python / python/mypy

--warn-unreachable and isinstance leads to false positive about method resolution order

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#15,038 2 comments 1 reaction 0 assignees View on GitHub

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bug
Dominant language
Python
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Description

Bug Report

A small V shaped class hierarchy, a variable annotated as an instance of the supertype, and a few assert isinstance to progressively narrow the type gets a false positive error message from mypy that no such subclass could exist. The code works fine at runtime, though.

To Reproduce

https://gist.github.com/mypy-play/a653520575a1e3279bfcec2f64c4a128

Requires --warn-unreachable:
https://mypy-play.net/?mypy=latest&python=3.11&flags=warn-unreachable&gist=a653520575a1e3279bfcec2f64c4a128

class A: pass
class B(A): pass
class C:pass
class D(B, C):pass

m: A = D()
assert isinstance(m, C)  # remove this line, or move it to after the following one, and the error goes away.
assert isinstance(m, D)  # error: Subclass of "A", "C", and "D" cannot exist: would have inconsistent method resolution order  [unreachable]

Actual Behavior

$ mypy --warn-unreachable b.py
b.py:8: error: Subclass of "A", "C", and "D" cannot exist: would have inconsistent method resolution order  [unreachable]
Found 1 error in 1 file (checked 1 source file)

Your Environment

  • Mypy version used: 1.2.0 (compiled: yes)
  • Mypy command-line flags: --warn-unreachable
  • Mypy configuration options from mypy.ini (and other config files): None
  • Python version used: 3.11.0rc1

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 with the reproducer in the issue and run mypy with --warn-unreachable to confirm the diagnostic. Trace the isinstance narrowing and method-resolution-order analysis responsible for the unreachable result; done means this valid hierarchy no longer produces a false positive while genuine unreachable cases remain reported.

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
35/100

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