bpo-45569: Change PYLONG_BITS_IN_DIGIT default to 30 (GH-30497)

2 files changed, 11 insertions, 2 deletions

diff --git a/Doc/using/configure.rst b/Doc/using/configure.rst
index 771ad3c..f1c156c 100644
--- a/Doc/using/configure.rst
+++ b/Doc/using/configure.rst
@@ -35,8 +35,7 @@ General Options
 
    Define the size in bits of Python :class:`int` digits: 15 or 30 bits.
 
-   By default, the number of bits is selected depending on ``sizeof(void*)``:
-   30 bits if ``void*`` size is 64-bit or larger, 15 bits otherwise.
+   By default, the digit size is 30.
 
    Define the ``PYLONG_BITS_IN_DIGIT`` to ``15`` or ``30``.
 
diff --git a/Doc/whatsnew/3.11.rst b/Doc/whatsnew/3.11.rst
index 6a6c22c..96d6e26 100644
--- a/Doc/whatsnew/3.11.rst
+++ b/Doc/whatsnew/3.11.rst
@@ -622,6 +622,16 @@ Build Changes
   like Pyodide.
   (Contributed by Christian Heimes and Ethan Smith in :issue:`40280`.)
 
+* CPython will now use 30-bit digits by default for the Python :class:`int`
+  implementation. Previously, the default was to use 30-bit digits on platforms
+  with ``SIZEOF_VOID_P >= 8``, and 15-bit digits otherwise. It's still possible
+  to explicitly request use of 15-bit digits via either the
+  ``--enable-big-digits`` option to the configure script or (for Windows) the
+  ``PYLONG_BITS_IN_DIGIT`` variable in ``PC/pyconfig.h``, but this option may
+  be removed at some point in the future. (Contributed by Mark Dickinson in
+  :issue:`45569`.)
+
+
 C API Changes
 =============