/python-resource-management

name: python-resource-management
description: Python resource management with context managers, cleanup patterns, and streaming. Use when managing connections, file handles, implementing cleanup logic, or building streaming responses with accumulated state.

Python Resource Management

Manage resources deterministically using context managers. Resources like database connections, file handles, and network sockets should be released reliably, even when exceptions occur.

When to Use This Skill

• Managing database connections and connection pools
• Working with file handles and I/O
• Implementing custom context managers
• Building streaming responses with state
• Handling nested resource cleanup
• Creating async context managers

Core Concepts

1. Context Managers

The `with` statement ensures resources are released automatically, even on exceptions.

2. Protocol Methods

`__enter__`/`__exit__` for sync, `__aenter__`/`__aexit__` for async resource management.

3. Unconditional Cleanup

`__exit__` always runs, regardless of whether an exception occurred.

4. Exception Handling

Return `True` from `__exit__` to suppress exceptions, `False` to propagate them.

Quick Start

from contextlib import contextmanager

@contextmanager
def managed_resource():
    resource = acquire_resource()
    try:
        yield resource
    finally:
        resource.cleanup()

with managed_resource() as r:
    r.do_work()

Fundamental Patterns

Pattern 1: Class-Based Context Manager

Implement the context manager protocol for complex resources.

class DatabaseConnection:
    """Database connection with automatic cleanup."""

    def __init__(self, dsn: str) -> None:
        self._dsn = dsn
        self._conn: Connection | None = None

    def connect(self) -> None:
        """Establish database connection."""
        self._conn = psycopg.connect(self._dsn)

    def close(self) -> None:
        """Close connection if open."""
        if self._conn is not None:
            self._conn.close()
            self._conn = None

    def __enter__(self) -> "DatabaseConnection":
        """Enter context: connect and return self."""
        self.connect()
        return self

    def __exit__(
        self,
        exc_type: type[BaseException] | None,
        exc_val: BaseException | None,
        exc_tb: TracebackType | None,
    ) -> None:
        """Exit context: always close connection."""
        self.close()

# Usage with context manager (preferred)
with DatabaseConnection(dsn) as db:
    result = db.execute(query)

# Manual management when needed
db = DatabaseConnection(dsn)
db.connect()
try:
    result = db.execute(query)
finally:
    db.close()

Pattern 2: Async Context Manager

For async resources, implement the async protocol.

class AsyncDatabasePool:
    """Async database connection pool."""

    def __init__(self, dsn: str, min_size: int = 1, max_size: int = 10) -> None:
        self._dsn = dsn
        self._min_size = min_size
        self._max_size = max_size
        self._pool: asyncpg.Pool | None = None

    async def __aenter__(self) -> "AsyncDatabasePool":
        """Create connection pool."""
        self._pool = await asyncpg.create_pool(
            self._dsn,
            min_size=self._min_size,
            max_size=self._max_size,
        )
        return self

    async def __aexit__(
        self,
        exc_type: type[BaseException] | None,
        exc_val: BaseException | None,
        exc_tb: TracebackType | None,
    ) -> None:
        """Close all connections in pool."""
        if self._pool is not None:
            await self._pool.close()

    async def execute(self, query: str, *args) -> list[dict]:
        """Execute query using pooled connection."""
        async with self._pool.acquire() as conn:
            return await conn.fetch(query, *args)

# Usage
async with AsyncDatabasePool(dsn) as pool:
    users = await pool.execute("SELECT * FROM users WHERE active = $1", True)

Pattern 3: Using @contextmanager Decorator

Simplify context managers with the decorator for straightforward cases.

from contextlib import contextmanager, asynccontextmanager
import time
import structlog

logger = structlog.get_logger()

@contextmanager
def timed_block(name: str):
    """Time a block of code."""
    start = time.perf_counter()
    try:
        yield
    finally:
        elapsed = time.perf_counter() - start
        logger.info(f"{name} completed", duration_seconds=round(elapsed, 3))

# Usage
with timed_block("data_processing"):
    process_large_dataset()

@asynccontextmanager
async def database_transaction(conn: AsyncConnection):
    """Manage database transaction."""
    await conn.execute("BEGIN")
    try:
        yield conn
        await conn.execute("COMMIT")
    except Exception:
        await conn.execute("ROLLBACK")
        raise

# Usage
async with database_transaction(conn) as tx:
    await tx.execute("INSERT INTO users ...")
    await tx.execute("INSERT INTO audit_log ...")

Pattern 4: Unconditional Resource Release

Always clean up resources in `__exit__`, regardless of exceptions.

class FileProcessor:
    """Process file with guaranteed cleanup."""

    def __init__(self, path: str) -> None:
        self._path = path
        self._file: IO | None = None
        self._temp_files: list[Path] = []

    def __enter__(self) -> "FileProcessor":
        self._file = open(self._path, "r")
        return self

    def __exit__(
        self,
        exc_type: type[BaseException] | None,
        exc_val: BaseException | None,
        exc_tb: TracebackType | None,
    ) -> None:
        """Clean up all resources unconditionally."""
        # Close main file
        if self._file is not None:
            self._file.close()

        # Clean up any temporary files
        for temp_file in self._temp_files:
            try:
                temp_file.unlink()
            except OSE