Remove `PyUnicode_READY` in `unicodeobject.h`

[rruuaanng]

Feature or enhancement

Proposal:

# Add a code block here, if required

In https://github.com/python/cpython/blob/main/Doc/deprecations/c-api-pending-removal-in-future.rst.

PyUnicode_READY Unneeded since Python 3.12.

Has this already been discussed elsewhere?

No response given

Links to previous discussion of this feature:

No response

Linked PRs

• gh-125449: Remove PyUnicode_READY function in unicodeobject.h #125450

[picnixz]

Unless there is a real need to remove public macros/functions, even if they are useless, we usually don't do it. We don't want to un-necessarily break code that are still using them (the maintenance cost does not seem that hard).

cc @vstinner

[rruuaanng]

As far as I investigated. In the master branch, there is no file using it.

Edit:
In addition, it is clearly stated in https://github.com/python/cpython/blob/main/Doc/deprecations/c-api-pending-removal-in-future.rst that this API is to be removed. Therefore, other external libraries that use this function should make changes (the document states that this API is only for backward compatibility, but in fact no one in the code base uses it).

[picnixz]

Yes, but what about external code? it's located in a header, so anyone can include them. The pending removal section has no planned removal date so unless there is a real need to remove it, we should first plan when it should be removed.

[vstinner]

Please keep this function. I suggest to close the issue.

A code search on PyUnicode_READY in PyPI top 7,500 projects found 133 matching lines in 43 projects.