading.Lock`` from ``SendChannel.send()``
that unlocks once the object is received.
Alternately, the proposed ``SendChannel.send()`` (blocking) and
``SendChannel.send_nowait()`` provide an explicit distinction that is
less likely to confuse users.
Note that returning a lock would matter for buffered channels
(i.e. queues). For unbuffered channels it is a non-issue.
Support prioritization in channels
----------------------------------
A simple example is ``queue.PriorityQueue`` in the stdlib.
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 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.
Make RunFailedError.__cause__ lazy
----------------------------------
An uncaught exception in a subinterpreter (from ``interp.exec()``) 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.
Return a value from ``interp.exec()``
-------------------------------------
Currently ``interp.exec()`` 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 ``interp.exec()`` 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
``interp.exec()``. 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.
Add an explicit release() and close() to channel end classes
------------------------------------------------------------
It can be convenient to have an explicit way to close a channel against
further global use. Likewise it could be useful to have an explicit
way to release one of the channel ends relative to the current
interpreter. Among other reasons, such a mechanism is useful for
communicating overall state between interpreters without the extra
boilerplate that passing objects through a channel directly would
require.
The challenge is getting automatic release/close right without making
it hard to understand. This is especially true when dealing with a
non-empty channel. We should be able to get by without release/close
for now.
Add SendChannel.send_buffer()
-----------------------------
This method would allow no-copy sending of an object through a channel
if it supports the :pep:`3118` buffer protocol (e.g. memoryview).
Support for this is not fundamental to channels and can be added on
later without much disruption.
Auto-run in a thread
--------------------
The PEP proposes a hard separation between subinterpreters and threads:
if you want to run in a thread you must create the thread yourself and
call ``interp.exec()`` in it. However, it might be convenient if
``interp.exec()`` could do that for you, meaning there would be less
boilerplate.
Furthermore, we anticipate that users will want to run in a thread much
more often than not. So it would make sense to make this the default
behavior. We would add a kw-only param "threaded" (default ``True``)
to ``interp.exec()`` to allow the run-in-the-current-thread operation.
Rejected Ideas
==============
Explicit channel association
----------------------------
Interpreters are implicitly associated with channels upon ``recv()`` and
``send()`` calls. They are de-associated with ``release()`` calls. The
alternative would be explicit methods. It would be either
``add_channel()`` and ``remove_channel()`` methods on ``Interpreter``
objects or something similar on channel objects.
In practice, this level of management shouldn't be necessary for users.
So adding more explicit support would only add clutter to the API.
Add an API based on pipes
-------------------------
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
--------------------------
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 ``interp.exec()``. 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 ``interp.exec()`` 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 ``interp.exec()``
(they can pass error info out via channels);
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.exec()`` 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.exec()`` would only execute in that thread (and
nothing else would). The benefit is that users would not have to
wrap ``Interpreter.exec()`` 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.
Only associate interpreters upon use
------------------------------------
Associate interpreters with channel ends only once ``recv()``,
``send()``, etc. are called.
Doing this is potentially confusing and also can lead to unexpected
races where a channel is auto-closed before it can be used in the
original (creating) interpreter.
Allow multiple simultaneous calls to Interpreter.exec()
-------------------------------------------------------
This would make sense especially if ``Interpreter.exec()`` 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.exec()`` 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.exec(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.exec(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.exec(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 internal 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 the exception propagation
implementation remains to be finished, which 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
.. [fifo]
https://docs.python.org/3/library/multiprocessing.html#multiprocessing.Pipe
https://docs.python.org/3/library/multiprocessing.html#multiprocessing.Queue
https://docs.python.org/3/library/queue.html#module-queue
http://stackless.readthedocs.io/en/2.7-slp/library/stackless/channels.html
https://golang.org/doc/effective_go.html#sharing
http://www.jtolds.com/writing/2016/03/go-channels-are-bad-and-you-should-feel-bad/
.. [caveats]
https://docs.python.org/3/c-api/init.html#bugs-and-caveats
.. [cryptography]
https://github.com/pyca/cryptography/issues/2299
.. [gilstate]
https://bugs.python.org/issue10915
http://bugs.python.org/issue15751
.. [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.
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