[Python-Dev] Counting references to Py_None (original) (raw)

Tim Peters tim.peters at gmail.com
Sun Mar 20 13:07:47 EDT 2016

[Facundo Batista <facundobatista at gmail.com>]

I'm seeing that our code increases the reference counting to PyNone, and I find this a little strange: isn't PyNone eternal and will never die?

Yes, but it's immortal in CPython because its reference count never falls to 0 (it's created with a reference count of 1 to begin with). That's the only thing that makes it immortal.

What's the point of counting its references?

Uniformity and simplicity: code using a PyObject* increments and decrements reference counts appropriately with no concern for what kind of object is being pointed at. All objects (including None) are treated exactly the same way for refcount purposes.

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