Another bike shed A flagship feature for Pants 2 8 is the `o

Question

Another bike shed A flagship feature for Pants 2 8 is the `overrides` field which allows you to more easily override metadata for a single file w o having to define new targets For example ```overrides= foo test py timeout 120 bar test py baz test py timeout 240 ``` Feedback welcomed on what this syntax should look like thread

hundreds-father-404 · Answer

Do we go with that nested dictionary syntax or something like this ```overrides= foo test py override timeout=120 bar test py baz test py override timeout= 240 ```

proud-dentist-22844 · Answer

What benefit does `override ` provide over the dict syntax

hundreds-father-404 · Answer

Zero change in functionality only a question of what color you prefer to paint the bikeshed The argument for it is alignment with target syntax of `kwarg= value `

hundreds-father-404 · Answer

my fear is `overrides` is already hard to type I confuse myself with the number of `r`s to put Speaking of which totally open to better names for that field

proud-dentist-22844 · Answer

If someone doesn t like the ` timeout 240 ` dict literal they can always use `dict timeout=240 ` So I think `override ` is a step too far

hundreds-father-404 · Answer

Oh that s a great point

hundreds-father-404 · Answer

So then next question any opinion on what our docs should use `dict ` or ` ` I m trying to keep in mind what non Python developers might prefer but that s hard because of the Curse of Knowledge thinking face

proud-dentist-22844 · Answer

dict literals each exposure to python and python dialects should nudge people toward good practice `dict ` is generally bad practice imo

hundreds-father-404 · Answer

John Sirois sometimes counter argues that a benefit of `dict ` it forces the keys to already be `str` which is important here But not sure that s worth it

hundreds-father-404 · Answer

I think a reason to prefer literals is consistency You avoid any confusion for non Python developers wondering what is `dict timeout=120 ` and is it any different than ` `

proud-dentist-22844 · Answer

Yeah I don t buy that about `dict ` helping to enforce string keys You can validate and throw an error on non string keys and then you can print a more helpful message than a python syntax error