python / python/mypy

False-positive type errors when passing **kwargs to a function that has other keyword args

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Description

Bug Report

If a function signature contains one or more explicit keyword parameters followed by a **kwargs parameter, and the function is called on kwargs only, then mypy generates false positive type errors.

The number of errors generated is unbounded and appears to be equal to the number of distinct types found among the explicit keyword parameters. In addition, the errors are mutually inconsistent with one another (see example below).

To Reproduce

from typing import Any, Optional

def example(
	*,
	a: Optional[int] = None,
	b: Optional[float] = None,
	c: Optional[bool] = None,
	d: Optional[list] = None,
	**kwargs
) -> None:
	print(kwargs)

kwargs = {'hello': 'world'}
example(**kwargs)

Expected Behavior

I'd expect this to pass type-checking: it looks perfectly correct to me. All I'm doing is passing kwargs into kwargs.

Actual Behavior

example.py:14: error: Argument 1 to "example" has incompatible type "**dict[str, str]"; expected "Optional[int]"  [arg-type]
example.py:14: error: Argument 1 to "example" has incompatible type "**dict[str, str]"; expected "Optional[float]"  [arg-type]
example.py:14: error: Argument 1 to "example" has incompatible type "**dict[str, str]"; expected "Optional[bool]"  [arg-type]
example.py:14: error: Argument 1 to "example" has incompatible type "**dict[str, str]"; expected "Optional[list[Any]]"  [arg-type]
Found 4 errors in 1 file (checked 1 source file)

In addition to being false positives, these errors are mutually inconsistent: mypy is claiming that an Optional[int] is expected in Argument 1, and also that an Optional[float] is expected in Argument 1, and also that an Optional[bool] is expected in Argument 1, and so on!

If I change the last line to this:

example(a=None, b=None, c=None, d=None, **kwargs)

then the errors go away. Is this really what mypy wants me to do??

Your Environment

  • Mypy version used: 1.14.1
  • Mypy command-line flags: None
  • Mypy configuration options from pyproject.toml:
allow_redefinition = true
disable_error_code = "no-any-unimported, no-any-return"
disallow_any_unimported = true
check_untyped_defs = true
follow_imports = "silent"
plugins = "pydantic.mypy"
show_error_codes = true
strict_optional = false
warn_return_any = true
warn_unused_ignores = true
  • Python version used: 3.9.20

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 reproducing the example from the issue with mypy 1.14.1 and trace the keyword-argument checking path for explicit keyword parameters followed by **kwargs. Add a regression test for the shown call and verify that it produces no false-positive errors while calls with incompatible explicit keywords remain checked.

Written by the indexing model from the issue text.

Assessment

Tech stack
python
Domain
compilers, tooling
Issue type
Bug
Difficulty
4/5
Estimated time
3-5 days
Activity status
Stale
Clarity
Clearly specified
Newbie friendliness
35/100

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