PyCode_Addr2Line point to out of date PEP 626

[colesbury]

Documentation

The docs for PyCode_Addr2Line say:

For efficiently iterating over the line numbers in a code object, use the API described in PEP 626.

That section of the PEP describes PyCodeAddressRange, PyLineTable_InitAddressRange, PyLineTable_NextAddressRange, and PyLineTable_PreviousAddressRange . Those function have been renamed with a _ prefix. Some are not exported symbols (even in private headers). That's fine for the PEP, we treat them as historical documents, but the docs should be up to date.

Ideally we:

1. Document that PyCode_Addr2Line may be O(N) in the size of the code. This is important and not obvious!
2. Describe how to iterate efficiently in the docs.
3. In a future version of Python, expose the functions as public, documented, unstable C APIs. (I think PyUnstable makes sense for these)

Linked PRs

• gh-156725: document O(N) behavior of PyCode_Addr2Line and the private line-table API #156736

[LeonxLJX]

I'd like to take this one.

Reading the issue, this looks like a documentation-clarity gap rather than a code defect: the current page doesn't give readers enough to self-diagnose, which is why it surfaces here as an issue instead of being answered by the docs.

Plan: locate the relevant section, confirm what the code actually does today (so the docs match behavior, not intent), tighten the wording, and scan neighboring pages for the same inconsistency — otherwise the fix just relocates the confusion.

One thing to confirm before writing: minimal correction scoped to this page, or also cross-link from related guides if the same gap shows up there?

(claiming via @LeonxLJX)