Package: hacks
hacks, a Python plugin library that doesn't play by the rules=============================================================In one sentence---------------`hacks` aims to be a plugin library bringing aspect-oriented approachto Python programs.About-----What is `hacks` about? Oh, let me see...`hacks` is about shooting a complete stranger's leg from around the corner.Stealthily. Modularly. Painfully.`hacks` is about patching objects that you're allowed to patch,and then patching everything else.`hacks` is about hooking into other code from afar.`hacks` is about modifying and extending functionswithout even having a reference to them.`hacks` is about extending classes you'll never seeand existing instances of them that you'll never meet.As you see fit. With null sweat. And that feeling of impending doom.And `hacks` is about cleaning up all that mess with a single dedent.Usage-----```pythonimport hacks# Hacks is usable as a simple call dispatcher:def main_code():N = 2for i in range(N):# call everyone hooked into 'explicit_call'hacks.call.explicit_call(i)# ...@hacks.into('explicit_call')  # knows nothing about main_codedef plugin1(i):print(i)class Plugin2:@hacks.into('explicit_call')@hacks.stealing  # that's a pity that they forgot to expose Ndef method(self, i, N=hacks.steal):print(i, 'of', N)# ...with hacks.use(plugin1, Plugin2):main_code()  # prints '0', '0 of 2', '1', '1 of 2'main_code()  # print nothing# Hacks can be used to modify @hacks.friendly objects, e.g. wrap functions:@hacks.friendly  # name not specified, pass 'greeter' to @hacks.arounddef greeter():return 'Hello!'# ...@hacks.around('greeter')def reverse(func):def func_reversed():return func()[::-1]return func_reversed# ...with hacks.use(reverse):  # reverses all 'printer'sprint(greeter())  # Prints '!olleH'print(greeter())  # Prints 'Hello!'# There is special support for extending classes and mutating existing# instances to use the updated versions transparently:@hacks.friendly_class  # name not specified, pass 'Clock' to @hacks.upclass Clock:def __init__(self, text):self._text = textdef tick(self):return self._text# ...@hacks.up('Clock')def tockify(clock_class):class TockingClock:def tick(self):return self._text + '-tock'return TockingClock# ...ticker = Clock('tick')print(ticker.tick())  # prints 'tick'with hacks.use(tockify):  # makes all 'clock's tockprint(ticker.tick())  # prints 'tick-tock'# Yes, ticker has transparently changed its class to TockingClock.print(ticker.tick())  # prints 'tick'# And now it changed back to a plain old Clock!```There's more: initializers, deinitializers, modifying custom objects andmaking non-cooperating objects cooperate.But the most great feature is hacks.use, enabling and disabling hacksgracefully without altering their behaviour outside that block or thread.It can be nested, it can be overridden, it poisons the call stackand it cleans up after itself at the end of the block. Ain't that nice?Please see `tests` directory for more powerful usage examples.Meh, extending code with `hacks` is too explicit!-------------------------------------------------Ah, the object of your interest is not decorated?No problems, monkeypatch it with @hacks_friendly:```pythonsys.stdin = hacks_friendly(sys.stdin)```That alone should have near-zero visible effect.Now change, wrap and extend it however you want with `hacks.use(...)`without worrying about other threads or cleaning up after yourself.Meh, extending code with `hacks` is too implicit!-------------------------------------------------When you decorate something with `@hacks.friendly`/`friendly_class`,you kind of set it free from all contracts.You never know what it will be on next access.But hey, any decorator is a custom modification, what did you expect?By the way, that burden of responsibility didn't simply vanish,it just spread onto the person who `@hacks.up` and `around` your code.If you're opposed to `stealing`, simply don't `steal`.And how exactly is that a plugin system?----------------------------------------It's usable as one.Write some code.Decorate it with `@hacks.friendly` and `@hacks.friendly_class`paired with nice names.Add explicit calls to plugins with `hacks.call` where appropriate.Think of a new aspect, like logging.Write the logging code that `@hacks.into` explicit plugin calls.Wrap around entire functions to add more logging.Modify classes if you want to.Then execute your code `with hacks.use(logging):`.Enjoy your pluggable, replaceable, separated loggingwithout polluting the original code too much.Write more powerful and game-changing modificationswithout touching the main code.Stack, nest and apply multiple hacks... um, plugins.Define their 'scopes' flexibly.Don't break original object's contracts without a good reason.What else do you need from a plugin system?Setuptools integration for plugins autodiscovery, right.It is planned for future releases though. Pull requests are welcome!So what is the plugin interface? Plugins need a rigid interface!----------------------------------------------------------------Not in Pythonland.If you disagree with me, you must be an interesting and strange personthat should probably have a look at https://github.com/pytest-dev/pluggyChoosing names requires forces you to design an interface!----------------------------------------------------------Really? How unbearable.Just hook all hacks to `'x'`, my true anarchist.Good luck differentiating the objects though!Installation (approximate)--------------------------From pypi:pip3 install hacksFrom Github:pip3 install git+https://github.com/t184256/hacks.gitFrom local source:pip3 install -r requirements.txtpython3 setup.py installMore----`hacks` gave life and purpose to ageneric object proxying library called `mutants`.Check it out: https://github.com/t184256/mutantsLicense-------`hacks` is distributed under the terms of the MIT License;see [LICENSE.txt](LICENSE.txt).