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diff --git a/Doc/glossary.rst b/Doc/glossary.rst index 7cd9905..df09c38 100644 --- a/Doc/glossary.rst +++ b/Doc/glossary.rst @@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ Glossary subclasses, which are classes that don't inherit from a class but are still recognized by :func:`isinstance` and :func:`issubclass`; see the :mod:`abc` module documentation. Python comes with many built-in ABCs for - data structures (in the :mod:`collections` module), numbers (in the + data structures (in the :mod:`collections.abc` module), numbers (in the :mod:`numbers` module), streams (in the :mod:`io` module), import finders and loaders (in the :mod:`importlib.abc` module). You can create your own ABCs with the :mod:`abc` module. @@ -209,9 +209,9 @@ Glossary finder An object that tries to find the :term:`loader` for a module. It must - implement a method named :meth:`find_module`. See :pep:`302` for - details and :class:`importlib.abc.Finder` for an - :term:`abstract base class`. + implement either a method named :meth:`find_loader` or a method named + :meth:`find_module`. See :pep:`302` and :pep:`420` for details and + :class:`importlib.abc.Finder` for an :term:`abstract base class`. floor division Mathematical division that rounds down to nearest integer. The floor @@ -315,6 +315,17 @@ Glossary role in places where a constant hash value is needed, for example as a key in a dictionary. + import path + A list of locations (or :term:`path entries <path entry>`) that are + searched by the :term:`path importer` for modules to import. During + import, this list of locations usually comes from :data:`sys.path`, but + for subpackages it may also come from the parent package's ``__path__`` + attribute. + + importing + The process by which Python code in one module is made available to + Python code in another module. + importer An object that both finds and loads a module; both a :term:`finder` and :term:`loader` object. @@ -434,12 +445,17 @@ Glossary mapping A container object that supports arbitrary key lookups and implements the - methods specified in the :class:`~collections.Mapping` or - :class:`~collections.MutableMapping` + methods specified in the :class:`~collections.abc.Mapping` or + :class:`~collections.abc.MutableMapping` :ref:`abstract base classes <collections-abstract-base-classes>`. Examples include :class:`dict`, :class:`collections.defaultdict`, :class:`collections.OrderedDict` and :class:`collections.Counter`. + meta path finder + A finder returned by a search of :data:`sys.meta_path`. Meta path + finders are related to, but different from :term:`path entry finders + <path entry finder>`. + metaclass The class of a class. Class definitions create a class name, a class dictionary, and a list of base classes. The metaclass is responsible for @@ -464,6 +480,11 @@ Glossary for a member during lookup. See `The Python 2.3 Method Resolution Order <http://www.python.org/download/releases/2.3/mro/>`_. + module + An object that serves as an organizational unit of Python code. Modules + have a namespace containing arbitrary Python objects. Modules are loaded + into Python by the process of :term:`importing`. + MRO See :term:`method resolution order`. @@ -496,6 +517,12 @@ Glossary functions are implemented by the :mod:`random` and :mod:`itertools` modules, respectively. + namespace package + A :pep:`420` :term:`package` which serves only as a container for + subpackages. Namespace packages may have no physical representation, + and specifically are not like a :term:`regular package` because they + have no ``__init__.py`` file. + nested scope The ability to refer to a variable in an enclosing definition. For instance, a function defined inside another function can refer to @@ -516,6 +543,33 @@ Glossary (methods). Also the ultimate base class of any :term:`new-style class`. + package + A Python module which can contain submodules or recursively, + subpackages. Technically, a package is a Python module with an + ``__path__`` attribute. + + path entry + A single location on the :term:`import path` which the :term:`path + importer` consults to find modules for importing. + + path entry finder + A :term:`finder` returned by a callable on :data:`sys.path_hooks` + (i.e. a :term:`path entry hook`) which knows how to locate modules given + a :term:`path entry`. + + path entry hook + A callable on the :data:`sys.path_hook` list which returns a :term:`path + entry finder` if it knows how to find modules on a specific :term:`path + entry`. + + path importer + One of the default :term:`meta path finders <meta path finder>` which + searches an :term:`import path` for modules. + + portion + A set of files in a single directory (possibly stored in a zip file) + that contribute to a namespace package, as defined in :pep:`420`. + positional argument The arguments assigned to local names inside a function or method, determined by the order in which they were given in the call. ``*`` is @@ -523,9 +577,23 @@ Glossary definition), or pass several arguments as a list to a function. See :term:`argument`. + provisional package + A provisional package is one which has been deliberately excluded from + the standard library's backwards compatibility guarantees. While major + changes to such packages are not expected, as long as they are marked + provisional, backwards incompatible changes (up to and including removal + of the package) may occur if deemed necessary by core developers. Such + changes will not be made gratuitously -- they will occur only if serious + flaws are uncovered that were missed prior to the inclusion of the + package. + + This process allows the standard library to continue to evolve over + time, without locking in problematic design errors for extended periods + of time. See :pep:`411` for more details. + Python 3000 - Nickname for the Python 3.x release line (coined long ago when the release - of version 3 was something in the distant future.) This is also + Nickname for the Python 3.x release line (coined long ago when the + release of version 3 was something in the distant future.) This is also abbreviated "Py3k". Pythonic @@ -544,6 +612,32 @@ Glossary for piece in food: print(piece) + qualified name + A dotted name showing the "path" from a module's global scope to a + class, function or method defined in that module, as defined in + :pep:`3155`. For top-level functions and classes, the qualified name + is the same as the object's name:: + + >>> class C: + ... class D: + ... def meth(self): + ... pass + ... + >>> C.__qualname__ + 'C' + >>> C.D.__qualname__ + 'C.D' + >>> C.D.meth.__qualname__ + 'C.D.meth' + + When used to refer to modules, the *fully qualified name* means the + entire dotted path to the module, including any parent packages, + e.g. ``email.mime.text``:: + + >>> import email.mime.text + >>> email.mime.text.__name__ + 'email.mime.text' + reference count The number of references to an object. When the reference count of an object drops to zero, it is deallocated. Reference counting is @@ -552,6 +646,10 @@ Glossary :func:`~sys.getrefcount` function that programmers can call to return the reference count for a particular object. + regular package + A traditional :term:`package`, such as a directory containing an + ``__init__.py`` file. + __slots__ A declaration inside a class that saves memory by pre-declaring space for instance attributes and eliminating instance dictionaries. Though @@ -586,6 +684,14 @@ Glossary an :term:`expression` or a one of several constructs with a keyword, such as :keyword:`if`, :keyword:`while` or :keyword:`for`. + struct sequence + A tuple with named elements. Struct sequences expose an interface similar + to :term:`named tuple` in that elements can either be accessed either by + index or as an attribute. However, they do not have any of the named tuple + methods like :meth:`~collections.somenamedtuple._make` or + :meth:`~collections.somenamedtuple._asdict`. Examples of struct sequences + include :data:`sys.float_info` and the return value of :func:`os.stat`. + triple-quoted string A string which is bound by three instances of either a quotation mark (") or an apostrophe ('). While they don't provide any functionality |