`ctypes.CDLL` does no longer honor the `handle` argument starting Python 3.13.10+ & 3.14.1+?

[leofang]

Bug report

Bug description:

By inspecting the source code, I noticed that in the 3.12 branch handle is still used:

cpython/Lib/ctypes/__init__.py

Lines 378 to 381 in 2750f3c

	if handle is None:
	self._handle = _dlopen(self._name, mode)
	else:
	self._handle = handle

but starting 3.13 & Unix-like systems it is not:

cpython/Lib/ctypes/__init__.py

Lines 382 to 401 in 823b50e

	def _load_library(self, name, mode, handle, winmode):
	# If the filename that has been provided is an iOS/tvOS/watchOS
	# .fwork file, dereference the location to the true origin of the
	# binary.
	if name and name.endswith(".fwork"):
	with open(name) as f:
	name = _os.path.join(
	_os.path.dirname(_sys.executable),
	f.read().strip()
	)
	if _sys.platform.startswith("aix"):
	"""When the name contains ".a(" and ends with ")",
	e.g., "libFOO.a(libFOO.so)" - this is taken to be an
	archive(member) syntax for dlopen(), and the mode is adjusted.
	Otherwise, name is presented to dlopen() as a file argument.
	"""
	if name and name.endswith(")") and ".a(" in name:
	mode |= _os.RTLD_MEMBER | _os.RTLD_NOW
	self._name = name
	return _dlopen(name, mode)

where handle is passed to CDLL._load_library() but is not used at all. Instead, _dlopen() is always called to populate self._handle.

A quick check shows that this starts fairly recently, Python 3.13.10+ & 3.14.1+. It seems to me like a refactoring bug introduced in #136878, #138546, #138547 IIUC.

CPython versions tested on:

3.13

Operating systems tested on:

No response

Linked PRs

• gh-143304: Fix ctypes.CDLL to honor handle parameter on POSIX systems #143318