python / python/mypy

(🐞) No error for incorrect variance on parameter with generic type

Open
#13,232 0 comments 0 reactions 0 assignees View on GitHub

Nobody has claimed this yet.

bug topic-type-variables
Dominant language
Python
Stars
20.6k
Forks
3.3k
PR merge metrics
PR metrics pending

Description

from typing import TypeVar, Generic

T_in = TypeVar("T_in", contravariant=True)
T_out = TypeVar("T_out", covariant=True)

class AOut(Generic[T_out]): ...
class AIn(Generic[T_in]): ...

class BOut(Generic[T_out]):
    def f(self, a_out: AOut[T_out]) -> None: ...  # no error
    
class BIn(Generic[T_in]):
    def f(self, a_out: AIn[T_in]) -> None: ...  # no error

Mypy in real life

from typing import TypeVar, Generic, Callable

T_in = TypeVar("T_in", contravariant=True)
T_out = TypeVar("T_out", covariant=True)

class AOut(Generic[T_out]):
    T: T_out
    def f(self, fn: Callable[[], T_out]) -> None:
        self.t = fn()
    
    def dump(self) -> T_out:
        return self.t
class AIn(Generic[T_in]):
    t: T_in
    def load(self, t: T_in) -> None:
        self.t = t
    def f(self, fn: Callable[[T_in], object]) -> None:
        fn(self.t)
    

o1: AOut[int]
o: AOut[object] = o1

o.f(lambda: "")
o1.dump() + 1  # runtime error

i1: AIn[object]
i: AIn[int] = i1

i1.load("")
i.f(lambda x: x + 1)  # runtime error

related: #734, #8191

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

Run mypy on the two reproductions in the issue and confirm that the invalid variance uses produce no errors. Trace the generic variance-checking entry point and add a regression test covering both covariant and contravariant cases; done means mypy reports the expected errors without breaking valid variance usage.

Written by the indexing model from the issue text.

Assessment

Tech stack
python
Domain
devtools
Issue type
Bug
Difficulty
4/5
Estimated time
3-5 days
Activity status
Stale
Clarity
Mostly clear
Newbie friendliness
35/100

Get new issues in your inbox

A short digest of beginner-friendly GitHub issues.