python / python/cpython

Modernize Code In IDLELib Editor Backspace

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#136,556 9 comments 0 reactions 0 assignees View on GitHub

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

Description

(and potentially deprecate handling of tabs in IDLE, though likely separate issue)

In https://github.com/python/cpython/issues/136061, https://github.com/python/cpython/blob/561212a03306cb2f246771e9c4748bec1dc41405/Lib/idlelib/editor.py#L1365-L1385 is mentioned as an area of code with quadratic complexity, which may lead to performance issues; though this is unlikely to be of large impact in practice because attackers with the ability to get a huge file loaded and/or modify configuration files to change the tab width can do much worse things than getting IDLE to hang on hitting backspace.

However, the complexity there comes from a loop which handles situations (files with tabs) that either cannot or should not occur; in the current default IDLE, you can't put tabs, and a space after a tab should just be deleted in a file coming from elsewhere as in indicated in https://github.com/python/cpython/pull/134874#issuecomment-3014981765. Therefore, simplifying the function specification and/or deprecating IDLE to handle tabs (which we should do) will allow elimination of this piece of obsolete code, as indicated in https://github.com/python/cpython/issues/136061#issuecomment-3016093746.

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

Read Lib/idlelib/editor.py lines 1365-1385 first, then review issue 136061 and the linked discussion in PR 134874. Clarify whether this issue covers simplifying backspace handling, deprecating tab handling, or both; it is done when the agreed scope is implemented and the obsolete behavior is addressed.

Written by the indexing model from the issue text.

Assessment

Tech stack
python
Domain
desktop, tooling
Issue type
Refactor
Difficulty
4/5
Estimated time
3-5 days
Activity status
Stale
Clarity
Needs clarification
Newbie friendliness
35/100

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