strip_meta is deprecated and will be removed in v5.0.0

CHANGELOG.rst

@@ -41,6 +41,9 @@ Deprecated
 - ``Path.__call__`` is deprecated and will be removed in v5.0.0. Use the
   ``absolute`` or ``relative`` properties instead (`#794
   <https://github.com/omni-us/jsonargparse/pull/794>`__).
+- ``strip_meta`` is deprecated and will be removed in v5.0.0. Instead use
+  ``.clone(with_meta=False)`` (`#795
+  <https://github.com/omni-us/jsonargparse/pull/795>`__).
 
 
 v4.42.0 (2025-10-14)

jsonargparse/_core.py

@@ -71,10 +71,10 @@
     is_meta_key,
     patch_namespace,
     recreate_branches,
+    remove_meta,
     split_key,
     split_key_leaf,
     split_key_root,
-    strip_meta,
 )
 from ._optionals import (
     _get_config_read_mode,
@@ -393,7 +393,7 @@ def _parse_common(
                 self.validate(cfg, skip_required=skip_required)
 
         if not (with_meta or (with_meta is None and self._default_meta)):
-            cfg = strip_meta(cfg)
+            cfg = cfg.clone(with_meta=False)
 
         return cfg
 
@@ -793,7 +793,7 @@ def dump(
         skip_validation = deprecated_skip_check(ArgumentParser.dump, kwargs, skip_validation)
         check_valid_dump_format(format)
 
-        cfg = strip_meta(cfg)
+        cfg = cfg.clone(with_meta=False)
 
         with parser_context(load_value_mode=self.parser_mode):
             if not skip_validation:
@@ -926,7 +926,7 @@ def check_overwrite(path):
 
             if not skip_validation:
                 with parser_context(load_value_mode=self.parser_mode):
-                    self.validate(strip_meta(cfg), branch=branch)
+                    self.validate(cfg.clone(with_meta=False), branch=branch)
 
             ActionLink.strip_link_target_keys(self, cfg)
 
@@ -937,7 +937,7 @@ def is_path_action(key):
             def save_path(val):
                 val_path = Path(os.path.basename(val["__path__"].absolute), mode="fc")
                 check_overwrite(val_path)
-                val_out = strip_meta(val)
+                val_out = remove_meta(val)
                 if isinstance(val, Namespace):
                     val_out = val_out.as_dict()
                 if "__orig__" in val:
@@ -1258,7 +1258,7 @@ def instantiate_classes(
         order = ActionLink.instantiation_order(self)
         components = ActionLink.reorder(order, components)
 
-        cfg = strip_meta(cfg)
+        cfg = cfg.clone(with_meta=False)
         for component in components:
             ActionLink.apply_instantiation_links(self, cfg, target=component.dest)
             if isinstance(component, ActionTypeHint):

jsonargparse/_deprecated.py

@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
 from importlib import import_module
 from pathlib import Path
 from types import ModuleType
-from typing import Any, Callable, Dict, Optional, Set
+from typing import Any, Callable, Dict, Optional, Set, overload
 
 from ._common import Action, null_logger
 from ._common import LoggerProperty as InternalLoggerProperty
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@
     "set_docstring_parse_options",
     "set_config_read_mode",
     "set_url_support",
+    "strip_meta",
     "usage_and_exit_error_handler",
 ]
 
@@ -705,6 +706,27 @@
     return namespace.clone().as_dict()
 
 
+@overload
+def strip_meta(cfg: "Namespace") -> "Namespace": ...  # pragma: no cover
+
+
+@overload
+def strip_meta(cfg: Dict[str, Any]) -> Dict[str, Any]: ...  # pragma: no cover
+
+
+@deprecated(
+    """
+    strip_meta was deprecated in v4.43.0 and will be removed in v5.0.0.
+    Instead use ``.clone(with_meta=False)``.
+"""
+)
+def strip_meta(cfg):
+    """Removes all metadata keys from a configuration object."""
+    from ._namespace import remove_meta
+
+    return remove_meta(cfg)
+
+
 class HelpFormatterDeprecations:
     """Helper class for DefaultHelpFormatter deprecations. Will be removed in v5.0.0."""
 

