Path: csiph.com!usenet.pasdenom.info!weretis.net!feeder1.news.weretis.net!feeder4.news.weretis.net!rt.uk.eu.org!newsfeed.xs4all.nl!newsfeed3.news.xs4all.nl!xs4all!post.news.xs4all.nl!not-for-mail Return-Path: X-Original-To: python-list@python.org Delivered-To: python-list@mail.python.org X-Spam-Status: OK 0.005 X-Spam-Evidence: '*H*': 0.99; '*S*': 0.00; 'python,': 0.02; 'subject:Python': 0.06; 'sys': 0.07; 'referenced': 0.09; 'references,': 0.09; 'used.': 0.09; 'python': 0.11; 'random': 0.14; 'averaging': 0.16; 'from:addr:rosuav': 0.16; 'from:name:chris angelico': 0.16; 'ignoring': 0.16; 'keyword,': 0.16; 'subject:library': 0.16; 'surprises': 0.16; 'code.': 0.18; 'library': 0.18; 'variable': 0.18; 'to:name:python- list@python.org': 0.22; 'print': 0.22; 'library,': 0.24; 'fairly': 0.24; 'script': 0.25; 'values': 0.27; 'function': 0.29; 'message- id:@mail.gmail.com': 0.30; "i'm": 0.30; 'asked': 0.31; 'commonly': 0.31; 'extensively': 0.31; 'names.': 0.31; 'responded': 0.31; 'file': 0.32; 'there.': 0.32; 'subject:the': 0.34; 'common': 0.35; 'but': 0.35; 'received:google.com': 0.35; 'there': 0.35; 'two': 0.37; 'needed': 0.38; 'to:addr:python-list': 0.38; 'that,': 0.38; 'short': 0.38; 'use.': 0.39; 'to:addr:python.org': 0.39; 'most': 0.60; 'new': 0.61; 'name': 0.63; 'more': 0.64; 'total': 0.65; 'steady': 0.68; 'obvious': 0.74; '2255': 0.84; '40%': 0.84; 'are...': 0.84 DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=gmail.com; s=20120113; h=mime-version:date:message-id:subject:from:to:content-type; bh=bnwAQPjzljdRG7H2BqqIVPpxlsJZjUTWkqv+wPaMbe0=; b=GP7UktL37eQ/pi+NYgqEvQi2+Vg2aNztNn0TLrKTVkOvolbwyIjLRxch2711ZpXcFm ylmsVwFfKkW5lu3kFfVk+kAJI/VRzSvrMQR3gIPImK/hsF0UUNR1/t6ulGm4/B5VJEoZ gwxp1ekk25ir8yxs28W8WVP3ABc70/at+TgHvMjn28TgU6G1GUEEY6YxwX63//bhl0li kRmf/FMIe9k45Llynx0ETW98F+gGa5Vl+GDA2y6IHj12ZYmYqZw9+M15xXz+0eXuDL0p Cn3tbhgDZQGrKz3gB+Ut+85I9F0AWU3zHNczy30K5z1j3howB1+yYxlgtWpFHQ4MYcL4 YImQ== MIME-Version: 1.0 X-Received: by 10.68.98.3 with SMTP id ee3mr861930pbb.31.1392889150208; Thu, 20 Feb 2014 01:39:10 -0800 (PST) Date: Thu, 20 Feb 2014 20:39:10 +1100 Subject: Commonly-used names in the Python standard library From: Chris Angelico To: "python-list@python.org" Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8 X-BeenThere: python-list@python.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.15 Precedence: list List-Id: General discussion list for the Python programming language List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , Newsgroups: comp.lang.python Message-ID: Lines: 40 NNTP-Posting-Host: 2001:888:2000:d::a6 X-Trace: 1392889158 news.xs4all.nl 2882 [2001:888:2000:d::a6]:43025 X-Complaints-To: abuse@xs4all.nl Xref: csiph.com comp.lang.python:66741 In working on a proposal that might result in the creation of a new keyword, I needed to ascertain what names were used extensively in existing Python code. Out of random curiosity, I asked my script what names were the most commonly used. The script responded with 21854 names and a total of 297164 references, averaging 13-14 refs per name. A good number of names are referenced just once - set and never referenced. They're there for applications to use. That takes out 6217 names. But I'm more interested in the ones that see a lot of use. By far the most common name is 'self', for obvious reasons; after that, it's a fairly steady drop-off. The most popular names in the standard library are... *drumroll* 45298 - self 3750 - os 3744 - name 3166 - i 3140 - s 2685 - value 2648 - a 2451 - len 2348 - c 2331 - sys 2255 - b 2238 - line 2132 - print 2131 - x Few surprises there. The os and sys modules are used extensively, and short variable names are reused frequently. To the print-detractors: That's two thousand uses in the standard library, more than any other single function bar 'len'! (And by the way, this is ignoring any file with /test/ in the name.) I find the pairing of 'name' and 'value' interesting. There are 40% more names than values in Python, apparently. And on that bombshell, as they say on Top Gear, it's time to end! ChrisA