[Python-Dev] A usability argument for list-after-def (original) (raw)

Delaney, Timothy C (Timothy) tdelaney at avaya.com
Fri Aug 6 00:58:53 CEST 2004

Aahz wrote:

I've been staying out of this because I thought my preference had no chance to make it in (i.e. I don't care between "no decorators" and "@ decorators"), but if it's getting some revival, I want to make clear that I think putting decorators after def, name, and parameter list but clearly with the function definition makes the most sense for readability -- in the simple cases. Who cares about the complex cases, because it's always going to be ugly?

+1

This has been my position all along. I understand the need for decorator syntax (and even defended pie-syntax on c.l.py for that reason) but I think that of all the alternatives, list after parameters, before colon is the best alternative presented.

def func (params) [decorators]:
    pass

To me this conveys the information I need clearly and in the order that I need it - name is most important, parameters second, and the "type" of function last.

The vast majority of functions are between 1 and 3 parameters. Similarly, I doubt there will be many functions with more than a couple of decorators.

Having everything on a single line in the majority of cases is IMO a big win - both for readability and understandability.

Tim Delaney

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