python / python/mypy

'Subclass of "A" and "B" cannot exist: would have incompatible method signatures' is usually wrong

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bug topic-inheritance topic-reachability
Dominant language
Python
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Description

Mypy reports Subclass of "A" and "B" cannot exist: would have incompatible method signatures in many cases if given x: A, you run isinstance(x, B). However, this is often (always?) incorrect, as mypy does not account for subclasses that use method signatures that are subtypes of both classes.

Example (playground):

from typing import Never

class A:
    def f(self) -> int: return 0
class B:
    def f(self) -> str: return ""

class X(A, B):
    def f(self) -> Never: raise Exception

x: A = X()
if isinstance(x, B):  # E: Subclass of "A" and "B" cannot exist: would have incompatible method signatures
    reveal_type(x)    # E: Statement is unreachable
else:
    reveal_type(x)    # N: Revealed type is "__main__.A"

Here, mypy accepts the definition of a class X that is a subclass of A and B, yet also says that such a subclass cannot exist.

Any callable type is a subclass of (*args: object, **kwargs: object) -> Never, so incompatible method signatures cannot be a reason that a common subclass cannot exist.

It gets a little trickier with attributes. However, mypy accepts this class and then again claims it cannot exist (playground):

from typing import Never

class A:
    x: int
class B:
    x: str

class X(A, B):
    @property
    def x(self) -> Never: raise Exception
    @x.setter
    def x(self, x: int | str) -> None: pass

x: A = X()
if isinstance(x, B):  # E: Subclass of "A" and "B" cannot exist: would have incompatible method signatures
    reveal_type(x)    # E: Statement is unreachable
else:
    reveal_type(x)    # N: Revealed type is "__main__.A"

(Note though that pyright rejects this form of inheritance; possibly mypy should reject this too in the future if we revise how we treat inheritance of attributes.)

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Research direction

Reproduce the callable and attribute examples in the linked mypy-play playgrounds, then trace the type narrowing and incompatible-signature checks that produce the diagnostic. Determine whether valid common subclasses should suppress the error and unreachable warning, and add regression coverage demonstrating the intended behavior.

Written by the indexing model from the issue text.

Assessment

Tech stack
python
Domain
compilers
Issue type
Bug
Difficulty
5/5
Estimated time
Over a week
Activity status
Stale
Clarity
Mostly clear
Newbie friendliness
35/100

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