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Diffstat (limited to 'Doc/glossary.rst')
| -rw-r--r-- | Doc/glossary.rst | 36 |
1 files changed, 30 insertions, 6 deletions
diff --git a/Doc/glossary.rst b/Doc/glossary.rst index 2347828f55..2f658aca09 100644 --- a/Doc/glossary.rst +++ b/Doc/glossary.rst @@ -310,6 +310,15 @@ Glossary >>> sum(i*i for i in range(10)) # sum of squares 0, 1, 4, ... 81 285 + generic function + A function composed of multiple functions implementing the same operation + for different types. Which implementation should be used during a call is + determined by the dispatch algorithm. + + See also the :term:`single dispatch` glossary entry, the + :func:`functools.singledispatch` decorator, and :pep:`443`. + + GIL See :term:`global interpreter lock`. @@ -530,6 +539,10 @@ Glossary See also :term:`package`. + module spec + A namespace containing the import-related information used to load a + module. + MRO See :term:`method resolution order`. @@ -671,20 +684,27 @@ Glossary positional argument See :term:`argument`. - provisional package - A provisional package is one which has been deliberately excluded from + provisional API + A provisional API 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 + changes to such interfaces 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 + of the interface) 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. + fundamental flaws are uncovered that were missed prior to the inclusion + of the API. + + Even for provisional APIs, backwards incompatible changes are seen as + a "solution of last resort" - every attempt will still be made to find + a backwards compatible resolution to any identified problems. 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. + provisional package + See :term:`provisional API`. + 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 @@ -763,6 +783,10 @@ Glossary mapping rather than a sequence because the lookups use arbitrary :term:`immutable` keys rather than integers. + single dispatch + A form of :term:`generic function` dispatch where the implementation is + chosen based on the type of a single argument. + slice An object usually containing a portion of a :term:`sequence`. A slice is created using the subscript notation, ``[]`` with colons between numbers |