jsonargparse/_jsonschema.py

@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
 from ._actions import _is_action_value_list
 from ._common import Action, parser_context
 from ._loaders_dumpers import get_loader_exceptions, load_value
-from ._namespace import strip_meta
+from ._namespace import remove_meta
 from ._optionals import (
     get_jsonschema_exceptions,
     import_jsonschema,
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ def __call__(self, *args, **kwargs):
             return class_type(**kwargs)
         val = self._check_type(args[2])
         if not self._with_meta:
-            val = strip_meta(val)
+            val = remove_meta(val)
         setattr(args[1], self.dest, val)
         return None
 

jsonargparse/_namespace.py

@@ -13,13 +13,11 @@
     Set,
     Tuple,
     Union,
-    overload,
 )
 
 __all__ = [
     "Namespace",
     "dict_to_namespace",
-    "strip_meta",
 ]
 
 
@@ -48,23 +46,7 @@ def is_meta_key(key: str) -> bool:
     return leaf_key in meta_keys
 
 
-@overload
-def strip_meta(cfg: "Namespace") -> "Namespace": ...  # pragma: no cover
-
-
-@overload
-def strip_meta(cfg: Dict[str, Any]) -> Dict[str, Any]: ...  # pragma: no cover
-
-
-def strip_meta(cfg):
-    """Removes all metadata keys from a configuration object.
-
-    Args:
-        cfg: The configuration object to strip.
-
-    Returns:
-        A copy of the configuration object excluding all metadata keys.
-    """
+def remove_meta(cfg: Union["Namespace", dict]):
     if cfg:
         cfg = recreate_branches(cfg, skip_keys=meta_keys)
     return cfg
@@ -275,9 +257,13 @@ def get_sorted_keys(self, branches: bool = True, key_filter: Callable = is_meta_
         keys.sort(key=lambda x: -len(split_key(x)))
         return keys
 
-    def clone(self) -> "Namespace":
-        """Creates an new identical nested namespace."""
-        return recreate_branches(self)
+    def clone(self, with_meta: bool = True) -> "Namespace":
+        """Creates an new copy of the nested namespace.
+
+        Args:
+            with_meta: Whether to include metadata keys in the copy.
+        """
+        return recreate_branches(self, skip_keys=None if with_meta else meta_keys)
 
     def update(
         self, value: Union["Namespace", Any], key: Optional[str] = None, only_unset: bool = False

jsonargparse_tests/test_actions.py

@@ -12,7 +12,6 @@
     ArgumentError,
     ArgumentParser,
     Namespace,
-    strip_meta,
 )
 from jsonargparse_tests.conftest import get_parser_help, json_or_yaml_dump
 
@@ -238,7 +237,7 @@ def test_action_parser_parse_path(composed_parsers):
     cfg = parser.parse_path(yaml_main)
     assert "inner2.yaml" == str(cfg.inner2.__path__)
     assert "inner3.yaml" == str(cfg.inner2.inner3.__path__)
-    assert expected == strip_meta(cfg).as_dict()
+    assert expected == cfg.clone(with_meta=False).as_dict()
 
     yaml_main2 = yaml_main.parent / "main2.yaml"
     yaml_main2.write_text(parser.dump(cfg))

jsonargparse_tests/test_core.py

@@ -23,7 +23,6 @@
     ArgumentParser,
     Namespace,
     set_parsing_settings,
-    strip_meta,
 )
 from jsonargparse._formatters import get_env_var
 from jsonargparse._namespace import NSKeyError
@@ -667,7 +666,7 @@ def rm_out_files():
 
     with subtests.test("parse_path with metadata"):
         cfg1 = parser.parse_path(main_file_in, with_meta=True)
-        assert expected == strip_meta(cfg1)
+        assert expected == cfg1.clone(with_meta=False)
         assert str(cfg1.subparser["__path__"]) == "subparser.yaml"
         if jsonschema_support:
             assert str(cfg1.schema["__path__"]) == "schema.json"

jsonargparse_tests/test_deprecated.py

@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@
     deprecation_warning,
     namespace_to_dict,
     shown_deprecation_warnings,
+    strip_meta,
     usage_and_exit_error_handler,
 )
 from jsonargparse._formatters import DefaultHelpFormatter
@@ -757,6 +758,20 @@ def test_namespace_to_dict():
     )
 
