Type Objects — Python 3.11.0 documentation

# Type Objects

type PyTypeObject
  Part of the Limited API (as an opaque struct).

  The C structure of the objects used to describe built-in types.

PyTypeObject PyType_Type
  Part of the Stable ABI.

  This is the type object for type objects; it is the same object as `type` in the Python layer.

int PyType_Check(PyObject *o)

  Return non-zero if the object o is a type object, including instances of types derived from the standard type object. Return 0 in all other cases. This function always succeeds.

int PyType_CheckExact(PyObject *o)

  Return non-zero if the object o is a type object, but not a subtype of the standard type object. Return 0 in all other cases. This function always succeeds.

unsigned int PyType_ClearCache()
  Part of the Stable ABI.

  Clear the internal lookup cache. Return the current version tag.

unsigned long PyType_GetFlags(PyTypeObject *type)
  Part of the Stable ABI.

  Return the `tp_flags` member of type. This function is primarily meant for use with `Py_LIMITED_API`; the individual flag bits are guaranteed to be stable across Python releases, but access to `tp_flags` itself is not part of the limited API.

  New in version 3.2.

  Changed in version 3.4: The return type is now `unsigned long` rather than `long`.

void PyType_Modified(PyTypeObject *type)
  Part of the Stable ABI.

  Invalidate the internal lookup cache for the type and all of its subtypes. This function must be called after any manual modification of the attributes or base classes of the type.

int PyType_HasFeature(PyTypeObject *o, int feature)

  Return non-zero if the type object o sets the feature feature. Type features are denoted by single bit flags.

int PyType_IS_GC(PyTypeObject *o)

  Return true if the type object includes support for the cycle detector; this tests the type flag `Py_TPFLAGS_HAVE_GC`.

int PyType_IsSubtype(PyTypeObject *a, PyTypeObject *b)
  Part of the Stable ABI.

  Return true if a is a subtype of b.

  This function only checks for actual subtypes, which means that `__subclasscheck__()` is not called on b. Call `PyObject_IsSubclass()` to do the same check that `issubclass()` would do.

PyObject *PyType_GenericAlloc(PyTypeObject *type, Py_ssize_t nitems)
  Return value: New reference. Part of the Stable ABI.

  Generic handler for the `tp_alloc` slot of a type object. Use Python’s default memory allocation mechanism to allocate a new instance and initialize all its contents to `NULL`.

PyObject *PyType_GenericNew(PyTypeObject *type, PyObject *args, PyObject *kwds)
  Return value: New reference. Part of the Stable ABI.

  Generic handler for the `tp_new` slot of a type object. Create a new instance using the type’s `tp_alloc` slot.

int PyType_Ready(PyTypeObject *type)
  Part of the Stable ABI.

  Finalize a type object. This should be called on all type objects to finish their initialization. This function is responsible for adding inherited slots from a type’s base class. Return `0` on success, or return `-1` and sets an exception on error.

  Note

  If some of the base classes implements the GC protocol and the provided type does not include the `Py_TPFLAGS_HAVE_GC` in its flags, then the GC protocol will be automatically implemented from its parents. On the contrary, if the type being created does include `Py_TPFLAGS_HAVE_GC` in its flags then it must implement the GC protocol itself by at least implementing the `tp_traverse` handle.

PyObject *PyType_GetName(PyTypeObject *type)
  Return value: New reference. Part of the Stable ABI since version 3.11.

  Return the type’s name. Equivalent to getting the type’s `__name__` attribute.

  New in version 3.11.

PyObject *PyType_GetQualName(PyTypeObject *type)
  Return value: New reference. Part of the Stable ABI since version 3.11.

  Return the type’s qualified name. Equivalent to getting the type’s `__qualname__` attribute.

  New in version 3.11.

void *PyType_GetSlot(PyTypeObject *type, int slot)
  Part of the Stable ABI since version 3.4.

  Return the function pointer stored in the given slot. If the result is `NULL`, this indicates that either the slot is `NULL`, or that the function was called with invalid parameters. Callers will typically cast the result pointer into the appropriate function type.

  See `PyType_Slot.slot` for possible values of the slot argument.

  New in version 3.4.

  Changed in version 3.10: `PyType_GetSlot()` can now accept all types. Previously, it was limited to heap types.

PyObject *PyType_GetModule(PyTypeObject *type)
  Part of the Stable ABI since version 3.10.

  Return the module object associated with the given type when the type was created using `PyType_FromModuleAndSpec()`.

  If no module is associated with the given type, sets `TypeError` and returns `NULL`.

  This function is usually used to get the module in which a method is defined. Note that in such a method, `PyType_GetModule(Py_TYPE(self))` may not return the intended result. `Py_TYPE(self)` may be a subclass of the intended class, and subclasses are not necessarily defined in the same module as their superclass. See `PyCMethod` to get the class that defines the method. See `PyType_GetModuleByDef()` for cases when `PyCMethod` cannot be used.

