We're no longer using _Py_IDENTIFIER() (or _Py_static_string()) in any core CPython code. It is still used in a number of non-builtin stdlib modules.
The replacement is: PyUnicodeObject (not pointer) fields under _PyRuntimeState, statically initialized as part of _PyRuntime. A new _Py_GET_GLOBAL_IDENTIFIER() macro facilitates lookup of the fields (along with _Py_GET_GLOBAL_STRING() for non-identifier strings).
https://bugs.python.org/issue46541#msg411799 explains the rationale for this change.
The core of the change is in:
* (new) Include/internal/pycore_global_strings.h - the declarations for the global strings, along with the macros
* Include/internal/pycore_runtime_init.h - added the static initializers for the global strings
* Include/internal/pycore_global_objects.h - where the struct in pycore_global_strings.h is hooked into _PyRuntimeState
* Tools/scripts/generate_global_objects.py - added generation of the global string declarations and static initializers
I've also added a --check flag to generate_global_objects.py (along with make check-global-objects) to check for unused global strings. That check is added to the PR CI config.
The remainder of this change updates the core code to use _Py_GET_GLOBAL_IDENTIFIER() instead of _Py_IDENTIFIER() and the related _Py*Id functions (likewise for _Py_GET_GLOBAL_STRING() instead of _Py_static_string()). This includes adding a few functions where there wasn't already an alternative to _Py*Id(), replacing the _Py_Identifier * parameter with PyObject *.
The following are not changed (yet):
* stop using _Py_IDENTIFIER() in the stdlib modules
* (maybe) get rid of _Py_IDENTIFIER(), etc. entirely -- this may not be doable as at least one package on PyPI using this (private) API
* (maybe) intern the strings during runtime init
https://bugs.python.org/issue46541
* Add PRECALL_FUNCTION opcode.
* Move 'call shape' varaibles into struct.
* Replace CALL_NO_KW and CALL_KW with KW_NAMES and CALL instructions.
* Specialize for builtin methods taking using the METH_FASTCALL | METH_KEYWORDS protocol.
* Allow kwnames for specialized calls to builtin types.
* Specialize calls to tuple(arg) and str(arg).
* Add RETURN_GENERATOR and JUMP_NO_INTERRUPT opcodes.
* Trim frame and generator by word each.
* Minor refactor of frame.c
* Update test.test_sys to account for smaller frames.
* Treat generator functions as normal functions when evaluating and specializing.
* Make internal APIs that take PyFrameConstructor take a PyFunctionObject instead.
* Add reference to function to frame, borrow references to builtins and globals.
* Add COPY_FREE_VARS instruction to allow specialization of calls to inner functions.
* Never change types' cached keys. It could invalidate inline attribute objects.
* Lazily create object dictionaries.
* Update specialization of LOAD/STORE_ATTR.
* Don't update shared keys version for deletion of value.
* Update gdb support to handle instance values.
* Rename SPLIT_KEYS opcodes to INSTANCE_VALUE.
* Generalize cache names for LOAD_ATTR to allow store and delete specializations.
* Factor out specialization of attribute dictionary access.
* Specialize STORE_ATTR.