python / python/mypy

Generic matching error when tuple-unpacking result

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bug topic-inference topic-type-variables topic-union-types
Dominant language
Python
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Description

Here, in caller_bad, immediately unpacking the result leads to the second type variable getting bound to int | str instead of just int

from typing import TypeVar, Generic

T = TypeVar('T')
U = TypeVar('U')

class Test(Generic[T, U]):
    pass

def test(gen: Test[T, U]) -> tuple[T, U | str]:
    raise NotImplementedError

def call() -> Test[str, int]:
    raise NotImplementedError

def caller_bad() -> None:
    x, y = test(call())

def caller_ok() -> None:
    res = test(call())
    x, y = res
_bug.py:16: error: Argument 1 to "test" has incompatible type "Test[str, int]"; expected "Test[str, Union[int, str]]"  [arg-type]

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  4. Open a pull request that references the issue number.

Research direction

Use the supplied _bug.py reproducer as the starting point; then trace mypy's generic inference for direct tuple unpacking versus assigning the result first. Done means caller_bad no longer reports the incompatible Test[str, int] argument while caller_ok remains valid, with a regression test covering both forms.

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
Clearly specified
Newbie friendliness
42/100

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