GH-138465: Improve documentation for common sequence methods (#138474)

Co-authored-by: Serhiy Storchaka <[email protected]>

Author: AA-Turner

Doc/conf.py

@@ -245,7 +245,6 @@
     ('py:attr', '__annotations__'),
     ('py:meth', '__missing__'),
     ('py:attr', '__wrapped__'),
-    ('py:meth', 'index'),  # list.index, tuple.index, etc.
 ]
 
 # gh-106948: Copy standard C types declared in the "c:type" domain and C

Doc/faq/design.rst

@@ -591,9 +591,9 @@ exhaustive test suites that exercise every line of code in a module.
 An appropriate testing discipline can help build large complex applications in
 Python as well as having interface specifications would.  In fact, it can be
 better because an interface specification cannot test certain properties of a
-program.  For example, the :meth:`!list.append` method is expected to add new elements
+program.  For example, the :meth:`list.append` method is expected to add new elements
 to the end of some internal list; an interface specification cannot test that
-your :meth:`!list.append` implementation will actually do this correctly, but it's
+your :meth:`list.append` implementation will actually do this correctly, but it's
 trivial to check this property in a test suite.
 
 Writing test suites is very helpful, and you might want to design your code to

Doc/faq/programming.rst

@@ -454,7 +454,7 @@ There are two factors that produce this result:
    (the list), and both ``x`` and ``y`` refer to it.
 2) Lists are :term:`mutable`, which means that you can change their content.
 
-After the call to :meth:`!append`, the content of the mutable object has
+After the call to :meth:`~sequence.append`, the content of the mutable object has
 changed from ``[]`` to ``[10]``.  Since both the variables refer to the same
 object, using either name accesses the modified value ``[10]``.
 
@@ -1397,9 +1397,9 @@ To see why this happens, you need to know that (a) if an object implements an
 :meth:`~object.__iadd__` magic method, it gets called when the ``+=`` augmented
 assignment
 is executed, and its return value is what gets used in the assignment statement;
-and (b) for lists, :meth:`!__iadd__` is equivalent to calling :meth:`!extend` on the list
-and returning the list.  That's why we say that for lists, ``+=`` is a
-"shorthand" for :meth:`!list.extend`::
+and (b) for lists, :meth:`!__iadd__` is equivalent to calling
+:meth:`~sequence.extend` on the list and returning the list.
+That's why we say that for lists, ``+=`` is a "shorthand" for :meth:`list.extend`::
 
     >>> a_list = []
     >>> a_list += [1]

Doc/glossary.rst

@@ -1251,8 +1251,9 @@ Glossary
       The :class:`collections.abc.Sequence` abstract base class
       defines a much richer interface that goes beyond just
       :meth:`~object.__getitem__` and :meth:`~object.__len__`, adding
-      :meth:`!count`, :meth:`!index`, :meth:`~object.__contains__`, and
-      :meth:`~object.__reversed__`. Types that implement this expanded
+      :meth:`~sequence.count`, :meth:`~sequence.index`,
+      :meth:`~object.__contains__`, and :meth:`~object.__reversed__`.
+      Types that implement this expanded
       interface can be registered explicitly using
       :func:`~abc.ABCMeta.register`. For more documentation on sequence
       methods generally, see

Doc/library/bisect.rst

@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ The following functions are provided:
    Insert *x* in *a* in sorted order.
 
    This function first runs :py:func:`~bisect.bisect_left` to locate an insertion point.
-   Next, it runs the :meth:`!insert` method on *a* to insert *x* at the
+   Next, it runs the :meth:`~sequence.insert` method on *a* to insert *x* at the
    appropriate position to maintain sort order.
 
    To support inserting records in a table, the *key* function (if any) is
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ The following functions are provided:
    entries of *x*.
 
    This function first runs :py:func:`~bisect.bisect_right` to locate an insertion point.
-   Next, it runs the :meth:`!insert` method on *a* to insert *x* at the
+   Next, it runs the :meth:`~sequence.insert` method on *a* to insert *x* at the
    appropriate position to maintain sort order.
 
    To support inserting records in a table, the *key* function (if any) is

Doc/library/collections.abc.rst

@@ -264,8 +264,9 @@ Collections Abstract Base Classes -- Detailed Descriptions
    ABCs for read-only and mutable :term:`sequences <sequence>`.
 
