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<section id="reference-counting">
<span id="countingrefs"></span><h1>Reference Counting<a class="headerlink" href="#reference-counting" title="Permalink to this headline">¶</a></h1>
<p>The macros in this section are used for managing reference counts of Python
objects.</p>
<dl class="c function">
<dt class="sig sig-object c" id="c.Py_INCREF">
<span class="kt"><span class="pre">void</span></span><span class="w"> </span><span class="sig-name descname"><span class="n"><span class="pre">Py_INCREF</span></span></span><span class="sig-paren">(</span><a class="reference internal" href="structures.html#c.PyObject" title="PyObject"><span class="n"><span class="pre">PyObject</span></span></a><span class="w"> </span><span class="p"><span class="pre">*</span></span><span class="n"><span class="pre">o</span></span><span class="sig-paren">)</span><a class="headerlink" href="#c.Py_INCREF" title="Permalink to this definition">¶</a><br /></dt>
<dd><p>Indicate taking a new <a class="reference internal" href="../glossary.html#term-strong-reference"><span class="xref std std-term">strong reference</span></a> to object <em>o</em>,
indicating it is in use and should not be destroyed.</p>
<p>This function is usually used to convert a <a class="reference internal" href="../glossary.html#term-borrowed-reference"><span class="xref std std-term">borrowed reference</span></a> to a
<a class="reference internal" href="../glossary.html#term-strong-reference"><span class="xref std std-term">strong reference</span></a> in-place. The <a class="reference internal" href="#c.Py_NewRef" title="Py_NewRef"><code class="xref c c-func docutils literal notranslate"><span class="pre">Py_NewRef()</span></code></a> function can be
used to create a new <a class="reference internal" href="../glossary.html#term-strong-reference"><span class="xref std std-term">strong reference</span></a>.</p>
<p>When done using the object, release it by calling <a class="reference internal" href="#c.Py_DECREF" title="Py_DECREF"><code class="xref c c-func docutils literal notranslate"><span class="pre">Py_DECREF()</span></code></a>.</p>
<p>The object must not be <code class="docutils literal notranslate"><span class="pre">NULL</span></code>; if you aren’t sure that it isn’t
<code class="docutils literal notranslate"><span class="pre">NULL</span></code>, use <a class="reference internal" href="#c.Py_XINCREF" title="Py_XINCREF"><code class="xref c c-func docutils literal notranslate"><span class="pre">Py_XINCREF()</span></code></a>.</p>
<p>Do not expect this function to actually modify <em>o</em> in any way.</p>
</dd></dl>
<dl class="c function">
<dt class="sig sig-object c" id="c.Py_XINCREF">
<span class="kt"><span class="pre">void</span></span><span class="w"> </span><span class="sig-name descname"><span class="n"><span class="pre">Py_XINCREF</span></span></span><span class="sig-paren">(</span><a class="reference internal" href="structures.html#c.PyObject" title="PyObject"><span class="n"><span class="pre">PyObject</span></span></a><span class="w"> </span><span class="p"><span class="pre">*</span></span><span class="n"><span class="pre">o</span></span><span class="sig-paren">)</span><a class="headerlink" href="#c.Py_XINCREF" title="Permalink to this definition">¶</a><br /></dt>
<dd><p>Similar to <a class="reference internal" href="#c.Py_INCREF" title="Py_INCREF"><code class="xref c c-func docutils literal notranslate"><span class="pre">Py_INCREF()</span></code></a>, but the object <em>o</em> can be <code class="docutils literal notranslate"><span class="pre">NULL</span></code>,
in which case this has no effect.</p>
<p>See also <a class="reference internal" href="#c.Py_XNewRef" title="Py_XNewRef"><code class="xref c c-func docutils literal notranslate"><span class="pre">Py_XNewRef()</span></code></a>.</p>
</dd></dl>
<dl class="c function">
<dt class="sig sig-object c" id="c.Py_NewRef">
<a class="reference internal" href="structures.html#c.PyObject" title="PyObject"><span class="n"><span class="pre">PyObject</span></span></a><span class="w"> </span><span class="p"><span class="pre">*</span></span><span class="sig-name descname"><span class="n"><span class="pre">Py_NewRef</span></span></span><span class="sig-paren">(</span><a class="reference internal" href="structures.html#c.PyObject" title="PyObject"><span class="n"><span class="pre">PyObject</span></span></a><span class="w"> </span><span class="p"><span class="pre">*</span></span><span class="n"><span class="pre">o</span></span><span class="sig-paren">)</span><a class="headerlink" href="#c.Py_NewRef" title="Permalink to this definition">¶</a><br /></dt>
