[Python-Dev] PEP 411: Provisional packages in the Python standard library (original) (raw)

Terry Reedy tjreedy at udel.edu
Fri Feb 10 22:56:37 CET 2012

On 2/10/2012 9:06 AM, Eli Bendersky wrote:

Whenever the Python core development team decides that a new package should be included into the standard library, but isn't entirely sure about whether the package's API is optimal, the package can be included and marked as "provisional".

In the next minor release, the package may either be "graduated" into a normal "stable" state in the standard library, or be rejected and removed entirely from the Python source tree.

This could be interpreted as limiting provisional status to one release cycle. I suggest that you add 'or continued as provisional'. In particular, if the api is changed, another provisional period might be advisable.

The package has been included in the standard library on a provisional basis. While major changes are not anticipated, as long as this notice remains in place, backwards incompatible changes are permitted if deemed necessary by the standard library developers. Such

'as long as' implies no particular limit.

-- Terry Jan Reedy

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