Interactive Shell Makeover (New REPL)
Python 3.13 introduces a much-anticipated improvement for interactive development, a brand new REPL (Read-Eval-Print Loop). This interactive shell makeover aims to provide a more user-friendly and informative experience for Python programmers.
Features of New REPL
Python 3.13 brings a revamped REPL with several enhancements designed to improve the interactive development experience:
- Colorful Enhancements (Linux/macOS): Output now has color by default, making code and error messages easier to read and understand. (Note: This feature is currently not available on Windows.)
- Integrated Help (F1): Quickly access the
pydoc
help browser directly within the REPL by pressing F1. No more switching between windows or terminals to find documentation. - Command History Navigation (F2): Effortlessly browse through your command history using the F2 key. This allows you to revisit previous commands and experiment with variations quickly.
- Block Paste Mode (F3): For working with larger code blocks, a dedicated paste mode is available with F3. This simplifies pasting code snippets into the REPL without worrying about line breaks or indentation issues.
- Simplified Exit (exit/quit): You can now simply type
exit
orquit
to leave the REPL, eliminating the need for function calls likeexit()
.
Benefits of New REPL (Read-Eval-Print Loop)
These improvements in the new REPL aim to streamline the interactive development process. Features like color highlighting and integrated help make it easier to understand code behavior and identify issues. Easy command history navigation and block paste mode expedite experimentation and code refinement.
Python 3.13 New FeaturesMajor new features of the 3.13 series, compared to 3.12
Nearly annually, Python releases a new version. The most recent version, Python 3.13, will be available on May 8, 2024, following Python 3.12 in that order. This version introduced many new features and improvements. This is a pre-release of the next Python version, which introduced some new features as well as improvements to the existing ones. In this article, we will see what has been changed in Python version 3.13.
Table of Content
- A Better Interactive Interpreter
- Experimental Just-in-Time (JIT) Compilation
- Experimental Free-Threaded CPython
- Improved Error Reporting and Guidance
- Interactive Shell Makeover (New REPL)
- Incremental Garbage Collection
- Improved Error Reporting and Guidance
- Memory Optimization for Docstrings
- Enhance Performance in Modules
- Removal of Deprecated Modules (“Dead Batteries”)
- Conclusion