Issue #22696: Add function :func:`sys.is_finalizing` to know about interpreter shutdown.

4 files changed, 27 insertions, 6 deletions

diff --git a/Doc/glossary.rst b/Doc/glossary.rst
index 92877bd..87e2d8a 100644
--- a/Doc/glossary.rst
+++ b/Doc/glossary.rst
@@ -402,6 +402,19 @@ Glossary
       than compiled ones, though their programs generally also run more
       slowly.  See also :term:`interactive`.
 
+   interpreter shutdown
+      When asked to shut down, the Python interpreter enters a special phase
+      where it gradually releases all allocated resources, such as modules
+      and various critical internal structures.  It also makes several calls
+      to the :term:`garbage collector <garbage collection>`. This can trigger
+      the execution of code in user-defined destructors or weakref callbacks.
+      Code executed during the shutdown phase can encounter various
+      exceptions as the resources it relies on may not function anymore
+      (common examples are library modules or the warnings machinery).
+
+      The main reason for interpreter shutdown is that the ``__main__`` module
+      or the script being run has finished executing.
+
    iterable
       An object capable of returning its members one at a time. Examples of
       iterables include all sequence types (such as :class:`list`, :class:`str`,
diff --git a/Doc/library/gc.rst b/Doc/library/gc.rst
index 8135542..d11c2e1 100644
--- a/Doc/library/gc.rst
+++ b/Doc/library/gc.rst
@@ -186,7 +186,7 @@ values but should not rebind them):
    added to this list rather than freed.
 
    .. versionchanged:: 3.2
-      If this list is non-empty at interpreter shutdown, a
+      If this list is non-empty at :term:`interpreter shutdown`, a
       :exc:`ResourceWarning` is emitted, which is silent by default.  If
       :const:`DEBUG_UNCOLLECTABLE` is set, in addition all uncollectable objects
       are printed.
@@ -252,8 +252,8 @@ The following constants are provided for use with :func:`set_debug`:
    to the ``garbage`` list.
 
    .. versionchanged:: 3.2
-      Also print the contents of the :data:`garbage` list at interpreter
-      shutdown, if it isn't empty.
+      Also print the contents of the :data:`garbage` list at
+      :term:`interpreter shutdown`, if it isn't empty.
 
 .. data:: DEBUG_SAVEALL
 
diff --git a/Doc/library/sys.rst b/Doc/library/sys.rst
index 3024086..fa125a0 100644
--- a/Doc/library/sys.rst
+++ b/Doc/library/sys.rst
@@ -718,6 +718,14 @@ always available.
    value of :func:`intern` around to benefit from it.
 
 
+.. function:: is_finalizing()
+
+   Return :const:`True` if the Python interpreter is
+   :term:`shutting down <interpreter shutdown>`, :const:`False` otherwise.
+
+   .. versionadded:: 3.5
+
+
 .. data:: last_type
           last_value
           last_traceback
diff --git a/Doc/library/weakref.rst b/Doc/library/weakref.rst
index cc883b1..2e16077 100644
--- a/Doc/library/weakref.rst
+++ b/Doc/library/weakref.rst
@@ -258,7 +258,7 @@ These method have the same issues as the and :meth:`keyrefs` method of
    are called in reverse order of creation.
 
    A finalizer will never invoke its callback during the later part of
-   the interpreter shutdown when module globals are liable to have
+   the :term:`interpreter shutdown` when module globals are liable to have
    been replaced by :const:`None`.
 
    .. method:: __call__()
@@ -527,8 +527,8 @@ follows::
 
 Starting with Python 3.4, :meth:`__del__` methods no longer prevent
 reference cycles from being garbage collected, and module globals are
-no longer forced to :const:`None` during interpreter shutdown. So this
-code should work without any issues on CPython.
+no longer forced to :const:`None` during :term:`interpreter shutdown`.
+So this code should work without any issues on CPython.
 
 However, handling of :meth:`__del__` methods is notoriously implementation
 specific, since it depends on internal details of the interpreter's garbage