finding _collections in python source

Question

I wanted to have a look at the python deque class. When I checked the source code , I found the following at line 10

 from _collections import deque, defaultdict

where exactly can I find this _collections module? I searched on my copy of the python source, but couldn't spot it.

Where is this class located?

falsetru · Accepted Answer · 2013-08-06T08:49:39.593

12

_collections is builtin extension module.

You can find source for _collection module here.

Setup.dist contains mapping between builtin extension module name to source file.

edited Aug 06 '13 at 08:49

answered Aug 06 '13 at 08:32

falsetru

score 1 · Answer 2 · edited May 23 '17 at 11:45

1

_collections is a private implementation of a class according to this answer: "Private" (implementation) class in Python.

Being private, I don't think that you will be able to access its Python source but you can check out the C implementation here.

edited May 23 '17 at 11:45

Community

answered Aug 06 '13 at 08:35

1

In this case, `_collections` is a module implemented in C to support the main `collections` python module; because it needs to be a distinct, separate module an 'internal' name is used. It is but an implementation detail, after all, not part of the public API. – Martijn Pieters Aug 06 '13 at 09:03

Stuart Berg · Answer 3 · 2017-09-13T23:09:41.347

1

These days the CPython source code (including built-in modules) is hosted on Github, so you can find the collections module source code here.

For the collections.abc module, see here.

edited Sep 13 '17 at 23:09

answered Sep 13 '17 at 23:04

Stuart Berg

3 Answers3