why does str need a .replace() method?

[Skaperen]

why does str need a .replace() method? is code any longer if, instead, there is a builtin function replace() that takes 3 arguments?

of course, it's too late to change it, now.

[Gribouillis]

hmm

>>> replace
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "<stdin>", line 1, in <module>
NameError: name 'replace' is not defined

this is Python 3.10.6

[Skaperen]

well, yeah, it's not in Python. i'm just saying it could have been that way, instead of being a str method. it would just change the syntax, making it no longer. then it could be used on other sequence types, as well, without having to add a method to list and tuple.

or maybe 1.37% fewer programmers could grasp understanding it if it were not a method.

[Gribouillis]

it could be used on other sequence types

How would you define replace() for lists? Would it replace a sublist by another sublist?

[Skaperen]

How would you define replace() for lists? Would it replace a sublist by another sublist?

it would create a new list or tuple with every item that matches the 2nd to last argument substituted with (maybe a copy or deep copy of) the last argument. match might be "==" or "is" (whatever "in" does). it would then return the substituted sequence. if bytearray gets modified in place then the reason for that might also apply to list (but, obviously, not to tuple).

if a list is given as the 2nd to last argument in that replace call, any matching list would get substituted. is that what you mean by sublist? this substitution probably should be by reference.

i would not mind to add a couple more optional arguments to specify the extent to make substitutions (outside that range is copied unreplaced).