[Python-Dev] proto-pep: plugin proposal (for unittest) (original) (raw)

Marty Alchin marty at martyalchin.com
Fri Jul 30 16:41:29 CEST 2010

This is my first post to python-dev, so for those who might not know me, I'm the author of Pro Django and more recently, Pro Python.

I haven't looked at the plugin landscape in a while, but I was very disappointed the last time I looked at how complex typical systems were in this regard. There seems to be entirely too much time spend worrying about type checking, interface requirements and the like. Python is based on simple ideas providing simple solutions, and I would argue that duck typing is a perfectly acceptable route to take.

I'd suggest that any plugin system proposal start off simple and work up as needs arise, rather than trying to cover as many bases as possible at the outset. I know it doesn't cover all the bases yet (particularly with regard to discoverability), so I'm not throwing it in as a proper suggestion, but I'll point out that I wrote up a dead-simple plugin system a while back[1] that may provide a useful starting point for discussion.

I haven't read the existing proposals yet, but I just wanted to breathe a word of caution into this before it gets too far into interfaces and whatnot. I'll be glad to help with any discussion that takes place on this, though. It'll be a good way to ease into the mailing list, since it's an area where I've already spent a good deal of thought.

-Marty

[1] http://martyalchin.com/2008/jan/10/simple-plugin-framework/

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