On 14 July 2013 18:11, Nick Coghlan <ncogh...@gmail.com> wrote: > Currently, the naming section of PEP 8 doesn't say very much about what a > leading underscore *means* in the Python standard library. > > I would like to add a new "Private interfaces" subsection under "Naming > Conventions" to say the following: > > ================= > Private interfaces > > Unless explicitly documented otherwise, a leading underscore on any name > indicates that it is an internal implementation detail and backwards > compatibility guarantees do not apply. It is strongly encouraged that > private APIs (whether modules, classes, functions, attributes or other > names) be clearly marked in this way, as many Python users rely on > introspection to identify available functionality and may be mislead into > believing an API without the leading underscore is in fact a public API > with the standard backwards compatibility guarantees. > > All test modules are also considered private interfaces. > > Even though they typically lack the leading underscore, modules imported > by another module are also considered an implementation detail. Other > modules *should* not rely on indirect access to such modules unless they > are an explicitly documented part of the API (such as ``os.path``). > ================= >
Slight adjustment to the proposed wording to ensure completely undocumented modules are also considered private: ================= Private interfaces Unless explicitly documented otherwise, a leading underscore on any name indicates that it is an internal implementation detail and backwards compatibility guarantees do not apply. It is strongly encouraged that private APIs (whether modules, classes, functions, attributes or other names) be clearly marked in this way, as Python users may rely on introspection to identify available functionality and may be misled into believing an API without a leading underscore is in fact a public API with the standard backwards compatibility guarantees. Even when their names do not start with a leading underscore, all test modules and all modules that are not covered in the documentation are also considered private interfaces. Similarly, the specific modules and external APIs imported by a module are always considered an implementation detail. Other modules should not rely on indirect access to such imported interfaces unless they are an explicitly documented part of the containing module's API (such as ``os.path`` or a package ``__init__`` module exposing functionality from submodules). ================= -- Nick Coghlan | ncogh...@gmail.com | Brisbane, Australia
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