python / python/mypy

isinstance wrongly narrows away Any

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bug topic-type-narrowing
Dominant language
Python
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Description

Bug Report

Mypy falsely narrows a type when using isinstance with a tuple containing a variable of type Any.
This only happens when there is at least one other element in the tuple.
Note that a class might have type Any if it is imported from an untyped module.

To Reproduce

from typing import Any

class A: 
    pass

B: Any  # (Or from untyped_lib import B)

m: Any

if isinstance(m, (A, B)):
    reveal_type(m)
else:
    reveal_type(m)

Expected Behavior

Mypy reports no error. m is of type Any in both branches

Actual Behavior

The second branch is reported as unreachable.

Your Environment

  • Mypy version used: 0.931
  • Mypy command-line flags: --warn-unreachable
  • Mypy configuration options from mypy.ini (and other config files): None
  • Python version used: 3.10

Contributor guide

Open the contributing guide

First steps

  1. Read the whole issue, then the project's contributing guide.
  2. Comment on the issue to say you are picking it up — it saves two people doing the same work.
  3. Fork the repository and make your change on a branch.
  4. Open a pull request that references the issue number.

Research direction

Start by running the supplied reproduction with mypy 0.931, Python 3.10, and --warn-unreachable, then trace the isinstance narrowing logic involved when a tuple contains Any. Done means the example reports m as Any in both branches and no longer marks the else branch unreachable.

Written by the indexing model from the issue text.

Assessment

Tech stack
python
Domain
compilers, devtools
Issue type
Bug
Difficulty
4/5
Estimated time
3-5 days
Activity status
Stale
Clarity
Mostly clear
Newbie friendliness
45/100

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