[3.11] gh-116811: Ensure MetadataPathFinder.invalidate_caches is reachable when delegated through PathFinder. (GH-116812) (#116865)

* Make MetadataPathFinder a proper classmethod.

* In PathFinder.invalidate_caches, also invoke MetadataPathFinder.invalidate_caches.

* Add blurb
(cherry picked from commit 5f52d20a93)

Lib/importlib/_bootstrap_external.py

@@ -1405,6 +1405,9 @@ def invalidate_caches():
         # https://bugs.python.org/issue45703
         _NamespacePath._epoch += 1
 
+        from importlib.metadata import MetadataPathFinder
+        MetadataPathFinder.invalidate_caches()
+
     @staticmethod
     def _path_hooks(path):
         """Search sys.path_hooks for a finder for 'path'."""

Lib/importlib/metadata/__init__.py

@@ -915,6 +915,7 @@ def _search_paths(cls, name, paths):
             path.search(prepared) for path in map(FastPath, paths)
         )
 
+    @classmethod
     def invalidate_caches(cls):
         FastPath.__new__.cache_clear()
 

Misc/NEWS.d/next/Library/2024-03-14-10-01-23.gh-issue-116811._h5iKP.rst

@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+In ``PathFinder.invalidate_caches``, delegate to
+``MetadataPathFinder.invalidate_caches``.