__base__ undocumented

[80036ac5-bb84-4d39-8416-02cd8e51707d]

BPO	22456
Nosy	@gvanrossum, @rhettinger
Files	function-documentation.patch: Patch containing documentation of base

^{Note: these values reflect the state of the issue at the time it was migrated and might not reflect the current state.}

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GitHub fields: ```python assignee = None closed_at = None created_at = labels = ['easy', 'type-feature', 'docs'] title = '__base__ undocumented' updated_at = user = 'https://bugs.python.org/Arfrever' ``` bugs.python.org fields: ```python activity = actor = 'anupama.srinivas.murthy' assignee = 'docs@python' closed = False closed_date = None closer = None components = ['Documentation'] creation = creator = 'Arfrever' dependencies = [] files = ['36760'] hgrepos = [] issue_num = 22456 keywords = ['patch', 'easy'] message_count = 5.0 messages = ['227241', '227242', '227243', '227245', '227903'] nosy_count = 5.0 nosy_names = ['gvanrossum', 'rhettinger', 'Arfrever', 'docs@python', 'anupama.srinivas.murthy'] pr_nums = [] priority = 'normal' resolution = None stage = None status = 'open' superseder = None type = 'enhancement' url = 'https://bugs.python.org/issue22456' versions = ['Python 2.7', 'Python 3.4', 'Python 3.5'] ```

Linked PRs

• gh-102554

[80036ac5-bb84-4d39-8416-02cd8e51707d]

__bases is documented, but __base is not.

$ grep -r __base__ Doc
$ grep -r __bases__ Doc
Doc/c-api/object.rst:are different objects, *B*'s :attr:`~class.__bases__` attribute is searched in
Doc/c-api/object.rst:a depth-first fashion for *A* --- the presence of the :attr:`~class.__bases__`
Doc/extending/newtypes.rst:   in its :attr:`~class.__bases__`, or else it will not be able to call your type's
Doc/library/email.headerregistry.rst:    class's ``__bases__`` list.
Doc/library/functions.rst:   tuple itemizes the base classes and becomes the :attr:`~class.__bases__`
Doc/library/stdtypes.rst:.. attribute:: class.__bases__
Doc/reference/datamodel.rst:      single: __bases__ (class attribute)
Doc/reference/datamodel.rst:   dictionary containing the class's namespace; :attr:`~class.__bases__` is a
Doc/whatsnew/2.3.rst:  removed: you can now assign to the :attr:`__name__` and :attr:`__bases__`
Doc/whatsnew/2.3.rst:  assigned to :attr:`__bases__` along the lines of those relating to assigning to

[rhettinger]

I think that __base was intended to be a non-guaranteed implementation detail for new-style classes just like __dictoffset and __flags__ .

[gvanrossum]

Raymond is correct. __base__ is closely tied to the C implementation. I think it might be worth a mention, but with an explicit note that it is CPython-specific. It is sometimes useful, e.g. when wondering why a certain case of multiple inheritance is rejected.

[80036ac5-bb84-4d39-8416-02cd8e51707d]

__base__ exists also in Jython and PyPy.

[e9c27455-44d3-4d24-8fff-560f86bcd2d4]

I have documented the function in object.rst file. I do not know the use of the function and have not mentioned that. My documentation is based on what I understood from the comments below and the explanation here: http://code.activestate.com/lists/python-list/334282/

[furkanonder]

__bases__ is an undocumented feature. I believe it is worth mentioning in the object.rst , stdtypes.rst and datamodel.rst documents.

[merwok]

It’s an undocumented implementation detail, not a language feature.

[furkanonder]

@arhadthedev Why did you close the issue? PR was opened for this issue and it was being considered.

[arhadthedev]

I've made a decision based on the last comment in the issue from a core dev:

It’s an undocumented implementation detail, not a language feature.

followed by a two-month silence. Thank you for clarification, reopening.

[furkanonder]

@arhadthedev Thanks!