Is \"encoding\" or \"coding\" the Correct Way to Declare Encoding in Python Source Code?

Encoding Declaration in Python Source Code: Correct Approach

Despite the established convention (PEP 263) for declaring Python source code encoding as:

#!/usr/bin/python
# -*- coding: <encoding name> -*-

It has been observed that some files deviate from this format by using the term "encoding" instead of "coding", i.e.:

#!/usr/bin/python
# -*- encoding: <encoding name> -*-

To clarify this matter, let's explore how encoding should be declared in Python.

According to the Python documentation, the following regular expression is used to parse the encoding declaration:

coding[=:]\s*([-\w.]+),

This means that Python will process any comment in the first or second line of a Python script that matches this pattern as an encoding declaration.

Therefore, the following forms are recommended for encoding declarations:

Recommended Form:

# -*- coding: <encoding-name> -*-

Compatible Alternatives:

# vim:fileencoding=<encoding-name>

Conclusion:

While both "coding" and "encoding" appear in the encoding declaration, it is essential to adhere to the "coding" format, as recommended by Python's documentation. This ensures compatibility with Python's encoding handling and avoids potential issues when using various editing software.

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