python · AA-Turner · Aug 13, 2025 · Aug 13, 2025 · Aug 13, 2025
diff --git a/src/blurb/__main__.py b/src/blurb/__main__.py
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 """Run blurb using ``python3 -m blurb``."""
 
+from __future__ import annotations
+
 from blurb._cli import main
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':

diff --git a/src/blurb/_add.py b/src/blurb/_add.py
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
 import tempfile
 
 from blurb._blurb_file import BlurbError, Blurbs
-from blurb._cli import error, prompt, subcommand
+from blurb._cli import error, prompt
 from blurb._git import flush_git_add_files, git_add_files
 from blurb._template import sections, template
 
@@ -23,7 +23,6 @@
     FALLBACK_EDITORS = ('/etc/alternatives/editor', 'nano')
 
 
-@subcommand
 def add(*, issue: str | None = None, section: str | None = None):
     """Add a blurb (a Misc/NEWS.d/next entry) to the current CPython repo.
 

diff --git a/src/blurb/_cli.py b/src/blurb/_cli.py
@@ -19,6 +19,31 @@
 readme_re = re.compile(r'This is \w+ version \d+\.\d+').match
 
 
+def initialise_subcommands() -> None:
+    global subcommands
+
+    from blurb._add import add
+    from blurb._export import export
+    from blurb._merge import merge
+    from blurb._populate import populate
+    from blurb._release import release
+
+    subcommands = {
+        'version': version,
+        'help': help,
+        'add': add,
+        'export': export,
+        'merge': merge,
+        'populate': populate,
+        'release': release,
+
+        # Make 'blurb --help/--version/-V' work.
+        '--help': help,
+        '--version': version,
+        '-V': version,
+    }
+
+
 def error(msg: str, /) -> NoReturn:
     raise SystemExit(f'Error: {msg}')
 
@@ -35,26 +60,18 @@ def require_ok(prompt: str, /) -> str:
             return s
 
 
-def subcommand(fn: CommandFunc):
-    global subcommands
-    subcommands[fn.__name__] = fn
-    return fn
-
-
 def get_subcommand(subcommand: str, /) -> CommandFunc:
     fn = subcommands.get(subcommand)
     if not fn:
         error(f"Unknown subcommand: {subcommand}\nRun 'blurb help' for help.")
     return fn
 
 
-@subcommand
 def version() -> None:
     """Print blurb version."""
     print('blurb version', blurb.__version__)
 
 
-@subcommand
 def help(subcommand: str | None = None) -> None:
     """Print help for subcommands.
 
@@ -102,12 +119,6 @@ def help(subcommand: str | None = None) -> None:
     raise SystemExit(0)
 
 
-# Make 'blurb --help/--version/-V' work.
-subcommands['--help'] = help
-subcommands['--version'] = version
-subcommands['-V'] = version
-
-
 def _blurb_help() -> None:
     """Print default help for blurb."""
 
@@ -157,6 +168,7 @@ def main() -> None:
     subcommand = args[0]
     args = args[1:]
 
+    initialise_subcommands()
     fn = get_subcommand(subcommand)
 
     # hack

diff --git a/src/blurb/_export.py b/src/blurb/_export.py
@@ -1,10 +1,9 @@
+from __future__ import annotations
+
 import os
 import shutil
 
-from blurb._cli import subcommand
-
 
-@subcommand
 def export() -> None:
     """Removes blurb data files, for building release tarballs/installers."""
     os.chdir('Misc')

diff --git a/src/blurb/_git.py b/src/blurb/_git.py
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+from __future__ import annotations
+
 import os
 import subprocess
 

diff --git a/src/blurb/_merge.py b/src/blurb/_merge.py
@@ -1,17 +1,18 @@
+from __future__ import annotations
+
 import os
 import sys
 from pathlib import Path
 
 from blurb._blurb_file import Blurbs
-from blurb._cli import require_ok, subcommand
+from blurb._cli import require_ok
 from blurb._utils.globs import glob_blurbs
 from blurb._utils.text import textwrap_body
 from blurb._versions import glob_versions, printable_version
 
 original_dir: str = os.getcwd()
 
 
-@subcommand
 def merge(output: str | None = None, *, forced: bool = False) -> None:
     """Merge all blurbs together into a single Misc/NEWS file.
 

diff --git a/src/blurb/_populate.py b/src/blurb/_populate.py
@@ -1,11 +1,11 @@
+from __future__ import annotations
+
 import os
 
-from blurb._cli import subcommand
 from blurb._git import flush_git_add_files, git_add_files
 from blurb._template import sanitize_section, sections
 
 
-@subcommand
 def populate() -> None:
     """Creates and populates the Misc/NEWS.d directory tree."""
     os.chdir('Misc')

diff --git a/src/blurb/_release.py b/src/blurb/_release.py
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 
 import blurb._blurb_file
 from blurb._blurb_file import Blurbs
-from blurb._cli import error, subcommand
+from blurb._cli import error
 from blurb._git import (
     flush_git_add_files,
     flush_git_rm_files,
@@ -16,7 +16,6 @@
 from blurb._utils.text import generate_nonce
 
 
-@subcommand
 def release(version: str) -> None:
     """Move all new blurbs to a single blurb file for the release.
 

diff --git a/src/blurb/_utils/globs.py b/src/blurb/_utils/globs.py
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+from __future__ import annotations
+
 import glob
 import os
 

diff --git a/src/blurb/_versions.py b/src/blurb/_versions.py
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+from __future__ import annotations
+
 import glob
 import sys