[Python-Dev] Direction of PyChecker

[Guido van Rossum]

> I'm consindering the possibility of adding a special mode to jython
> (based on hooks and on porting the CPython tools/compiler) in which
> you can retrieve the PVM bytecode of code objects, then there would
> be still to make PyChecker java classes aware, but it could run
> under jython. (Don't know when I will get at doing this)

But is it really a good idea to codify PVM bytecode as the way to do
introspection?  I'd much rather have a standard library API that
parses a module and gives you a list of variables, functions, classes,
etc., and lets you drill down into the symbol table of each of those.
(I realize more is needed, you need to be able to inspect every
statement too -- that can be done by providing access to an AST.)

--Guido van Rossum (home page: http://www.python.org/~guido/)