python / python/mypy

Unexpected comparison-overlap error for identity comparison of optionals

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bug topic-overlap
Dominant language
Python
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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

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 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

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