cpython/Doc/c-api/allocation.rst
Petr Viktorin ad0f618ab3
gh-129675: Update documentation for tp_basicsize & tp_itemsize (#129850)
* Update documentation for tp_basicsize & tp_itemsize

- Add alignment requirement
- Mention that ob_size is unreliable if you don't control it
- Add some links for context
- basicsize should include the base type in generaly not just PyObject

This adds a “by-the-way” link to `PyObject_New`, which shouldn't be
used for GC types. In order to be comfortable linking to it, I also
add a link to `PyObject_GC_New` from its docs. And the same for
`*Var` variants, while I'm here.

* Strongly suggest Py_SIZE & Py_SET_SIZE
2025-03-11 11:21:18 +01:00

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.. highlight:: c
.. _allocating-objects:
Allocating Objects on the Heap
==============================
.. c:function:: PyObject* _PyObject_New(PyTypeObject *type)
.. c:function:: PyVarObject* _PyObject_NewVar(PyTypeObject *type, Py_ssize_t size)
.. c:function:: PyObject* PyObject_Init(PyObject *op, PyTypeObject *type)
Initialize a newly allocated object *op* with its type and initial
reference. Returns the initialized object. Other fields of the object are
not affected.
.. c:function:: PyVarObject* PyObject_InitVar(PyVarObject *op, PyTypeObject *type, Py_ssize_t size)
This does everything :c:func:`PyObject_Init` does, and also initializes the
length information for a variable-size object.
.. c:macro:: PyObject_New(TYPE, typeobj)
Allocate a new Python object using the C structure type *TYPE*
and the Python type object *typeobj* (``PyTypeObject*``).
Fields not defined by the Python object header are not initialized.
The caller will own the only reference to the object
(i.e. its reference count will be one).
The size of the memory allocation is determined from the
:c:member:`~PyTypeObject.tp_basicsize` field of the type object.
Note that this function is unsuitable if *typeobj* has
:c:macro:`Py_TPFLAGS_HAVE_GC` set. For such objects,
use :c:func:`PyObject_GC_New` instead.
.. c:macro:: PyObject_NewVar(TYPE, typeobj, size)
Allocate a new Python object using the C structure type *TYPE* and the
Python type object *typeobj* (``PyTypeObject*``).
Fields not defined by the Python object header
are not initialized. The allocated memory allows for the *TYPE* structure
plus *size* (``Py_ssize_t``) fields of the size
given by the :c:member:`~PyTypeObject.tp_itemsize` field of
*typeobj*. This is useful for implementing objects like tuples, which are
able to determine their size at construction time. Embedding the array of
fields into the same allocation decreases the number of allocations,
improving the memory management efficiency.
Note that this function is unsuitable if *typeobj* has
:c:macro:`Py_TPFLAGS_HAVE_GC` set. For such objects,
use :c:func:`PyObject_GC_NewVar` instead.
.. c:function:: void PyObject_Del(void *op)
Same as :c:func:`PyObject_Free`.
.. c:var:: PyObject _Py_NoneStruct
Object which is visible in Python as ``None``. This should only be accessed
using the :c:macro:`Py_None` macro, which evaluates to a pointer to this
object.
.. seealso::
:c:func:`PyModule_Create`
To allocate and create extension modules.