<dd><em class="stableabi"> Part of the <a class="reference internal" href="stable.html#stable"><span class="std std-ref">Stable ABI</span></a> since version 3.10.</em><p>Create a new <a class="reference internal" href="../glossary.html#term-strong-reference"><span class="xref std std-term">strong reference</span></a> to an object:
call <a class="reference internal" href="#c.Py_INCREF" title="Py_INCREF"><code class="xref c c-func docutils literal notranslate"><span class="pre">Py_INCREF()</span></code></a> on <em>o</em> and return the object <em>o</em>.</p>
<p>When the <a class="reference internal" href="../glossary.html#term-strong-reference"><span class="xref std std-term">strong reference</span></a> is no longer needed, <a class="reference internal" href="#c.Py_DECREF" title="Py_DECREF"><code class="xref c c-func docutils literal notranslate"><span class="pre">Py_DECREF()</span></code></a>
should be called on it to release the reference.</p>
<p>The object <em>o</em> must not be <code class="docutils literal notranslate"><span class="pre">NULL</span></code>; use <a class="reference internal" href="#c.Py_XNewRef" title="Py_XNewRef"><code class="xref c c-func docutils literal notranslate"><span class="pre">Py_XNewRef()</span></code></a> if <em>o</em> can be
<code class="docutils literal notranslate"><span class="pre">NULL</span></code>.</p>
<p>For example:</p>
<div class="highlight-c notranslate"><div class="highlight"><pre><span></span><span class="n">Py_INCREF</span><span class="p">(</span><span class="n">obj</span><span class="p">);</span>
<span class="n">self</span><span class="o">-></span><span class="n">attr</span><span class="w"> </span><span class="o">=</span><span class="w"> </span><span class="n">obj</span><span class="p">;</span>
</pre></div>
</div>
<p>can be written as:</p>
<div class="highlight-c notranslate"><div class="highlight"><pre><span></span><span class="n">self</span><span class="o">-></span><span class="n">attr</span><span class="w"> </span><span class="o">=</span><span class="w"> </span><span class="n">Py_NewRef</span><span class="p">(</span><span class="n">obj</span><span class="p">);</span>
</pre></div>
</div>
<p>See also <a class="reference internal" href="#c.Py_INCREF" title="Py_INCREF"><code class="xref c c-func docutils literal notranslate"><span class="pre">Py_INCREF()</span></code></a>.</p>
<div class="versionadded">
<p><span class="versionmodified added">New in version 3.10.</span></p>
</div>
</dd></dl>
<dl class="c function">
<dt class="sig sig-object c" id="c.Py_XNewRef">
<a class="reference internal" href="structures.html#c.PyObject" title="PyObject"><span class="n"><span class="pre">PyObject</span></span></a><span class="w"> </span><span class="p"><span class="pre">*</span></span><span class="sig-name descname"><span class="n"><span class="pre">Py_XNewRef</span></span></span><span class="sig-paren">(</span><a class="reference internal" href="structures.html#c.PyObject" title="PyObject"><span class="n"><span class="pre">PyObject</span></span></a><span class="w"> </span><span class="p"><span class="pre">*</span></span><span class="n"><span class="pre">o</span></span><span class="sig-paren">)</span><a class="headerlink" href="#c.Py_XNewRef" title="Permalink to this definition">¶</a><br /></dt>
<dd><em class="stableabi"> Part of the <a class="reference internal" href="stable.html#stable"><span class="std std-ref">Stable ABI</span></a> since version 3.10.</em><p>Similar to <a class="reference internal" href="#c.Py_NewRef" title="Py_NewRef"><code class="xref c c-func docutils literal notranslate"><span class="pre">Py_NewRef()</span></code></a>, but the object <em>o</em> can be NULL.</p>
<p>If the object <em>o</em> is <code class="docutils literal notranslate"><span class="pre">NULL</span></code>, the function just returns <code class="docutils literal notranslate"><span class="pre">NULL</span></code>.</p>
<div class="versionadded">
<p><span class="versionmodified added">New in version 3.10.</span></p>
</div>
</dd></dl>
<dl class="c function">
<dt class="sig sig-object c" id="c.Py_DECREF">
<span class="kt"><span class="pre">void</span></span><span class="w"> </span><span class="sig-name descname"><span class="n"><span class="pre">Py_DECREF</span></span></span><span class="sig-paren">(</span><a class="reference internal" href="structures.html#c.PyObject" title="PyObject"><span class="n"><span class="pre">PyObject</span></span></a><span class="w"> </span><span class="p"><span class="pre">*</span></span><span class="n"><span class="pre">o</span></span><span class="sig-paren">)</span><a class="headerlink" href="#c.Py_DECREF" title="Permalink to this definition">¶</a><br /></dt>
