gh-89554: Document socket.SocketType as a class by gaborbernat · Pull Request #150683 · python/cpython · GitHub

socket.SocketType is a class, but the documentation marks it with the .. data:: directive, so :class: cross-references to it cannot resolve against a py:class target.

This switches the entry to .. class::. It also corrects the description: SocketType is re-exported from _socket as an alias of _socket.socket, the base class of socket.socket, so isinstance(socket(...), SocketType) is true while type(socket(...)) is socket.socket itself. The current wording, "the same as type(socket(...))", is the misleading text reported in gh-88427.

This overlaps with #93288, which corrects the same sentence but keeps .. data::. This PR combines that wording fix with the role fix.

Refs: gh-89554, gh-88427. Documentation-only change, so no Misc/NEWS entry (skip news).

This file is not covered by CODEOWNERS, so cc @vstinner, who reviews most socket changes.

For context, I am aware of gh-88427 (the SocketType documentation being called misleading) and the open deprecation proposal in #126272. This change is limited to the directive role: it switches .. data:: to .. class:: so existing :class: cross-references resolve, and leaves the deprecation question untouched. While SocketType remains public it should carry the correct role; if it is deprecated later, this can be revisited.

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📚 cpython-previews | 🛠️ Build #33011804 | 📁 Comparing 9039fd2 against main (2f8f569)

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83 files changed · + 1 added · ± 82 modified

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howto/abi3t-migration.html

± Modified

Amended: this now also corrects the misleading description (SocketType is the base class of socket.socket, not type(socket(...))), addressing gh-88427. That overlaps with #93288, which fixes the wording alone; this combines it with the role change.

Backward-compatibility check. No independent :data: references were found, and SocketType is already proposed for deprecation (gh-88427). Minimal breakage.

socket.SocketType is a class (re-exported from _socket as an alias of _socket.socket, the base class of socket.socket), but was documented with the ".. data::" directive, so ":class:" cross-references to it cannot resolve against a py:class target. Switch the entry to ".. class::", correct the misleading description (SocketType is the base class of the socket type, not "type(socket(...))" which is socket.socket; addresses pythongh-88427), move it into the Socket Objects section, and document the socket object methods and attributes nested under the socket class, dropping the redundant "socket." prefix.

Ah thank you! The rendered documentation is much better like that!

There is now a bunch of warnings on the documentation, such as: "c:func reference target not found: connect [ref.func]". I suggested fixes.

Suppress C-domain cross-references that have no target by using the non-link form (``:c:func:`!connect```, ``!setsockopt``, ``!SCM_RIGHTS``) and mark the absent ``read``/``write`` methods as non-links, as suggested in review. The underlying ``close`` call refers to the C library function, so use ``:c:func:`!close``` rather than a Python method role.

Drop the Socket Objects restructure and the second `.. class:: socket` that required `:noindex:`. Keep only the change of `SocketType` from `.. data::` to `.. class::`, in its original place after the `socket` class, with a corrected description: SocketType is the base class of socket re-exported from _socket, not `type(socket(...))`.

…et methods" This reverts commit c08bf8c.

Per review, document SocketType after the socket class rather than before it.

LGTM.

Thanks @gaborbernat for the PR, and @vstinner for merging it 🌮🎉.. I'm working now to backport this PR to: 3.15.
🐍🍒⛏🤖

GH-151244 is a backport of this pull request to the 3.15 branch.

Thanks @gaborbernat for the PR, and @vstinner for merging it 🌮🎉.. I'm working now to backport this PR to: 3.13.
🐍🍒⛏🤖

Thanks @gaborbernat for the PR, and @vstinner for merging it 🌮🎉.. I'm working now to backport this PR to: 3.14.
🐍🍒⛏🤖

Sorry, @gaborbernat and @vstinner, I could not cleanly backport this to 3.13 due to a conflict.
Please backport using cherry_picker on command line.

cherry_picker a621e8ad811e7d51d69b0969a2bd07888a02db1e 3.13

Sorry, @gaborbernat and @vstinner, I could not cleanly backport this to 3.14 due to a conflict.
Please backport using cherry_picker on command line.

cherry_picker a621e8ad811e7d51d69b0969a2bd07888a02db1e 3.14

GH-151245 is a backport of this pull request to the 3.14 branch.