    Implementation note: Some of the mixin methods, such as
-   :meth:`~container.__iter__`, :meth:`~object.__reversed__` and :meth:`index`, make
-   repeated calls to the underlying :meth:`~object.__getitem__` method.
+   :meth:`~container.__iter__`, :meth:`~object.__reversed__`,
+   and :meth:`~sequence.index` make repeated calls to the underlying
+   :meth:`~object.__getitem__` method.
    Consequently, if :meth:`~object.__getitem__` is implemented with constant
    access speed, the mixin methods will have linear performance;
    however, if the underlying method is linear (as it would be with a
@@ -281,8 +282,8 @@ Collections Abstract Base Classes -- Detailed Descriptions
       Supporting the *start* and *stop* arguments is optional, but recommended.
 
       .. versionchanged:: 3.5
-         The :meth:`!index` method added support for *stop* and *start*
-         arguments.
+         The :meth:`~sequence.index` method gained support for
+         the *stop* and *start* arguments.
 
 .. class:: Set
            MutableSet

Doc/library/collections.rst

@@ -783,10 +783,10 @@ sequence of key-value pairs into a dictionary of lists:
 
 When each key is encountered for the first time, it is not already in the
 mapping; so an entry is automatically created using the :attr:`~defaultdict.default_factory`
-function which returns an empty :class:`list`.  The :meth:`!list.append`
+function which returns an empty :class:`list`.  The :meth:`list.append`
 operation then attaches the value to the new list.  When keys are encountered
 again, the look-up proceeds normally (returning the list for that key) and the
-:meth:`!list.append` operation adds another value to the list. This technique is
+:meth:`list.append` operation adds another value to the list. This technique is
 simpler and faster than an equivalent technique using :meth:`dict.setdefault`:
 
     >>> d = {}

Doc/library/pickle.rst

@@ -732,8 +732,8 @@ or both.
      These items will be appended to the object either using
      ``obj.append(item)`` or, in batch, using ``obj.extend(list_of_items)``.
      This is primarily used for list subclasses, but may be used by other
-     classes as long as they have
-     :ref:`append and extend methods <typesseq-common>` with
+     classes as long as they have :meth:`~sequence.append`
+     and :meth:`~sequence.extend` methods with
      the appropriate signature.  (Whether :meth:`!append` or :meth:`!extend` is
      used depends on which pickle protocol version is used as well as the number
      of items to append, so both must be supported.)

Doc/library/stdtypes.rst

@@ -1000,8 +1000,6 @@ operations have the same priority as the corresponding numeric operations. [3]_
    pair: slice; operation
    pair: operator; in
    pair: operator; not in
-   single: count() (sequence method)
-   single: index() (sequence method)
 
 +--------------------------+--------------------------------+----------+
 | Operation                | Result                         | Notes    |
@@ -1018,7 +1016,7 @@ operations have the same priority as the corresponding numeric operations. [3]_
 | ``s * n`` or             | equivalent to adding *s* to    | (2)(7)   |
 | ``n * s``                | itself *n* times               |          |
 +--------------------------+--------------------------------+----------+
-| ``s[i]``                 | *i*\ th item of *s*, origin 0  | (3)(9)   |
+| ``s[i]``                 | *i*\ th item of *s*, origin 0  | (3)(8)   |
 +--------------------------+--------------------------------+----------+
 | ``s[i:j]``               | slice of *s* from *i* to *j*   | (3)(4)   |
 +--------------------------+--------------------------------+----------+
@@ -1031,13 +1029,6 @@ operations have the same priority as the corresponding numeric operations. [3]_
 +--------------------------+--------------------------------+----------+
 | ``max(s)``               | largest item of *s*            |          |
 +--------------------------+--------------------------------+----------+
-| ``s.index(x[, i[, j]])`` | index of the first occurrence  | \(8)     |
-|                          | of *x* in *s* (at or after     |          |
-|                          | index *i* and before index *j*)|          |
-+--------------------------+--------------------------------+----------+
-| ``s.count(x)``           | total number of occurrences of |          |
-|                          | *x* in *s*                     |          |
-+--------------------------+--------------------------------+----------+
 
 Sequences of the same type also support comparisons.  In particular, tuples
 and lists are compared lexicographically by comparing corresponding elements.
@@ -1143,16 +1134,42 @@ Notes:
   concatenation or repetition.
 
 (8)
-   ``index`` raises :exc:`ValueError` when *x* is not found in *s*.
-   Not all implementations support passing the additional arguments *i* and *j*.
-   These arguments allow efficient searching of subsections of the sequence. Passing
-   the extra arguments is roughly equivalent to using ``s[i:j].index(x)``, only
-   without copying any data and with the returned index being relative to
-   the start of the sequence rather than the start of the slice.
-
-(9)
    An :exc:`IndexError` is raised if *i* is outside the sequence range.
 
