python-attrs / python-attrs/attrs
cached_property in slotted classes doesn't work if overridden in child class
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Description
With attrs 24.2.0 and 23.2.0, if you use cached_property and try to override it in a child, and access the parent value, you get an AttributeError. We ran into this in our code when converting some classes to use slots.
I see there was support added in 24.2.0 for
Allow super() calls in slotted cached properties
But attrs still doesn't support "super() calls of overridden cached_property's in slotted classes":
from functools import cached_property
import attrs
@attrs.define(slots=True)
class Parent:
@cached_property
def name(self) -> str:
return "Alice"
@attrs.define(slots=True)
class Child(Parent):
@cached_property
def name(self) -> str:
return f"Bob (son of {super().name})"
p = Parent()
print(p.name) # prints Alice
c = Child()
print(c.name) # error:
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "foo.py", line 23, in <module>
print(c.name)
^^^^^^
File "<attrs generated getattr __main__.Child>", line 6, in __getattr__
File "foo.py", line 18, in name
return f"Bob (son of {super().name})"
^^^^^^^^^^^^
AttributeError: 'Child' object has no attribute 'name'
Workarounds:
- disable slots
- don't use cached_property
- don't override the method
Elaboration:
I see the special handling is described in the docs and I see in the code that it generates a special __getattr__ that sets the generated value in the slot after being called. Perhaps when constructing a class, attrs should also walk the MRO for cached_propertys and handle any overridden cached_property methods — perhaps create some sort of namespaced/name-mangled properties for the parent.
Contributor guide
First steps
- Read the whole issue, then the project's contributing guide.
- Comment on the issue to say you are picking it up — it saves two people doing the same work.
- Fork the repository and make your change on a branch.
- Open a pull request that references the issue number.
Research direction
Start in src/attr/_make.py around the generated getattr handling described in the issue, and read the cached-properties-on-slotted-classes documentation. Run the provided Parent/Child reproducer and trace the generated lookup across the MRO. Done means Child().name can call the parent cached_property and produce "Bob (son of Alice)" without disabling slots.
Written by the indexing model from the issue text.
Assessment
- Tech stack
- python
- Domain
- developer-experience
- Issue type
- Bug
- Difficulty
- 4/5
- Estimated time
- 3-5 days
- Activity status
- Stale
- Clarity
- Mostly clear
- Newbie friendliness
- 38/100