Message 368262 - Python tracker

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Content
To get one GIL per interpreter (bpo-40512), either PyObject.ob_refcnt member must become an atomic variable, or subinterpreters must not share any object.

Right now, subinterpreters share Python objects. For example, PyModule_Type is declared statically and so shared by all interpreters and so PyModule_Type.tp_mro tuple is accessed in parallel by multiple interpreters. If PyObject.ob_refcnt is not atomic, Py_INCREF() and Py_DECREF() are unsafe and tp_mro tuple can be destroyed whereas it is still used.

I propose to make PyObject.ob_refcnt atomic for now, when Python is built with EXPERIMENTAL_ISOLATED_SUBINTERPRETERS macro defined. It's a temporary workaround until subinterpreters stop sharing objects.