 
+def test_strip_meta():
+    ns = Namespace(x=1, __path__="path")
+    with catch_warnings(record=True) as w:
+        result = strip_meta(ns)
+    assert result == Namespace(x=1)
+    assert_deprecation_warn(
+        w,
+        message="strip_meta was deprecated",
+        code="result = strip_meta(ns)",
+    )
+    result = strip_meta(ns.as_dict())
+    assert result == {"x": 1}
+
+
 @pytest.mark.skipif(not ruamel_support, reason="ruamel.yaml package is required")
 def test_DefaultHelpFormatter_yaml_comments(parser):
     parser.add_argument("--arg", type=int, help="Description")

jsonargparse_tests/test_jsonnet.py

@@ -11,7 +11,6 @@
     ActionJsonSchema,
     ArgumentError,
     ArgumentParser,
-    strip_meta,
 )
 from jsonargparse._optionals import jsonnet_support, pyyaml_available
 from jsonargparse_tests.conftest import (
@@ -188,19 +187,19 @@ def test_action_jsonnet_save_config_metadata(parser, tmp_path):
     # parse using saved config and verify result is the same
     cfg2 = parser.parse_args([f"--cfg={output_config}"])
     cfg2.cfg = None
-    assert strip_meta(cfg) == strip_meta(cfg2)
+    assert cfg.clone(with_meta=False) == cfg2.clone(with_meta=False)
 
     # save the config without metadata and verify it is saved as a single file
     output_config.unlink()
     output_jsonnet.unlink()
-    parser.save(strip_meta(cfg), output_config)
+    parser.save(cfg.clone(with_meta=False), output_config)
     assert output_config.is_file()
     assert not output_jsonnet.is_file()
 
     # parse using saved config and verify result is the same
     cfg3 = parser.parse_args([f"--cfg={output_config}"])
     cfg3.cfg = None
-    assert strip_meta(cfg) == strip_meta(cfg3)
+    assert cfg.clone(with_meta=False) == cfg3.clone(with_meta=False)
 
 
 @skip_if_jsonschema_unavailable

jsonargparse_tests/test_signatures.py

@@ -13,7 +13,6 @@
     ArgumentError,
     Namespace,
     lazy_instance,
-    strip_meta,
 )
 from jsonargparse._actions import _find_action
 from jsonargparse._optionals import docstring_parser_support
@@ -685,7 +684,7 @@ def test_add_function_group_config_within_config(parser, tmp_cwd):
 
     cfg = parser.parse_args([f"--cfg={cfg_path}"])
     assert str(cfg.func.__path__) == str(subcfg_path)
-    assert strip_meta(cfg.func) == Namespace(a1="one", a2=2.0, a3=True, a4=None)
+    assert cfg.func.clone(with_meta=False) == Namespace(a1="one", a2=2.0, a3=True, a4=None)
 
 
 def func_param_conflict(p1: int, cfg: dict):

jsonargparse_tests/test_subcommands.py

@@ -12,7 +12,6 @@
     ArgumentError,
     ArgumentParser,
     Namespace,
-    strip_meta,
 )
 from jsonargparse_tests.conftest import (
     get_parse_args_stderr,
@@ -258,7 +257,7 @@ def test_subcommand_required_arg_in_default_config(parser, subparser, tmp_cwd):
     subcommands.add_subcommand("prepare", subparser)
     cfg = parser.parse_args([])
     assert str(cfg.__default_config__) == "config.yaml"
-    assert strip_meta(cfg) == Namespace(output="test", prepare=Namespace(media="test"), subcommand="prepare")
+    assert cfg.clone(with_meta=False) == Namespace(output="test", prepare=Namespace(media="test"), subcommand="prepare")
 
 
 class SubModel: