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__base__ undocumented #66646

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__base__ undocumented#66646
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3.15bugs and security fixesdocsDocumentation in the Doc dirtriagedThe issue has been accepted as valid by a triager.type-featureA feature request or enhancement

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@Arfrever
Arfrever
mannequin
opened on Sep 21, 2014
BPO 22456
Nosy @gvanrossum, @rhettinger
Files
  • function-documentation.patch: Patch containing documentation of base
    		•

    Note: these values reflect the state of the issue at the time it was migrated and might not reflect the current state.

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    GitHub fields:

    assignee = None
closed_at = None
created_at = <Date 2014-09-21.22:54:27.151>
labels = ['easy', 'type-feature', 'docs']
title = '__base__ undocumented'
updated_at = <Date 2014-09-30.12:59:10.672>
user = 'https://bugs.python.org/Arfrever'

    bugs.python.org fields:

    activity = <Date 2014-09-30.12:59:10.672>
actor = 'anupama.srinivas.murthy'
assignee = 'docs@python'
closed = False
closed_date = None
closer = None
components = ['Documentation']
creation = <Date 2014-09-21.22:54:27.151>
creator = 'Arfrever'
dependencies = []
files = ['36760']
hgrepos = []
issue_num = 22456
keywords = ['patch', 'easy']
message_count = 5.0
messages = ['227241', '227242', '227243', '227245', '227903']
nosy_count = 5.0
nosy_names = ['gvanrossum', 'rhettinger', 'Arfrever', 'docs@python', 'anupama.srinivas.murthy']
pr_nums = []
priority = 'normal'
resolution = None
stage = None
status = 'open'
superseder = None
type = 'enhancement'
url = 'https://bugs.python.org/issue22456'
versions = ['Python 2.7', 'Python 3.4', 'Python 3.5']

    Linked PRs

    Activity

    1. Arfrever commented on Sep 21, 2014

      @Arfrever
      Arfrevermannequin
      on Sep 21, 2014
      MannequinAuthor

      __bases__ is documented, but __base__ is not.

      $ grep -r __base__ Doc
$ grep -r __bases__ Doc
Doc/c-api/object.rst:are different objects, *B*'s :attr:`~class.__bases__` attribute is searched in
Doc/c-api/object.rst:a depth-first fashion for *A* --- the presence of the :attr:`~class.__bases__`
Doc/extending/newtypes.rst:   in its :attr:`~class.__bases__`, or else it will not be able to call your type's
Doc/library/email.headerregistry.rst:    class's ``__bases__`` list.
Doc/library/functions.rst:   tuple itemizes the base classes and becomes the :attr:`~class.__bases__`
Doc/library/stdtypes.rst:.. attribute:: class.__bases__
Doc/reference/datamodel.rst:      single: __bases__ (class attribute)
Doc/reference/datamodel.rst:   dictionary containing the class's namespace; :attr:`~class.__bases__` is a
Doc/whatsnew/2.3.rst:  removed: you can now assign to the :attr:`__name__` and :attr:`__bases__`
Doc/whatsnew/2.3.rst:  assigned to :attr:`__bases__` along the lines of those relating to assigning to
    2. Arfrever
      assigned
      docspython
      on Sep 21, 2014
    3. Arfrever
      added
      docsDocumentation in the Doc dir
      easy
      type-featureA feature request or enhancement
      on Sep 21, 2014

    4. rhettinger commented on Sep 21, 2014

      @rhettinger
      rhettinger
      on Sep 21, 2014
      Contributor

      I think that __base__ was intended to be a non-guaranteed implementation detail for new-style classes just like __dictoffset__ and __flags__ .

    5. gvanrossum commented on Sep 22, 2014

      @gvanrossum
      gvanrossum
      on Sep 22, 2014
      Member

      Raymond is correct. __base__ is closely tied to the C implementation. I think it might be worth a mention, but with an explicit note that it is CPython-specific. It is sometimes useful, e.g. when wondering why a certain case of multiple inheritance is rejected.

    6. Arfrever commented on Sep 22, 2014

      @Arfrever
      Arfrevermannequin
      on Sep 22, 2014
      MannequinAuthor

      __base__ exists also in Jython and PyPy.

    7. anupamasrinivasmurthy commented on Sep 30, 2014

      @anupamasrinivasmurthy
      anupamasrinivasmurthymannequin
      on Sep 30, 2014
      Mannequin

      I have documented the function in object.rst file. I do not know the use of the function and have not mentioned that. My documentation is based on what I understood from the comments below and the explanation here:
      http://code.activestate.com/lists/python-list/334282/

    8. ezio-melotti
      transferred this issue fromon Apr 10, 2022

    9. furkanonder commented on Mar 9, 2023

      @furkanonder
      furkanonder
      on Mar 9, 2023
      Contributor

      __bases__ is an undocumented feature. I believe it is worth mentioning in the object.rst , stdtypes.rst and datamodel.rst documents.

    10. merwok commented on Mar 9, 2023

      @merwok
      merwok
      on Mar 9, 2023
      Member

      It’s an undocumented implementation detail, not a language feature.

    11. arhadthedev
      added
      pendingThe issue will be closed if no feedback is provided
      on Apr 1, 2023
    12. arhadthedev
      closed this as not plannedon May 11, 2023

    13. furkanonder commented on May 11, 2023

      @furkanonder
      furkanonder
      on May 11, 2023
      Contributor

      @arhadthedev Why did you close the issue? PR was opened for this issue and it was being considered.

    14. 3 remaining items

    15. terryjreedy
      removed
      pendingThe issue will be closed if no feedback is provided
      on Dec 13, 2023
    16. erlend-aasland
      removed
      easy
      on Jan 17, 2024
    17. furkanonder
      added
      triagedThe issue has been accepted as valid by a triager.
      3.15bugs and security fixes
      on Aug 19, 2025
    18. github-project-automation
      added this to docs issueson Aug 19, 2025
    19. github-project-automation
      moved this to Todo in docs issueson Aug 19, 2025

    20. merwok commented on Sep 18, 2025

      @merwok
      merwok
      on Sep 18, 2025 · Hidden as resolved
    21. encukou
      added a commit that references this issue on Oct 20, 2025

      gh-66646: Explain __base__ attribute in the docs (GH-102554)

      faa169a
    22. miss-islington
      added 2 commits that reference this issue on Oct 20, 2025

      pythongh-66646: Explain __base__ attribute in the docs (pythonGH-102554)

      5317a9e

      pythongh-66646: Explain __base__ attribute in the docs (pythonGH-102554)

      35763a5
    23. encukou
      added 2 commits that reference this issue on Oct 21, 2025

      [3.14] gh-66646: Explain __base__ attribute in the docs (GH-102554) (G…

      4215f7f

      [3.13] gh-66646: Explain __base__ attribute in the docs (GH-102554) (G…

      677a488
    24. encukou
      closed this as completedon Oct 21, 2025
    25. furkanonder
      moved this from Todo to Done in docs issueson Oct 22, 2025
    26. StanFromIreland
      added a commit that references this issue on Dec 6, 2025

      pythongh-66646: Explain __base__ attribute in the docs (pythonGH-102554)

      884562c
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