+.. rubric:: Sequence Methods
+
+Sequence types also support the following methods:
+
+.. method:: list.count(value, /)
+            range.count(value, /)
+            tuple.count(value, /)
+   :no-contents-entry:
+   :no-index-entry:
+   :no-typesetting:
+.. method:: sequence.count(value, /)
+
+   Return the total number of occurrences of *value* in *sequence*.
+
+.. method:: list.index(value[, start[, stop])
+            range.index(value[, start[, stop])
+            tuple.index(value[, start[, stop])
+   :no-contents-entry:
+   :no-index-entry:
+   :no-typesetting:
+.. method:: sequence.index(value[, start[, stop])
+
+   Return the index of the first occurrence of *value* in *sequence*.
+
+   Raises :exc:`ValueError` if *value* is not found in *sequence*.
+
+   The *start* or *stop* arguments allow for efficient searching
+   of subsections of the sequence, beginning at *start* and ending at *stop*.
+   This is roughly equivalent to ``start + sequence[start:stop].index(value)``,
+   only without copying any data.
+
+   .. caution::
+      Not all sequence types support passing the *start* and *stop* arguments.
+
 
 .. _typesseq-immutable:
 
@@ -1202,14 +1219,6 @@ accepts integers that meet the value restriction ``0 <= x <= 255``).
    pair: subscript; assignment
    pair: slice; assignment
    pair: statement; del
-   single: append() (sequence method)
-   single: clear() (sequence method)
-   single: copy() (sequence method)
-   single: extend() (sequence method)
-   single: insert() (sequence method)
-   single: pop() (sequence method)
-   single: remove() (sequence method)
-   single: reverse() (sequence method)
 
 +------------------------------+--------------------------------+---------------------+
 | Operation                    | Result                         | Notes               |
@@ -1233,72 +1242,120 @@ accepts integers that meet the value restriction ``0 <= x <= 255``).
 | ``del s[i:j:k]``             | removes the elements of        |                     |
 |                              | ``s[i:j:k]`` from the list     |                     |
 +------------------------------+--------------------------------+---------------------+
-| ``s.append(x)``              | appends *x* to the end of the  |                     |
-|                              | sequence (same as              |                     |
-|                              | ``s[len(s):len(s)] = [x]``)    |                     |
-+------------------------------+--------------------------------+---------------------+
-| ``s.clear()``                | removes all items from *s*     | \(5)                |
-|                              | (same as ``del s[:]``)         |                     |
-+------------------------------+--------------------------------+---------------------+
-| ``s.copy()``                 | creates a shallow copy of *s*  | \(5)                |
-|                              | (same as ``s[:]``)             |                     |
-+------------------------------+--------------------------------+---------------------+
-| ``s.extend(t)`` or           | extends *s* with the           |                     |
-| ``s += t``                   | contents of *t* (for the       |                     |
+| ``s += t``                   | extends *s* with the           |                     |
+|                              | contents of *t* (for the       |                     |
 |                              | most part the same as          |                     |
 |                              | ``s[len(s):len(s)] = t``)      |                     |
 +------------------------------+--------------------------------+---------------------+
-| ``s *= n``                   | updates *s* with its contents  | \(6)                |
+| ``s *= n``                   | updates *s* with its contents  | \(2)                |
 |                              | repeated *n* times             |                     |
 +------------------------------+--------------------------------+---------------------+
-| ``s.insert(i, x)``           | inserts *x* into *s* at the    |                     |
-|                              | index given by *i*             |                     |
-|                              | (same as ``s[i:i] = [x]``)     |                     |
-+------------------------------+--------------------------------+---------------------+
-| ``s.pop()`` or ``s.pop(i)``  | retrieves the item at *i* and  | \(2)                |
-|                              | also removes it from *s*       |                     |
-+------------------------------+--------------------------------+---------------------+
-| ``s.remove(x)``              | removes the first item from    | \(3)                |
-|                              | *s* where ``s[i]`` is equal to |                     |
-|                              | *x*                            |                     |
-+------------------------------+--------------------------------+---------------------+
-| ``s.reverse()``              | reverses the items of *s* in   | \(4)                |
-|                              | place                          |                     |
-+------------------------------+--------------------------------+---------------------+
-
 
 Notes:
 
 (1)
    If *k* is not equal to ``1``, *t* must have the same length as the slice it is replacing.
 
 (2)
-   The optional argument *i* defaults to ``-1``, so that by default the last
-   item is removed and returned.
+   The value *n* is an integer, or an object implementing
+   :meth:`~object.__index__`.  Zero and negative values of *n* clear
+   the sequence.  Items in the sequence are not copied; they are referenced
+   multiple times, as explained for ``s * n`` under :ref:`typesseq-common`.
 
