Make the xxlimited module an example of best extension module practices

[encukou]

BPO	42111
Nosy	@terryjreedy, @encukou, @corona10, @miss-islington, @shihai1991
PRs	bpo-42111: Make the xxlimited module an example of best extension module practices #23226

^{Note: these values reflect the state of the issue at the time it was migrated and might not reflect the current state.}

Show more details

GitHub fields:

assignee = 'https://github.com/encukou'
closed_at = <Date 2020-12-15.14:51:28.499>
created_at = <Date 2020-10-21.19:58:56.884>
labels = ['expert-C-API', '3.10']
title = 'Make the xxlimited module an example of best extension module practices'
updated_at = <Date 2020-12-15.14:51:28.499>
user = 'https://github.com/encukou'

bugs.python.org fields:

activity = <Date 2020-12-15.14:51:28.499>
actor = 'petr.viktorin'
assignee = 'petr.viktorin'
closed = True
closed_date = <Date 2020-12-15.14:51:28.499>
closer = 'petr.viktorin'
components = ['C API']
creation = <Date 2020-10-21.19:58:56.884>
creator = 'petr.viktorin'
dependencies = []
files = []
hgrepos = []
issue_num = 42111
keywords = ['patch']
message_count = 5.0
messages = ['379241', '379298', '379502', '379753', '382749']
nosy_count = 5.0
nosy_names = ['terry.reedy', 'petr.viktorin', 'corona10', 'miss-islington', 'shihai1991']
pr_nums = ['23226']
priority = 'normal'
resolution = 'fixed'
stage = 'resolved'
status = 'closed'
superseder = None
type = None
url = 'https://bugs.python.org/issue42111'
versions = ['Python 3.10']

[encukou]

The "xxlimited" module (Modules/xxlimited.c) was added as part of PEP-384 (Defining a Stable ABI), and is undocumented. As far as I can tell,
it was added partly to test the stable ABI, and partly as an example of
how to write a module (like "xx" from xxmodule.c).
In the last few years the module has not seen much maintenance, and I
believe it's no longer a good example to follow: it works, but there are
now better ways to do things.

I would like to take over maintenance of the module and make it into an
example of how to write a low-level C extension with isolated module
state, as described in PEP-630 (Isolating Extension Modules) -- an
informational PEP that I plan to convert to a HOWTO doc when everything
is ready.

The old module will be kept around to test the 3.5 stable ABI.

Past discussion: https://mail.python.org/archives/list/python-dev@python.org/thread/FO3YPG3YLG2XF5FKHICJHNINSPY4OHEL/#YITRQXGUOIEHK22QP5K4C5E45QA356U3

[corona10]

I am +1 on this idea.

[terryjreedy]

I would interpret the limited pydev response (1 person, whose concern you incorporated into your post) to indicate absence of opposition. Given that 384 was written by someone inactive for years, I say go ahead and submit a PR for review by any interested active maintainers.

[encukou]

Thanks! That's my plan, but when I added tests I realized I need to pt in some general improvements to the stable ABI first.

[miss-islington]

New changeset c168b50 by Petr Viktorin in branch 'master':
bpo-42111: Make the xxlimited module an example of best extension module practices (GH-23226)
c168b50