What are cancellation tokens in Python?

What are cancellation tokens in Python?

Cancellation tokens in Python are used to signal that an operation should be canceled, allowing for more responsive applications.

How do I implement cancellation tokens in my Python code?

You can implement cancellation tokens using the threading or asyncio libraries, which provide mechanisms to manage cancellation.

Can you show me a code example?

Sure! Here's a simple example using asyncio:

import asyncio

async def main(token):
    while not token.is_canceled():
        print('Working...')
        await asyncio.sleep(1)

class CancellationToken:
    def __init__(self):
        self._canceled = False

    def cancel(self):
        self._canceled = True

    def is_canceled(self):
        return self._canceled

# Usage
if __name__ == '__main__':
    token = CancellationToken()
    try:
        asyncio.run(main(token))
    finally:
        token.cancel()

What are the benefits of using cancellation tokens?

The benefits include improved responsiveness, better resource management, and the ability to gracefully handle long-running tasks.