-(3)
-   :meth:`remove` raises :exc:`ValueError` when *x* is not found in *s*.
+.. rubric:: Mutable Sequence Methods
 
-(4)
-   The :meth:`reverse` method modifies the sequence in place for economy of
-   space when reversing a large sequence.  To remind users that it operates by
-   side effect, it does not return the reversed sequence.
+Mutable sequence types also support the following methods:
 
-(5)
-   :meth:`clear` and :meth:`!copy` are included for consistency with the
-   interfaces of mutable containers that don't support slicing operations
-   (such as :class:`dict` and :class:`set`). :meth:`!copy` is not part of the
-   :class:`collections.abc.MutableSequence` ABC, but most concrete
-   mutable sequence classes provide it.
+.. method:: bytearray.append(value, /)
+            list.append(value, /)
+   :no-contents-entry:
+   :no-index-entry:
+   :no-typesetting:
+.. method:: sequence.append(value, /)
+
+   Append *value* to the end of the sequence
+   This is equivalent to writing ``seq[len(seq):len(seq)] = [value]``.
+
+.. method:: bytearray.clear()
+            list.clear()
+   :no-contents-entry:
+   :no-index-entry:
+   :no-typesetting:
+.. method:: sequence.clear()
 
    .. versionadded:: 3.3
-      :meth:`clear` and :meth:`!copy` methods.
 
-(6)
-   The value *n* is an integer, or an object implementing
-   :meth:`~object.__index__`.  Zero and negative values of *n* clear
-   the sequence.  Items in the sequence are not copied; they are referenced
-   multiple times, as explained for ``s * n`` under :ref:`typesseq-common`.
+   Remove all items from *sequence*.
+   This is equivalent to writing ``del sequence[:]``.
+
+.. method:: bytearray.copy()
+            list.copy()
+   :no-contents-entry:
+   :no-index-entry:
+   :no-typesetting:
+.. method:: sequence.copy()
+
+   .. versionadded:: 3.3
+
+   Create a shallow copy of *sequence*.
+   This is equivalent to writing ``sequence[:]``.
+
+   .. hint:: The :meth:`!copy` method is not part of the
+             :class:`~collections.abc.MutableSequence` :class:`~abc.ABC`,
+             but most concrete mutable sequence types provide it.
+
+.. method:: bytearray.extend(iterable, /)
+            list.extend(iterable, /)
+   :no-contents-entry:
+   :no-index-entry:
+   :no-typesetting:
+.. method:: sequence.extend(iterable, /)
+
+   Extend *sequence* with the contents of *iterable*.
+   For the most part, this is the same as writing
+   ``seq[len(seq):len(seq)] = iterable``.
+
+.. method:: bytearray.insert(index, value, /)
+            list.insert(index, value, /)
+   :no-contents-entry:
+   :no-index-entry:
+   :no-typesetting:
+.. method:: sequence.insert(index, value, /)
+
+   Insert *value* into *sequence* at the given *index*.
+   This is equivalent to writing ``sequence[index:index] = [value]``.
+
+.. method:: bytearray.pop(index=-1, /)
+            list.pop(index=-1, /)
+   :no-contents-entry:
+   :no-index-entry:
+   :no-typesetting:
+.. method:: sequence.pop(index=-1, /)
+
+   Retrieve the item at *index* and also removes it from *sequence*.
+   By default, the last item in *sequence* is removed and returned.
+
+.. method:: bytearray.remove(value, /)
+            list.remove(value, /)
+   :no-contents-entry:
+   :no-index-entry:
+   :no-typesetting:
+.. method:: sequence.remove(value, /)
+
+   Remove the first item from *sequence* where ``sequence[i] == value``.
+
+   Raises :exc:`ValueError` if *value* is not found in *sequence*.
+
+.. method:: bytearray.reverse()
+            list.reverse()
+   :no-contents-entry:
+   :no-index-entry:
+   :no-typesetting:
+.. method:: sequence.reverse()
+
+   Reverse the items of *sequence* in place.
+   This method maintains economy of space when reversing a large sequence.
+   To remind users that it operates by side-effect, it returns ``None``.
 
 
 .. _typesseq-list:
@@ -5761,9 +5818,10 @@ Methods
 
 .. index:: pair: object; method
 
-Methods are functions that are called using the attribute notation. There are
-two flavors: :ref:`built-in methods <builtin-methods>` (such as :meth:`append`
-on lists) and :ref:`class instance method <instance-methods>`.
+Methods are functions that are called using the attribute notation.
+There are two flavors: :ref:`built-in methods <builtin-methods>`
+(such as :meth:`~list.append` on lists)
+and :ref:`class instance method <instance-methods>`.
 Built-in methods are described with the types that support them.
 
 If you access a method (a function defined in a class namespace) through an