HPyGlobal

void HPyGlobal_Store(HPyContext *ctx, HPyGlobal *global, HPy h)
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HPyGlobal is an alternative to module state. HPyGlobal must be a statically allocated C global variable registered in HPyModuleDef.globals array. A HPyGlobal can be used only after the HPy module where it is registered was created using HPyModule_Create.

HPyGlobal serves as an identifier of a Python object that should be globally available per one Python interpreter. Python objects referenced by HPyGlobals are destroyed automatically on the interpreter exit (not necessarily the process exit).

HPyGlobal instance does not allow anything else but loading and storing a HPy handle using a HPyContext. Even if the HPyGlobal C variable may be shared between threads or different interpreter instances within one process, the API to load and store a handle from HPyGlobal is thread-safe (but like any other HPy API must not be called in HPy_LeavePythonExecution blocks).

Given that a handle to object X1 is stored to HPyGlobal using HPyContext of Python interpreter I1, then loading a handle from the same HPyGlobal using HPyContext of Python interpreter I1 should give a handle to the same object X1. Another Python interpreter I2 running within the same process and using the same HPyGlobal variable will not be able to load X1 from it, it will have its own view on what is stored in the given HPyGlobal.

Python interpreters may use indirection to isolate different interpreter instances, but alternative techniques such as copy-on-write or immortal objects can be used to avoid that indirection (even selectively on per object basis using tagged pointers).

CPython HPy implementation may even provide configuration option that switches between a faster version that directly stores PyObject* to HPyGlobal but does not support subinterpreters, or a version that supports subinterpreters. For now, CPython HPy always stores PyObject* directly to HPyGlobal.

While the standard implementation does not fully enforce the documented contract, the HPy debug mode will enforce it (not implemented yet).

Implementation notes: All Python interpreters running in one process must be compatible, because they will share all HPyGlobal C level variables. The internal data stored in HPyGlobal are specific for each HPy implementation, each implementation is also responsible for handling thread-safety when initializing the internal data in HPyModule_Create. Note that HPyModule_Create may be called concurrently depending on the semantics of the Python implementation (GIL vs no GIL) and also depending on the whether there may be multiple instances of given Python interpreter running within the same process. In the future, HPy ABI may include a contract that internal data of each HPyGlobal must be initialized to its address using atomic write and HPy implementations will not be free to choose what to store in HPyGlobal, however, this will allow multiple different HPy implementations within one process. This contract may also be activated only by some runtime option, letting the HPy implementation use more optimized HPyGlobal implementation otherwise.

HPy HPyGlobal_Load(HPyContext *ctx, HPyGlobal global)
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