<dd><p>Release a <a class="reference internal" href="../glossary.html#term-strong-reference"><span class="xref std std-term">strong reference</span></a> to object <em>o</em>, indicating the
reference is no longer used.</p>
<p>Once the last <a class="reference internal" href="../glossary.html#term-strong-reference"><span class="xref std std-term">strong reference</span></a> is released
(i.e. the object’s reference count reaches 0),
the object’s type’s deallocation
function (which must not be <code class="docutils literal notranslate"><span class="pre">NULL</span></code>) is invoked.</p>
<p>This function is usually used to delete a <a class="reference internal" href="../glossary.html#term-strong-reference"><span class="xref std std-term">strong reference</span></a> before
exiting its scope.</p>
<p>The object must not be <code class="docutils literal notranslate"><span class="pre">NULL</span></code>; if you aren’t sure that it isn’t <code class="docutils literal notranslate"><span class="pre">NULL</span></code>,
use <a class="reference internal" href="#c.Py_XDECREF" title="Py_XDECREF"><code class="xref c c-func docutils literal notranslate"><span class="pre">Py_XDECREF()</span></code></a>.</p>
<p>Do not expect this function to actually modify <em>o</em> in any way.</p>
<div class="admonition warning">
<p class="admonition-title">Warning</p>
<p>The deallocation function can cause arbitrary Python code to be invoked (e.g.
when a class instance with a <a class="reference internal" href="../reference/datamodel.html#object.__del__" title="object.__del__"><code class="xref py py-meth docutils literal notranslate"><span class="pre">__del__()</span></code></a> method is deallocated). While
exceptions in such code are not propagated, the executed code has free access to
all Python global variables. This means that any object that is reachable from
a global variable should be in a consistent state before <a class="reference internal" href="#c.Py_DECREF" title="Py_DECREF"><code class="xref c c-func docutils literal notranslate"><span class="pre">Py_DECREF()</span></code></a> is
invoked. For example, code to delete an object from a list should copy a
reference to the deleted object in a temporary variable, update the list data
structure, and then call <a class="reference internal" href="#c.Py_DECREF" title="Py_DECREF"><code class="xref c c-func docutils literal notranslate"><span class="pre">Py_DECREF()</span></code></a> for the temporary variable.</p>
</div>
</dd></dl>
<dl class="c function">
<dt class="sig sig-object c" id="c.Py_XDECREF">
<span class="kt"><span class="pre">void</span></span><span class="w"> </span><span class="sig-name descname"><span class="n"><span class="pre">Py_XDECREF</span></span></span><span class="sig-paren">(</span><a class="reference internal" href="structures.html#c.PyObject" title="PyObject"><span class="n"><span class="pre">PyObject</span></span></a><span class="w"> </span><span class="p"><span class="pre">*</span></span><span class="n"><span class="pre">o</span></span><span class="sig-paren">)</span><a class="headerlink" href="#c.Py_XDECREF" title="Permalink to this definition">¶</a><br /></dt>
<dd><p>Similar to <a class="reference internal" href="#c.Py_DECREF" title="Py_DECREF"><code class="xref c c-func docutils literal notranslate"><span class="pre">Py_DECREF()</span></code></a>, but the object <em>o</em> can be <code class="docutils literal notranslate"><span class="pre">NULL</span></code>,
in which case this has no effect.
The same warning from <a class="reference internal" href="#c.Py_DECREF" title="Py_DECREF"><code class="xref c c-func docutils literal notranslate"><span class="pre">Py_DECREF()</span></code></a> applies here as well.</p>
</dd></dl>
<dl class="c function">
<dt class="sig sig-object c" id="c.Py_CLEAR">
<span class="kt"><span class="pre">void</span></span><span class="w"> </span><span class="sig-name descname"><span class="n"><span class="pre">Py_CLEAR</span></span></span><span class="sig-paren">(</span><a class="reference internal" href="structures.html#c.PyObject" title="PyObject"><span class="n"><span class="pre">PyObject</span></span></a><span class="w"> </span><span class="p"><span class="pre">*</span></span><span class="n"><span class="pre">o</span></span><span class="sig-paren">)</span><a class="headerlink" href="#c.Py_CLEAR" title="Permalink to this definition">¶</a><br /></dt>
<dd><p>Release a <a class="reference internal" href="../glossary.html#term-strong-reference"><span class="xref std std-term">strong reference</span></a> for object <em>o</em>.
