The path toward a no-GIL Python [LWN.net]

The Python Steering Council has posted a detailed plan for the addition of "free-threaded" (no global interpreter lock) support into the Python mainline. It will not be a short process and does not have a guaranteed successful outcome.

Phase I: Experimental phase, which can start immediately, in which the free-threaded build is enabled through a build-time option. This should not be the default install anywhere. At least one major Python release should include this experimental free-threaded build, to allow third-party packages to test and do their own experimentation. In this stage we should make it clear the build is experimental, not supported for “production use”, and may be reverted.