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asyncio has underscored names in its __all__ #134657

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#136455
Closed
asyncio has underscored names in its __all__#134657
#136455
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3.14bugs and security fixes3.15pre-release feature fixes, bugs and security fixesstdlibStandard Library Python modules in the Lib/ directorytopic-asynciotype-bugAn unexpected behavior, bug, or error

Description

@JelleZijlstra
JelleZijlstra
opened on May 25, 2025

Bug report

Bug description:

asyncio has several names in its __all__ that start with an underscore.

Python 3.15.0a0 (heads/assignannos:9081715ff82, May 25 2025, 08:33:06) [Clang 15.0.0 (clang-1500.3.9.4)] on darwin
Type "help", "copyright", "credits" or "license" for more information.
>>> import asyncio
>>> [x for x in asyncio.__all__ if x.startswith("_")]
['_AbstractEventLoopPolicy', '_get_event_loop_policy', '_set_event_loop_policy', '_set_running_loop', '_get_running_loop', '_register_task', '_unregister_task', '_enter_task', '_leave_task', '_DefaultEventLoopPolicy']

That feels wrong: __all__ indicates the public names in the module, and names that start with an underscore are not meant to be public.

In Python 3.13 there were fewer:

['_set_running_loop', '_get_running_loop', '_register_task', '_unregister_task', '_enter_task', '_leave_task']

I propose we remove the new additions in 3.14 in both the 3.14 and main branches, and remove the remaining underscored names in 3.15.

CPython versions tested on:

CPython main branch

Operating systems tested on:

No response

Linked PRs

Activity

  1. JelleZijlstra
    added
    type-bugAn unexpected behavior, bug, or error
    topic-asyncio
    on May 25, 2025
  2. github-project-automation
    moved this to Todo in asyncioon May 25, 2025
  3. github-project-automation
    added this to asyncioon May 25, 2025
  4. picnixz
    added
    stdlibStandard Library Python modules in the Lib/ directory
    on May 25, 2025

  5. picnixz commented on May 25, 2025

    @picnixz
    picnixz
    on May 25, 2025
    Member

    IIRC, the private names were added when the policy system was being deprecated cc @kumaraditya303 (I don't know if it was meant for bc)

  6. picnixz
    added
    3.14bugs and security fixes
    3.15pre-release feature fixes, bugs and security fixes
    on May 25, 2025

  7. JelleZijlstra commented on May 25, 2025

    @JelleZijlstra
    JelleZijlstra
    on May 25, 2025
    MemberAuthor

    Yes, in #128218. I don't see how re-adding them to __all__ under a different name helps backwards compatibility for anyone; it just makes it slightly easier for people to use the private names.

  8. JelleZijlstra
    added a commit that references this issue on May 25, 2025

    pythongh-134657: Remove newly added private names from asyncio.__all__

    b24022f

  9. kumaraditya303 commented on May 26, 2025

    @kumaraditya303
    kumaraditya303
    on May 26, 2025
    Contributor

    It wasn't for backwards compatibility, it was to reduce the diff when deprecating it, these underscored functions and classes will be removed in 3.16 anyways so making a lot of name changes didn't seem worth it.

  10. JelleZijlstra commented on Jul 8, 2025

    @JelleZijlstra
    JelleZijlstra
    on Jul 8, 2025
    MemberAuthor

    __all__ is a public API; we shouldn't be using it to make other changes more convenient.

  11. kumaraditya303
    added a commit that references this issue on Jul 9, 2025

    gh-134657: Remove newly added private names from asyncio.__all__ (#13…

    797abd1
  12. miss-islington
    added a commit that references this issue on Jul 9, 2025

    pythongh-134657: Remove newly added private names from asyncio.__all__ (

    097fc8f

  13. kumaraditya303 commented on Jul 9, 2025

    @kumaraditya303
    kumaraditya303
    on Jul 9, 2025
    Contributor

    Okay, I merged your PR.

  14. kumaraditya303
    linked a pull request that will close this issue[3.14] gh-134657: Remove newly added private names from asyncio.__all__ (GH-134665) #136455on Jul 9, 2025
  15. kumaraditya303
    added a commit that references this issue on Jul 9, 2025

    [3.14] gh-134657: Remove newly added private names from asyncio.__all…

    c29fce0
  16. AndPuQing
    added a commit that references this issue on Jul 11, 2025

    pythongh-134657: Remove newly added private names from asyncio.__all__ (

    43275ad
  17. picnixz
    closed this as completedon Jul 11, 2025
  18. github-project-automation
    moved this from Todo to Done in asyncioon Jul 11, 2025
  19. Pranjal095
    added a commit that references this issue on Jul 12, 2025

    pythongh-134657: Remove newly added private names from asyncio.__all__ (

    cb55648
  20. picnixz
    added a commit that references this issue on Jul 13, 2025

    pythongh-134657: Remove newly added private names from asyncio.__all__ (

    3107589
  21. taegyunkim
    added a commit that references this issue on Aug 4, 2025

    pythongh-134657: Remove newly added private names from asyncio.__all__ (

    f69eabc
  22. Agent-Hellboy
    added a commit that references this issue on Aug 19, 2025

    pythongh-134657: Remove newly added private names from asyncio.__all__ (

    ca57c66
  23. kumaraditya303
    added a commit that references this issue on Sep 9, 2025

    [3.14] pythongh-134657: Remove newly added private names from asyncio…

    6c4aa75
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