python / python/cpython

Add option for "pydoc -b" to open new browser window.

Open
#120,359 0 comments 0 reactions 0 assignees View on GitHub

Nobody has claimed this yet.

stdlib type-feature
Dominant language
Python
Stars
77.2k
Forks
35.9k
PR merge metrics
PR metrics pending

Description

Feature or enhancement

Proposal:

Currently when one does pydoc -b in the cmd.exe command window, it opens your default browser to browse the documentation locally. If my default browser is already open it adds a tab to that browser.

I'd like the option to browse documentation in a brand new browser window. It's not critical how it's implemented. -b:newwindow might be used to create a new window of the default browser or use whatever standards are already in place.

Has this already been discussed elsewhere?

This is a minor feature, which does not need previous discussion elsewhere

Links to previous discussion of this feature:

No response

Contributor guide

Open the contributing guide

First steps

  1. Read the whole issue, then the project's contributing guide.
  2. Comment on the issue to say you are picking it up — it saves two people doing the same work.
  3. Fork the repository and make your change on a branch.
  4. Open a pull request that references the issue number.

Research direction

Start at the pydoc -b command handling and trace how it opens the default browser from cmd.exe. Review the existing browser-launch behavior and any nearby tests, then define the option's expected behavior across supported browsers; done means the new option opens documentation in a new browser window without changing the current default behavior.

Written by the indexing model from the issue text.

Assessment

Tech stack
python
Domain
cli
Issue type
Feature
Difficulty
3/5
Estimated time
1-2 days
Activity status
Stale
Clarity
Mostly clear
Newbie friendliness
45/100

Get new issues in your inbox

A short digest of beginner-friendly GitHub issues.