pointers.py 1.3.0

Bringing the hell of pointers to Python.

pointers.py

Bringing the hell of pointers to Python

Why would you ever need this

• Documentation
• Repository
• PyPI

Example

from pointers import to_ptr, Pointer, decay

a: str = '123'
b: str = 'abc'

@decay
def move(ptr_a: Pointer[str], ptr_b: Pointer[str]):
    ptr_a <<= ptr_b

move(a, b)
print(a, b) # abc abc

Example with bindings

from pointers import fopen, fprintf, fclose

file = fopen("/dev/null", "w")
fprintf(file, "hello world")
fclose(file)

Example with malloc

from pointers import malloc, free

memory = malloc(52)
memory <<= "abc"
print(*memory) # abc
free(memory)
print(*memory) # FreedMemoryError

Why does this exist?

The main purpose of pointers.py is to simply break the rules of Python, but has some other use cases:

• Can help C/C++ developers get adjusted to Python
• Provides a nice learning environment for programmers learning how pointers work
• Makes it very easy to manipulate memory in Python
• Why not?

Installation

Linux/macOS

python3 -m pip install -U pointers.py

Windows

py -3 -m pip install -U pointers.py

Running Documentation

$ git clone https://github.com/ZeroIntensity/pointers.py && cd pointers.py
$ pip install -U mkdocs
$ mkdocs serve