Merged. Thanks for your contribution.

…151244) gh-89554: Document socket.SocketType as a class (GH-150683) socket.SocketType is a class (re-exported from _socket as an alias of _socket.socket, the base class of socket.socket), but was documented with the ".. data::" directive, so ":class:" cross-references to it cannot resolve against a py:class target. Switch the entry to ".. class::", correct the misleading description (SocketType is the base class of the socket type, not "type(socket(...))" which is socket.socket; addresses gh-88427), move it into the Socket Objects section, and document the socket object methods and attributes nested under the socket class, dropping the redundant "socket." prefix. (cherry picked from commit a621e8a) Co-authored-by: Bernát Gábor <gaborjbernat@gmail.com>

…1245) gh-89554: Document socket.SocketType as a class (#150683) socket.SocketType is a class (re-exported from _socket as an alias of _socket.socket, the base class of socket.socket), but was documented with the ".. data::" directive, so ":class:" cross-references to it cannot resolve against a py:class target. Switch the entry to ".. class::", correct the misleading description (SocketType is the base class of the socket type, not "type(socket(...))" which is socket.socket; addresses gh-88427), move it into the Socket Objects section, and document the socket object methods and attributes nested under the socket class, dropping the redundant "socket." prefix. (cherry picked from commit a621e8a) Co-authored-by: Bernát Gábor <gaborjbernat@gmail.com>

#151245) (#151254) [3.14] gh-89554: Document socket.SocketType as a class (#150683) (#151245) gh-89554: Document socket.SocketType as a class (#150683) socket.SocketType is a class (re-exported from _socket as an alias of _socket.socket, the base class of socket.socket), but was documented with the ".. data::" directive, so ":class:" cross-references to it cannot resolve against a py:class target. Switch the entry to ".. class::", correct the misleading description (SocketType is the base class of the socket type, not "type(socket(...))" which is socket.socket; addresses gh-88427), move it into the Socket Objects section, and document the socket object methods and attributes nested under the socket class, dropping the redundant "socket." prefix. Backport to 3.13: Replace ":platform: Windows" with ".. availability:: Windows" in ioctl() method. (cherry picked from commit a621e8a) (cherry picked from commit 4ef6a37) Co-authored-by: Bernát Gábor <gaborjbernat@gmail.com>

socket.SocketType is a class (re-exported from _socket as an alias of _socket.socket, the base class of socket.socket), but was documented with the ".. data::" directive, so ":class:" cross-references to it cannot resolve against a py:class target. Switch the entry to ".. class::", correct the misleading description (SocketType is the base class of the socket type, not "type(socket(...))" which is socket.socket; addresses pythongh-88427), move it into the Socket Objects section, and document the socket object methods and attributes nested under the socket class, dropping the redundant "socket." prefix.

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Intersphinx inventory classifies some type-like objects as data #89554

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gh-89554: Document socket, thread and expat type objects as classes #150681

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gaborbernat requested a review from vstinner June 4, 2026 13:38

gaborbernat added 2 commits June 4, 2026 06:43

Revert "Document SocketType as a class without restructuring the sock…

a6103c4

…et methods" This reverts commit c08bf8c.

Move SocketType after the socket class

9e719a9

Per review, document SocketType after the socket class rather than before it.

gaborbernat requested a review from vstinner June 5, 2026 17:44

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vstinner merged commit a621e8a into python:main Jun 10, 2026
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[3.13][3.14] gh-89554: Document socket.SocketType as a class (#150683) (#151245) #151254

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This was referenced Sep 6, 2026

[doc] SocketType changed in Python 3 #71566

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gh-71566: Fix SocketType introduction in the socket documentation. #93288

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gaborbernat deleted the gh-89554-socket-class-roles branch October 3, 2026 15:12

gh-89554: Document socket.SocketType as a class by gaborbernat · Pull Request #150683 · python/cpython · GitHub

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gh-89554: Document socket.SocketType as a class#150683vstinner merged 7 commits intopython:mainpython/cpython:mainfrom gaborbernat:gh-89554-socket-class-rolesgaborbernat/cpython:gh-89554-socket-class-rolesCopy head branch name to clipboard

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gh-89554: Document socket.SocketType as a class#150683
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