python / python/cpython

Slow inspect.getmodule

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3.12 performance stdlib type-bug
Dominant language
Python
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Description

Bug report

inspect.getmodule is slow. It becomes slower as len(sys.modules) grows. It is slower with modules that don't resolve to valid file paths. This causes inspect.stack and others to be slow as well.

def run_test(module):
    # cols have stack depths
    # rows have len(sys.modules)

    def print_line(h, *vals):
        if not h:
            print("%5s" % h, *["%6i" % v for v in vals])
        else:
            print("%5s" % h, *["%6.1f" % v for v in vals])

    def add_modules(n):
        import random
        import sys
        for _ in range(n):
            sys.modules[f"foo_{random.randint(0,2**64)}"] = module

    def measure(depth):
        import inspect
        import timeit

        def nest(level):
            if level > 0:
                return nest(level-1)
            else:
                dur = timeit.timeit(lambda: inspect.stack(), number=1)
                return dur * 1000

        return nest(depth)

    import sys
    print_line("", *[2**e for e in range(7)])
    for i in range(1, 5):
        add_modules(n=10**i)
        times = [measure(depth=2**e) for e in range(7)]
        print_line(len(sys.modules), *times)

python 3.11.0a7+ optimized build ====

# sys has no __file__ and doesn't enter getmodule cache
>>> import sys
>>> run_test(sys)
           1      2      4      8     16     32     64
   87    2.1    0.8    1.0    1.3    2.0    3.3    6.1
  187    2.0    2.5    2.7    3.6    5.5    9.5   16.8
 1187   13.6   15.7   19.1   26.3   39.6   67.4  123.3
11187  134.1  150.3  183.4  252.0  383.5  750.3 1189.8
>>> exit()

>>> import random
>>> run_test(random)
           1      2      4      8     16     32     64
   87    2.1    0.7    0.9    1.2    1.7    2.9    5.6
  187    2.3    1.1    1.5    1.8    2.5    4.3    7.8
 1187   17.0    4.3    5.6    7.1   11.1   18.6   33.9
11187  164.6   37.4   45.7   61.6   94.7  161.0  297.7
>>> exit()

Tables show time in milliseconds for a single inspect.stack() call.
Rows show len(sys.modules)
Columns indicate stack depth

Your environment

  • CPython versions tested on: 3.9, 3.11.0a7+
  • Operating system and architecture: MacOS, Linux, x64
  • PR: gh-92042
  • PR: gh-154403
  • PR: gh-156685

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 by reading the implementations of inspect.getmodule and inspect.stack, then reproduce the supplied benchmark with increasing sys.modules sizes and stack depths. Review the referenced PRs gh-92042, gh-154403, and gh-156685 before making changes; done means the reported scaling problem is addressed and the benchmark or relevant tests show the improvement.

Written by the indexing model from the issue text.

Assessment

Tech stack
python
Domain
tooling
Issue type
Bug
Difficulty
4/5
Estimated time
3-5 days
Activity status
Stale
Clarity
Needs clarification
Newbie friendliness
20/100

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