block-scoping 0.2.0

A simple package for block scoping

Block Scoping

This is simple PyPi package running static analysis to detect scoping issues caused by Python's lack of block scoping.

Python's scoping is a common source of bugs.

Example

total = 0
for item in items:
    if item > 0:
        total += item
    else:
        skipped = True
    
if skipped:
    print("Some items have been skipped")

The mistake is easy to spot. However, in larger codebases, such issues can be much harder to detect.

Another Example

try:
    x = int(y)
    f(x)
except:
    logging.error(f"error when x = {x}")

The intent is to catch errors raised by f, but this could also catch errors raised by int(y), which this except is not prepared for.

To avoid these potential bugs, it's safer not to reference any variable in the except block that was defined within the try block. A simple fix would be:

x = None
try:
    x = int(y)
    f(x)
except:
    logging.error(f"error when x = {x}")

This package helps you identify these issues before execution, for example by automatically checking your code in your CI/CD script.

To check your code, install the package and run:

./check_block_scoping your_dir/*.py

or

./check_block_scoping your_dir --exclude notthis.py notthat.py

This will recursively search your_dir.

You can opt-out specific functions and classes by decorating them with @no_block_scoping.

Alternatively, you can explicitly opt-in with @block_scoping, which removes the need to run ./check_block_scoping altogether, especially if you want to enforce scoping rules more strictly across your organization, or only at specific locations.

Rules

The package implements the following rules:

Control Flow	Scope of variables defined inside block
If/Elif/Else	block only, unless assigned in all branches
For loop	block only
While Loop	block only
Walrus assignment	block only if used in an if or a while
with block_scope()	block only
Other with statements	variables outlive their block
Try/Else/Finally	Try/Else/Finally: outlive their block but can't be used in Except
Except	block only
Case (Python >= 3.10)	block only

This applies to:

• all variables,
• all attributes of self.

Specifically, you are only allowed to use an attribute of self if the attribute is defined in the constructor.

with statements do not create block scopes. This is because in 99% of cases, the intent of a with statement is for its block to always be executed, unlike if/while/try which are designed for the opposite.

This is why the special object block_scope was added.

with block_scope():
    x = 3
print(x)  # this package counts this as an error

Known Issues

• ./check_block_scoping is not aware of the variables imported via from module import *, potentially raising false positives. The @block_scoping decorator doesn't have this issue.

• Except for self in classes, ./check_block_scoping won't detect scoping issues that involve object attributes.

External Contribution

Contributions are welcomed!