python / python/mypy

mypy incorrectly complains about incompatible type error

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Description

Bug Report

mypy is incorrectly complaining that the arguments to a function have an incompatible type, when used in the context of a class attribute.

In the example below, we are creating a library of fields (StringField, IntegerField, etc.), to be used in a runtime schema validation library. In addition, we create a OneOfField that takes a list of sub-fields via the with_ function. Creating a OneOfField works fine by itself, but when assigned to a class attribute, mypy incorrectly complains about a type error.

from typing import Generic, TypeVar, Union, assert_type, cast, overload, Self

InputType = TypeVar("InputType")
OutputType = TypeVar("OutputType")


class Field(Generic[InputType, OutputType]):
    # We want both InputType and OutputType to be used in functions like the
    # ones below, so they can't be marked covariant or contravariant.
    def validate(self, input: Any) -> InputType:
        return cast(InputType, input)
    
    def render(self, input: InputType) -> OutputType:
        return cast(OutputType, input)
    
    def serialize(self, output: OutputType) -> str:
        return ""


class StringField(Field[str, str]):
    pass


class IntegerField(Field[int, int]):
    pass


class BooleanField(Field[bool, bool]):
    pass


def input_type(field: Field[InputType, OutputType]) -> InputType:
    return cast(InputType, field)


OneOfInputType = TypeVar("OneOfInputType")
OneOfOutputType = TypeVar("OneOfOutputType")

AInputType = TypeVar("AInputType")
AOutputType = TypeVar("AOutputType")

BInputType = TypeVar("BInputType")
BOutputType = TypeVar("BOutputType")

CInputType = TypeVar("CInputType")
COutputType = TypeVar("COutputType")


class OneOfField(
    Generic[OneOfInputType, OneOfOutputType],
    Field[OneOfInputType, OneOfOutputType],
):
    fields: list[Field]

    def __init__(self) -> None:
        super().__init__()
        self.fields = []

    @overload
    def with_(
        self,
        a: Field[AInputType, AOutputType],
        b: Field[BInputType, BOutputType],
    ) -> "OneOfField[Union[AInputType, BInputType], Union[AOutputType, BOutputType]]": ...

    @overload
    def with_(
        self,
        a: Field[AInputType, AOutputType],
        b: Field[BInputType, BOutputType],
        c: Field[CInputType, COutputType],
    ) -> "OneOfField[Union[AInputType, BInputType, CInputType], Union[AOutputType, BOutputType, COutputType]]": ...

    def with_(
        self,
        a: Field[AInputType, AOutputType],
        b: Field[BInputType, BOutputType],
        c: Field[CInputType, COutputType] | None = None,
    ) -> "OneOfField":
        if c is None:
            self.fields = [a, b]
        else:
            self.fields = [a, b, c]
        return self

    def return_self(self) -> Self:
        return self

# This works:
field = OneOfField().with_(StringField(), IntegerField())
assert_type(field, OneOfField[Union[str, int], Union[str, int]])
assert_type(input_type(field), Union[str, int])


# This doesn't work:
class MyModel:
    # error: Argument 1 to "with_" of "OneOfField" has incompatible type "StringField"; expected "Field[str | int, str | int]"  [arg-type]
    # error: Argument 2 to "with_" of "OneOfField" has incompatible type "IntegerField"; expected "Field[str | int, str | int]"  [arg-type]
    foo: str | int = input_type(OneOfField().with_(StringField(), IntegerField()))
    
# This works?
class MyModel2:
    foo: str | int = input_type(OneOfField().with_(StringField(), IntegerField()).return_self())

To Reproduce

https://gist.github.com/mypy-play/4619ce6d001d7c7c6994d2b6c912424a

This does not repro in Pyright: link

Expected Behavior

No errors.

Actual Behavior

mypy raises an invalid error saying the argument to with_ is invalid.

Your Environment

  • Mypy version used: 1.13.0
  • Mypy command-line flags: N/A
  • Mypy configuration options from mypy.ini (and other config files): N/A
  • Python version used: 3.13

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 running the Python example from the issue or its linked mypy-play reproduction with mypy 1.13.0, focusing on the class-attribute expression and the chained with_ call. Trace how contextual typing and overloaded generic methods are handled, then add a regression test showing the expression produces no errors while preserving the existing standalone behavior.

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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