gh-156131: threading: add run() and run_daemon() to start threads easily

Author: rqndom

Doc/library/threading.rst

@@ -220,6 +220,17 @@ This module defines the following functions:
    .. versionadded:: 3.4
 
 
+.. function:: run(func, /, *args, **kwargs)
+              run_daemon(func, /, *args, **kwargs)
+
+   Run `func(*args, **kwargs)` in a thread and return the corresponding
+   :class:`Thread` object.  The thread is started automatically.
+
+   With :func:`run_daemon` the thread is set as daemonic.
+
+   .. versionadded:: 3.16
+
+
 .. function:: settrace(func)
 
    .. index:: single: trace function

Lib/test/test_threading.py

@@ -1519,6 +1519,21 @@ def run_in_bg():
         self.assertEqual(err, b"")
         self.assertEqual(out.strip(), b"Exiting...")
 
+    def test_run(self):
+        def func(x, y):
+            z.append(x + y)
+
+        z = []
+        thread = threading.run(func, 5, y=3)
+        thread.join()
+        self.assertEqual(z, [8])
+
+        z = []
+        thread = threading.run_daemon(func, 8, y=4)
+        thread.join()
+        self.assertEqual(z, [12])
+        self.assertEqual(thread.daemon, True)
+
 class ThreadJoinOnShutdown(BaseTestCase):
 
     def _run_and_join(self, script):

Lib/threading.py

@@ -30,7 +30,8 @@
            'setprofile', 'settrace', 'local', 'stack_size',
            'excepthook', 'ExceptHookArgs', 'gettrace', 'getprofile',
            'serialize_iterator', 'synchronized_iterator', 'concurrent_tee',
-           'setprofile_all_threads','settrace_all_threads']
+           'setprofile_all_threads','settrace_all_threads',
+           'run', 'run_daemon']
 
 # Rename some stuff so "from threading import *" is safe
 _start_joinable_thread = _thread.start_joinable_thread
@@ -1664,6 +1665,19 @@ def enumerate():
     with _active_limbo_lock:
         return list(_active.values()) + list(_limbo.values())
 
+def run(func, /, *args, **kwargs):
+    """Return a running Thread object of func(*args, **kwargs)."""
+    thread = Thread(target=func, name=func.__name__, args=args, kwargs=kwargs)
+    thread.start()
+    return thread
+
+def run_daemon(func, /, *args, **kwargs):
+    """Return a running daemonic Thread object of func(*args, **kwargs)."""
+    thread = Thread(target=func, name=func.__name__, args=args, kwargs=kwargs)
+    thread.daemon = True
+    thread.start()
+    return thread
+
 
 _threading_atexits = []
 _SHUTTING_DOWN = False

Misc/NEWS.d/next/Library/2026-08-21-12-14-00.gh-issue-156131.KElflR.rst

@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+Add :func:`threading.run` and :func:`threading.run_daemon` functions as
+a convenient way to start threads.