  New in version 3.9.

void *PyType_GetModuleState(PyTypeObject *type)
  Part of the Stable ABI since version 3.10.

  Return the state of the module object associated with the given type. This is a shortcut for calling `PyModule_GetState()` on the result of `PyType_GetModule()`.

  If no module is associated with the given type, sets `TypeError` and returns `NULL`.

  If the type has an associated module but its state is `NULL`, returns `NULL` without setting an exception.

  New in version 3.9.

PyObject *PyType_GetModuleByDef(PyTypeObject *type, struct PyModuleDef *def)

  Find the first superclass whose module was created from the given `PyModuleDef` def, and return that module.

  If no module is found, raises a `TypeError` and returns `NULL`.

  This function is intended to be used together with `PyModule_GetState()` to get module state from slot methods (such as `tp_init` or `nb_add`) and other places where a method’s defining class cannot be passed using the `PyCMethod` calling convention.

  New in version 3.11.

## Creating Heap-Allocated Types

The following functions and structs are used to create heap types.

PyObject *PyType_FromModuleAndSpec(PyObject *module, PyType_Spec *spec, PyObject *bases)
  Return value: New reference. Part of the Stable ABI since version 3.10.

  Creates and returns a heap type from the spec (`Py_TPFLAGS_HEAPTYPE`).

  The bases argument can be used to specify base classes; it can either be only one class or a tuple of classes. If bases is `NULL`, the Py_tp_bases slot is used instead. If that also is `NULL`, the Py_tp_base slot is used instead. If that also is `NULL`, the new type derives from `object`.

  The module argument can be used to record the module in which the new class is defined. It must be a module object or `NULL`. If not `NULL`, the module is associated with the new type and can later be retrieved with `PyType_GetModule()`. The associated module is not inherited by subclasses; it must be specified for each class individually.

  This function calls `PyType_Ready()` on the new type.

  New in version 3.9.

  Changed in version 3.10: The function now accepts a single class as the bases argument and `NULL` as the `tp_doc` slot.

PyObject *PyType_FromSpecWithBases(PyType_Spec *spec, PyObject *bases)
  Return value: New reference. Part of the Stable ABI since version 3.3.

  Equivalent to `PyType_FromModuleAndSpec(NULL, spec, bases)`.

  New in version 3.3.

PyObject *PyType_FromSpec(PyType_Spec *spec)
  Return value: New reference. Part of the Stable ABI.

  Equivalent to `PyType_FromSpecWithBases(spec, NULL)`.

type PyType_Spec
  Part of the Stable ABI (including all members).

  Structure defining a type’s behavior.

  const char *PyType_Spec.name

    Name of the type, used to set `PyTypeObject.tp_name`.

  int PyType_Spec.basicsize
  int PyType_Spec.itemsize

    Size of the instance in bytes, used to set `PyTypeObject.tp_basicsize` and `PyTypeObject.tp_itemsize`.

  int PyType_Spec.flags

    Type flags, used to set `PyTypeObject.tp_flags`.

    If the `Py_TPFLAGS_HEAPTYPE` flag is not set, `PyType_FromSpecWithBases()` sets it automatically.

  PyType_Slot *PyType_Spec.slots

    Array of `PyType_Slot` structures. Terminated by the special slot value `{0, NULL}`.

type PyType_Slot
  Part of the Stable ABI (including all members).

  Structure defining optional functionality of a type, containing a slot ID and a value pointer.

  int PyType_Slot.slot

    > A slot ID.

    > Slot IDs are named like the field names of the structures `PyTypeObject`, `PyNumberMethods`, `PySequenceMethods`, `PyMappingMethods` and `PyAsyncMethods` with an added `Py_` prefix. For example, use:

    > - `Py_tp_dealloc` to set `PyTypeObject.tp_dealloc`

    > - `Py_nb_add` to set `PyNumberMethods.nb_add`

    > - `Py_sq_length` to set `PySequenceMethods.sq_length`

    > The following fields cannot be set at all using `PyType_Spec` and `PyType_Slot`:

    > - `tp_dict`

    > - `tp_mro`

    > - `tp_cache`

    > - `tp_subclasses`

    > - `tp_weaklist`

    > - `tp_vectorcall`

    > - `tp_weaklistoffset` (see PyMemberDef)

    > - `tp_dictoffset` (see PyMemberDef)

    > - `tp_vectorcall_offset` (see PyMemberDef)

    > Setting `Py_tp_bases` or `Py_tp_base` may be problematic on some platforms. To avoid issues, use the bases argument of `PyType_FromSpecWithBases()` instead.

    Changed in version 3.9: Slots in `PyBufferProcs` may be set in the unlimited API.

    Changed in version 3.11: `bf_getbuffer` and `bf_releasebuffer` are now available under the limited API.

  void *PyType_Slot.pfunc

    The desired value of the slot. In most cases, this is a pointer to a function.

    Slots other than `Py_tp_doc` may not be `NULL`.