Unexpected comparison-overlap error for identity comparison of optionals
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Description
Bug Report
mypy generates "error: Non-overlapping identity check" for identity comparison between optionals, even though None has the same identity as None. This is especially confusing for the x is y is None pattern, which I would expect to be valid as long as x and y are optional.
To Reproduce
def foo(x: int | None, y: str | None) -> None:
if x is y:
print('x and y have same identity!')
foo(None, None)
Actual Behavior
$ python repr.py
x and y have same identity!
$ mypy --strict repr.py
repr.py:2: error: Non-overlapping identity check (left operand type: "Optional[int]", right operand type: "Optional[str]") [comparison-overlap]
Found 1 error in 1 file (checked 1 source file)
Your Environment
- Mypy version used: 0.991
- Mypy command-line flags:
--strict - Mypy configuration options from
mypy.ini(and other config files): None - Python version used: 3.10.8
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
Run the supplied Python 3.10 reproducer with mypy --strict first, then trace the comparison-overlap diagnostic for identity checks. Done means the optional identity comparison in the example is accepted without incorrectly reporting non-overlapping types, while genuine comparison-overlap errors remain reported.
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