New submission from Dominik V. <dominik.vilsmeier1...@gmail.com>:
The documentation of locals() mentions that: > Free variables are returned by locals() when it is called in function blocks > [...] The term "free variable" is defined in the documentation about the execution model (https://docs.python.org/3/reference/executionmodel.html#binding-of-names): > If a variable is used in a code block but not defined there, it is a free > variable. That definition includes global variables (and builtin ones), but these are not returned by locals(). For example compare the following: ``` x = 1 def foo(): # global x x = 1 def bar(): print(locals()) y = x bar() foo() ``` If the `global x` is commented then it prints {'x': 1}, and if it is uncommented it prints {}. The same holds for names of builtins. So the documentation of locals() could mention this in the following way (emphasis added): > Free variables *of enclosing functions* are returned by locals() when it is > called in function blocks [...] ----- There is also a StackOverflow question, that describes this confusion: https://stackoverflow.com/questions/12919278/how-to-define-free-variable-in-python By the way, would it be helpful to add the term "free variable" to the glossary (https://docs.python.org/3/glossary.html)? ---------- assignee: docs@python components: Documentation messages: 382721 nosy: Dominik V., docs@python priority: normal severity: normal status: open title: Improve documentation of locals() w.r.t. "free variables" vs. global variables type: enhancement versions: Python 3.10 _______________________________________ Python tracker <rep...@bugs.python.org> <https://bugs.python.org/issue42597> _______________________________________ _______________________________________________ Python-bugs-list mailing list Unsubscribe: https://mail.python.org/mailman/options/python-bugs-list/archive%40mail-archive.com
