PyGObject 3.56.0

Feb 27, 2026 · Arjan Molenaar

PyGObject 3.56.0 has just been released. Major features include: better integration with GObject’s lifecycle (do_constructed, do_dispose), a simpler way to deal with Python wrapper objects, and cleanup of legacy code.

GObject lifecycle methods

This release exposes two new GObject lifecycle hooks: do_constructed and do_dispose.

• do_constructed is called after a GObject has been fully constructed.

• do_dispose is called when the underlying GObject (not just the Python wrapper) is disposed, for example via run_dispose.

Slots

Slots (__slots__) have never been officially supported in PyGObject, even though it worked in some cases. With the new wrapping model (see below), using __slots__ can cause issues. PyGObject now emits a warning when __slots__ is used in classes derived from GObject.

Shallow wrapper objects

PyGObject’s Python object tracking used to be complex. In 3.56, wrapper lifecycle management has been simplified.

Previously, PyGObject retained Python wrapper objects when instance attributes existed, using toggle references. Now, wrapper objects are always discardable. PyGObject preserves the instance dictionary and reapplies it to new wrapper instances as needed. This behavior is easier to reason about and enables features such as do_dispose.

Legacy code removal

In 3.56, marshalling for fields, properties, constants, and signal closures has been replaced by the existing function/method call marshalling logic. Because that path already supports more cases, this change resolves multiple long-standing issues.

PyGObject is getting rid of custom wrapper logic. In this release, pygtkcompat and wrappers for GLib.OptionContext/GLib.OptionGroup have been fully removed.

What’s next

There is still more to improve. We need your help for that: if you spot un-pythonic behavior, create an issue. Maybe you feel like fixing an issue even.