python / python/mypy

Warning/Error for unassigned expressions/return values

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#17,069 3 comments 3 reactions 0 assignees View on GitHub

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feature
Dominant language
Python
Stars
20.6k
Forks
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PR merge metrics
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Description

Feature

Adding a warning or error if an expression is not assigned would encourage callers to handle return types and pick up on changes to APIs.

Pitch

Imagine you have this api:

def fleeb_the_foo() -> None:
    print("fleebing")

def main() -> None:
    fleeb_the_foo()

Then you change it later:

def fleeb_the_foo() -> Bool:
    print("I failed to fleeb!")
    return False

def main() -> None:
    fleeb_the_foo() # <<--- a warning or error here!

If you don't want to handle the warning/error:

def fleeb_the_foo() -> Bool:
    print("I failed to fleeb!")
    return False

def main() -> None:
    _ = fleeb_the_foo() # error is suppressed

This is already implemented to some degree with pylint for unassigned expressions with [expression-not-assigned]

str(42) == "42"  # [expression-not-assigned]

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 by comparing the proposed behavior with pylint's expression-not-assigned check, which is linked in the issue. Clarify which unassigned return values should produce diagnostics and how explicit _ = suppression should work. Done means the behavior and diagnostic rules are defined well enough to implement and test.

Written by the indexing model from the issue text.

Assessment

Tech stack
python
Domain
tooling
Issue type
Feature
Difficulty
5/5
Estimated time
Over a week
Activity status
Stale
Clarity
Needs clarification
Newbie friendliness
25/100

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