Summary

Fix multiple SIGSEGV crash paths during Py_FinalizeEx on all Python versions (3.10–3.14). Observed in production on ARM64 (Python 3.11 + uWSGI with max-requests worker recycling) where greenlet was installed as a transitive dependency but never explicitly used by application code.

Relationship to PR #495

PR #495 partially addressed this class of crashes by adding murder_in_place() and _Py_IsFinalizing() guards, but only on Python < 3.11 (#if !GREENLET_PY311). Further investigation revealed that:

1. The vulnerability exists on all Python versions (3.10–3.14), not just < 3.11 — Py_IsFinalizing() is set after atexit handlers complete on every version.
2. Multiple crash paths were unguarded — getcurrent(), type checkers (GreenletChecker, MainGreenletExactChecker, ContextExactChecker), and clear_deleteme_list() had no shutdown protection.
3. PR Fix SIGSEGV/SIGABRT during interpreter shutdown on Python < 3.11 #495's tests were smoke tests, not regression tests — they pass on both pre-fix (greenlet 3.1.1) and post-fix (3.3.2) versions, meaning they cannot detect if the fix is reverted.

This PR supersedes PR #495 by making all guards unconditional, protecting the remaining crash paths, and adding TDD-certified tests that demonstrably fail on unpatched greenlet 3.3.2.

Design

Two independent guards now protect all shutdown phases:

1. g_greenlet_shutting_down — an atexit handler registered at module init (LIFO = runs first) sets this flag. Covers the atexit phase of Py_FinalizeEx, where Py_IsFinalizing() is still False on all Python versions.

2. Py_IsFinalizing() — covers the GC collection and later phases of Py_FinalizeEx. A compatibility shim is provided for Python < 3.13 (where only the private _Py_IsFinalizing() existed).

These guards are checked in mod_getcurrent, PyGreenlet_GetCurrent, GreenletChecker, MainGreenletExactChecker, ContextExactChecker, clear_deleteme_list(), ThreadState::~ThreadState(), _green_dealloc_kill_started_non_main_greenlet, and ThreadState_DestroyNoGIL::AddPendingCall.

Root cause

_Py_IsFinalizing() is only set after atexit handlers complete inside Py_FinalizeEx on all Python versions:

Py_FinalizeEx()
├── call_py_exitfuncs()              ← atexit phase (Py_IsFinalizing() == False)
│   └── g_greenlet_shutting_down     ← our flag covers this gap
├── _PyRuntimeState_SetFinalizing()  ← Py_IsFinalizing() becomes True
├── _PyGC_CollectIfEnabled()         ← GC phase (__del__ methods run here)
│   └── Py_IsFinalizing()           ← standard API covers this
├── finalize_interp_clear()          ← type objects freed here

Without the guards, code running in atexit handlers (e.g. uWSGI plugin cleanup calling Py_FinalizeEx) or __del__ methods could call greenlet.getcurrent(), reaching into partially-torn-down C++ state and crashing in PyType_IsSubtype via GreenletChecker.

What changed

C++ shutdown guards (8 files)

Additional hardening

• clear_deleteme_list() uses std::swap (zero-allocation) instead of copying the PythonAllocator-backed vector
• deleteme vector uses std::allocator (system malloc) instead of PyMem_Malloc
• ThreadState uses std::malloc/std::free instead of PyObject_Malloc
• clear_deleteme_list() preserves pending Python exceptions around its cleanup loop

Tests (3 files)

• 5 new TDD-certified regression tests in test_interpreter_shutdown.py — verified RED on greenlet 3.3.2 (UNGUARDED) and GREEN with fix (GUARDED) across Python 3.10–3.14
• 3 strengthened smoke tests — assert getcurrent() still returns valid objects when called before greenlet's cleanup (guards against over-blocking)
• Updated file docstring and section headers — organized 21 tests into 4 documented groups
• Fixed test_dealloc_catches_GreenletExit_throws_other — use sys.unraisablehook instead of stderr capture (pytest compatibility)
• Fixed test_version — skip gracefully on old setuptools that can't parse PEP 639 SPDX license format

TDD verification

Ran both test types against unpatched greenlet 3.3.2 and the patched code across 6 Python versions:

PR #495's tests were also re-evaluated as part of this work: all 9 original tests pass on both greenlet 3.1.1 (pre-#495) and 3.3.2 (post-#495), confirming they are smoke tests that cannot detect regressions. The 5 Group D tests added here are the true regression safety net.

Additionally, the crash reproducer (uWSGI + Flask on ARM64 Python 3.11) ran 45,000 requests with 0 crashes (15 worker recycling cycles) with the patched greenlet.

Test plan

• Full local test suite: 158 passed, 3 skipped, 0 failed (pytest)
• TDD RED/GREEN verification across Python 3.10–3.14 via Docker
• Crash reproducer: 45,000 requests, 0 segfaults on ARM64 Python 3.11
• Behavioral review: murder_in_place() guard only fires during shutdown, not normal thread exit (Group B tests verify GreenletExit/finally still work)
• Full CI on all supported Python versions

Backport note

These fixes have already been backported to the maint/3.2 branch in PR #500 (targeting 3.2.6), since the previous backport (3.2.5 / PR #495) did not fully stabilize shutdown behavior.