How does python close files that have been gc'ed?
del, file, garbage-collection, python
Solution
In CPython, at least, files are closed when the file object is deallocated. See the `file_dealloc` function in `Objects/fileobject.c` in the CPython source. Dealloc methods are sort-of like `__del__` for C types, except without some of the problems inherent to `__del__`.
Problem
I had always assumed that a file would leak if it was opened without being closed, but I just verified that if I enter the following lines of code, the file will close: ``` >>> f = open('somefile.txt') >>> del f ``` Just out of sheer curiosity, how does this work? I notice that file doesn't include a `__`del`__` method.