demonstration of why asyncio.shield is misleading

asyncio_shield_misleading.py

import asyncio


async def task():
    print('task start')
    await asyncio.sleep(.5)
    print('task done')


async def run_tasks():
    while True:
        await asyncio.shield(task())


async def main():
    loop = asyncio.get_running_loop()
    task_runner = loop.create_task(run_tasks())
    
    await asyncio.sleep(.75)
    
    task_runner.cancel()
    await task_runner
    
    # expectation: 'task done' is always printed because of asyncio.shield


asyncio.run(main())