python / python/mypy

`not isinstance(float_arg, float)` should narrow to int; `not isinstance(complex_arg, complex)` should narrow to float

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bug topic-runtime-semantics topic-type-narrowing
Dominant language
Python
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Description

The typing specs require that a float typed argument also accept int values, and that a complex type argument accept both int and complex values. That implies that, if we have a val typed complex, and isinstance(val, complex) returns false, it can still be an int or float. So,

def test(x: float):
    if not isinstance(x, float):
        reveal_type(x)  # Should reveal int

and,

def test(x: complex):
    if not isinstance(x, complex):
        reveal_type(x)  # Should reveal int | float (or possibly just float)

But they actually get treated as unreachable code and don't reveal anything.

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 two snippets from the issue and inspecting the existing type-narrowing tests or implementation that handles isinstance checks. Done means the first example reveals int and the second reveals int | float, or the documented acceptable narrowing, rather than treating the branches as unreachable.

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
Stale
Clarity
Mostly clear
Newbie friendliness
45/100

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