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gh-89554: Document NoneType, NotImplementedType and EllipsisType as classes#150682

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gaborbernat:gh-89554-types-singleton-class-roles
Jun 2, 2026
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gh-89554: Document NoneType, NotImplementedType and EllipsisType as classes#150682
serhiy-storchaka merged 1 commit into
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gaborbernat:gh-89554-types-singleton-class-roles

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@gaborbernat gaborbernat commented May 31, 2026

types.NoneType, types.NotImplementedType, and types.EllipsisType are classes, but the documentation marks them with the .. data:: directive. This part of gh-89554 is worth a separate look: unlike the descriptor and function type objects, these three are sometimes referenced as :data:, as the type of a singleton value such as None.

This proposes switching them to .. class::, matching the other type objects in types.rst and the What's New in 3.10 entry that introduced them, which already describes them as "classes". It also updates the :data: references in Doc/library/constants.rst and Doc/whatsnew/3.10.rst to :class:.

I am happy to drop this if you would rather keep .. data:: for the singleton-value types. It is split out from the uncontroversial cases in #150676 so the decision can be made on its own.

Refs: gh-89554. Documentation-only change, so no Misc/NEWS entry (skip news).

cc @AA-Turner as the Lib/types.py maintainer.

@gaborbernat
pythongh-89554: Document NoneType, NotImplementedType and EllipsisTyp…
265d76d 
…e as classes

NoneType, NotImplementedType and EllipsisType are classes, but were
documented with the ".. data::" directive. Unlike the other type objects
in the types module they are sometimes referenced as the type of a
singleton value, so this is proposed separately from the uncontroversial
cases.

Switch the three entries to ".. class::", matching the other type objects
and the What's New in 3.10 note that introduced them as classes, and
update the ":data:" references in constants and the 3.10 What's New page.
@gaborbernat gaborbernat requested a review from AA-Turner as a code owner May 31, 2026 17:18
@bedevere-app bedevere-app Bot added docs Documentation in the Doc dir skip news labels May 31, 2026
@bedevere-app bedevere-app Bot mentioned this pull request May 31, 2026
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@github-project-automation github-project-automation Bot moved this to Todo in Docs PRs May 31, 2026
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read-the-docs-community Bot commented May 31, 2026

Documentation build overview

📚 cpython-previews | 🛠️ Build #32924507 | 📁 Comparing 265d76d against main (2f8f569)

  🔍 Preview build  

3 files changed
± library/constants.html
± library/types.html
± whatsnew/3.10.html

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picnixz commented May 31, 2026

Please,a void opening automated PRs in a bulk. I'm still not convinced by changing every occurrences mechanically.

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gaborbernat commented Jun 1, 2026

Backward-compatibility check. This is the contested subset. The ecosystem still skews class (NoneType 231:27, NotImplementedType 43:2, EllipsisType 113:8 for py:class:py:data), but these carry the most :data: usage in the family, since they are commonly referenced as the type of the None / Ellipsis / NotImplemented singletons. They break more references than the other type-object changes, which is why they are split out for a separate decision.

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picnixz commented Jun 1, 2026

For those IDK. In some sense with class, I believe autodoc will struggle less.

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serhiy-storchaka approved these changes Jun 2, 2026
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LGTM. 👍

@serhiy-storchaka serhiy-storchaka added needs backport to 3.13 bugs and security fixes needs backport to 3.14 bugs and security fixes needs backport to 3.15 pre-release feature fixes, bugs and security fixes labels Jun 2, 2026
@serhiy-storchaka serhiy-storchaka merged commit e40190e into python:main Jun 2, 2026
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@github-project-automation github-project-automation Bot moved this from Todo to Done in Docs PRs Jun 2, 2026
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miss-islington-app Bot commented Jun 2, 2026

Thanks @gaborbernat for the PR, and @serhiy-storchaka for merging it 🌮🎉.. I'm working now to backport this PR to: 3.13, 3.14, 3.15.
🐍🍒⛏🤖

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bedevere-app Bot commented Jun 2, 2026

GH-150755 is a backport of this pull request to the 3.15 branch.

@bedevere-app bedevere-app Bot removed the needs backport to 3.15 pre-release feature fixes, bugs and security fixes label Jun 2, 2026
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bedevere-app Bot commented Jun 2, 2026

GH-150756 is a backport of this pull request to the 3.14 branch.

@bedevere-app bedevere-app Bot removed the needs backport to 3.14 bugs and security fixes label Jun 2, 2026
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bedevere-app Bot commented Jun 2, 2026

GH-150757 is a backport of this pull request to the 3.13 branch.

@bedevere-app bedevere-app Bot removed the needs backport to 3.13 bugs and security fixes label Jun 2, 2026
serhiy-storchaka pushed a commit that referenced this pull request Jun 2, 2026
@miss-islington @gaborbernat
[3.13] gh-89554: Document NoneType, NotImplementedType and EllipsisTy…
c301ea0 
…pe as classes (GH-150682) (GH-150757)

Always use the directive and the role "class" instead of "data" for
NoneType, NotImplementedType and EllipsisType.
(cherry picked from commit e40190e)

Co-authored-by: Bernát Gábor <gaborjbernat@gmail.com>
serhiy-storchaka pushed a commit that referenced this pull request Jun 2, 2026
@miss-islington @gaborbernat
[3.14] gh-89554: Document NoneType, NotImplementedType and EllipsisTy…
7d66158 
…pe as classes (GH-150682) (GH-150756)

Always use the directive and the role "class" instead of "data" for
NoneType, NotImplementedType and EllipsisType.
(cherry picked from commit e40190e)

Co-authored-by: Bernát Gábor <gaborjbernat@gmail.com>
serhiy-storchaka pushed a commit that referenced this pull request Jun 2, 2026
@miss-islington @gaborbernat
[3.15] gh-89554: Document NoneType, NotImplementedType and EllipsisTy…
ef45089 
…pe as classes (GH-150682) (GH-150755)

Always use the directive and the role "class" instead of "data" for
NoneType, NotImplementedType and EllipsisType.
(cherry picked from commit e40190e)

Co-authored-by: Bernát Gábor <gaborjbernat@gmail.com>
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