[Python-Dev] AST optimizer implemented in Python

[Terry Reedy]

On 8/13/2012 10:45 AM, Guido van Rossum wrote:
> Not so fast. If you make this a language feature you force all Python
> implementations to support an identical AST API. That's a big step.

I have been wondering about this. One could think from the manuals that 
we are there already. From the beginning of the ast chapter:

"The ast module helps Python applications to process trees of *the* 
Python abstract syntax grammar.  ... An abstract syntax tree can be 
generated by passing ast.PyCF_ONLY_AST as a flag to the compile() 
built-in function" (emphasis on *the* added).

and the entry for compile(): "Compile the source into a code or AST object."

I see nothing about ast possibly being CPython only. Should there be?

-- 
Terry Jan Reedy