python / python/cpython

Documentation for os.exec* functions omits information about required argument

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Description

Documentation

All of the os.exec* functions (there are 8) require the path to the executable to be the first argument given to the executable, as well as specified in the path or file parameter of the exec method. The documentation of the exec* functions doesn't include any information about this requirement, however it can be found at the start of the Process management section of the documentation. I think it should be moved to the exec* function documentation.

Additionally I personally think that the discussion of the different variants of the function is a bit confusing and would be easier to understand if it was structured differently and a few headings were added.

I have some ideas about how to do this and intend to put together a pull request addressing the issues.

Linked PRs
  • gh-125565

Contributor guide

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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 with the os.exec* documentation at the linked library/os.html#os.execl section and compare it with the Process management section. Review linked PR gh-125565 before beginning; the work is done when the required executable-path argument is documented with the functions and the variant discussion is clearer.

Written by the indexing model from the issue text.

Assessment

Tech stack
python
Domain
documentation
Issue type
Documentation
Difficulty
2/5
Estimated time
1-3 hours
Activity status
Stale
Clarity
Mostly clear
Newbie friendliness
25/100

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