The object may be <code class="docutils literal notranslate"><span class="pre">NULL</span></code>, in
which case the macro has no effect; otherwise the effect is the same as for
<a class="reference internal" href="#c.Py_DECREF" title="Py_DECREF"><code class="xref c c-func docutils literal notranslate"><span class="pre">Py_DECREF()</span></code></a>, except that the argument is also set to <code class="docutils literal notranslate"><span class="pre">NULL</span></code>. The warning
for <a class="reference internal" href="#c.Py_DECREF" title="Py_DECREF"><code class="xref c c-func docutils literal notranslate"><span class="pre">Py_DECREF()</span></code></a> does not apply with respect to the object passed because
the macro carefully uses a temporary variable and sets the argument to <code class="docutils literal notranslate"><span class="pre">NULL</span></code>
before releasing the reference.</p>
<p>It is a good idea to use this macro whenever releasing a reference
to an object that might be traversed during garbage collection.</p>
</dd></dl>
<dl class="c function">
<dt class="sig sig-object c" id="c.Py_IncRef">
<span class="kt"><span class="pre">void</span></span><span class="w"> </span><span class="sig-name descname"><span class="n"><span class="pre">Py_IncRef</span></span></span><span class="sig-paren">(</span><a class="reference internal" href="structures.html#c.PyObject" title="PyObject"><span class="n"><span class="pre">PyObject</span></span></a><span class="w"> </span><span class="p"><span class="pre">*</span></span><span class="n"><span class="pre">o</span></span><span class="sig-paren">)</span><a class="headerlink" href="#c.Py_IncRef" title="Permalink to this definition">¶</a><br /></dt>
<dd><em class="stableabi"> Part of the <a class="reference internal" href="stable.html#stable"><span class="std std-ref">Stable ABI</span></a>.</em><p>Indicate taking a new <a class="reference internal" href="../glossary.html#term-strong-reference"><span class="xref std std-term">strong reference</span></a> to object <em>o</em>.
A function version of <a class="reference internal" href="#c.Py_XINCREF" title="Py_XINCREF"><code class="xref c c-func docutils literal notranslate"><span class="pre">Py_XINCREF()</span></code></a>.
It can be used for runtime dynamic embedding of Python.</p>
</dd></dl>
<dl class="c function">
<dt class="sig sig-object c" id="c.Py_DecRef">
<span class="kt"><span class="pre">void</span></span><span class="w"> </span><span class="sig-name descname"><span class="n"><span class="pre">Py_DecRef</span></span></span><span class="sig-paren">(</span><a class="reference internal" href="structures.html#c.PyObject" title="PyObject"><span class="n"><span class="pre">PyObject</span></span></a><span class="w"> </span><span class="p"><span class="pre">*</span></span><span class="n"><span class="pre">o</span></span><span class="sig-paren">)</span><a class="headerlink" href="#c.Py_DecRef" title="Permalink to this definition">¶</a><br /></dt>
<dd><em class="stableabi"> Part of the <a class="reference internal" href="stable.html#stable"><span class="std std-ref">Stable ABI</span></a>.</em><p>Release a <a class="reference internal" href="../glossary.html#term-strong-reference"><span class="xref std std-term">strong reference</span></a> to object <em>o</em>.
A function version of <a class="reference internal" href="#c.Py_XDECREF" title="Py_XDECREF"><code class="xref c c-func docutils literal notranslate"><span class="pre">Py_XDECREF()</span></code></a>.
It can be used for runtime dynamic embedding of Python.</p>
</dd></dl>
<p>The following functions or macros are only for use within the interpreter core:
<code class="xref c c-func docutils literal notranslate"><span class="pre">_Py_Dealloc()</span></code>, <code class="xref c c-func docutils literal notranslate"><span class="pre">_Py_ForgetReference()</span></code>, <code class="xref c c-func docutils literal notranslate"><span class="pre">_Py_NewReference()</span></code>,
as well as the global variable <code class="xref c c-data docutils literal notranslate"><span class="pre">_Py_RefTotal</span></code>.</p>
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