Cannot instantiate type "Type[None]"
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Description
Bug Report
Mypy claims Cannot instantiate type "Type[None]" when you try to do so. However, you actually can do this in python, and perhaps have been able to do this ever since python 3...
This affects both types.NoneType and type(None). Also, function signatures that get at those.
To Reproduce
https://mypy-play.net/?mypy=master&python=3.12&gist=26b0ab20fc6d45de0edff4f8a374b0a7
from types import NoneType
type(None)()
NoneType()
def f(n: type[None]):
n()
def g(n: type[NoneType]):
n()
f(NoneType)
g(NoneType)
Actual Behavior
main.py:2: error: Cannot instantiate type "type[None]" [misc]
main.py:3: error: Cannot instantiate type "type[None]" [misc]
main.py:5: error: Cannot instantiate type "type[None]" [misc]
main.py:6: error: NoneType should not be used as a type, please use None instead [valid-type]
main.py:7: error: Cannot instantiate type "type[None]" [misc]
Found 5 errors in 1 file (checked 1 source file)
Expected Behavior
Running this python file doesn't result in any runtime problems, so I would expect no errors. (Except perhaps main.py:6: error: NoneType should not be used as a type, please use None instead [valid-type], which seems like more of a style suggstion, and so might still be valid.)
Possibly related, perhaps even fixable by this issue: https://github.com/python/mypy/issues/19308
Contributor guide
First steps
- Read the whole issue, then the project's contributing guide.
- Comment on the issue to say you are picking it up — it saves two people doing the same work.
- Fork the repository and make your change on a branch.
- Open a pull request that references the issue number.
Research direction
Start by running the linked mypy-play reproduction from main.py and trace where the five diagnostics are produced. Done means the valid NoneType and type(None) instantiation cases no longer produce erroneous errors, while the acceptable NoneType type-use diagnostic may remain.
Written by the indexing model from the issue text.
Assessment
- Tech stack
- python
- Domain
- devtools
- Issue type
- Bug
- Difficulty
- 3/5
- Estimated time
- 1-2 days
- Activity status
- Quiet
- Clarity
- Mostly clear
- Newbie friendliness
- 52/100