python / python/mypy

Nondeterministic type-var error with LiteralString-bounded TypeVars

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Description

After upgrading from mypy 1.19.0 to 1.19.1, we're experiencing nondeterministic type checking behavior:

  1. Without type: ignore[type-var]: Sometimes reports "Value of type variable 'S' of 'Response' cannot be 'object'" [type-var]
  2. With type: ignore[type-var]: Sometimes reports "Unused 'type: ignore[type-var]' comment" [unused-ignore]

The error state is inconsistent and appears related to PR #20345 (which fixed issue #20344 about nondeterministic behavior with tuple type vars).

Environment

  • Mypy version: 1.19.1
  • Python version: 3.13
  • Upgraded from: mypy 1.19.0 (no errors)

Example

Granted, this is a simplified, sanitized example I have extracted from our code base but I believe it highlights the case where the issue is happening

from typing import LiteralString


class Container[S: LiteralString, T]:
    """A container with a LiteralString key."""

    def __init__(self, key: S, value: T) -> None:
        self.key = key
        self.value = value


class Response[S: LiteralString, T]:
    """A response parameterized by LiteralString."""

    def __init__(self, container: Container[S, T]) -> None:
        self.container = container


def process[S: LiteralString, S1: LiteralString](
    containers: list[Container[S, int] | Container[S1, str]],
) -> dict[int, Response]:
    """Create responses from a union of containers with different LiteralString keys."""
    return {
        i: Response(container)  # May error: type-var or unused-ignore
        for i, container in enumerate(containers)
    }
Scenario 1: With type: ignore[type-var] comment
example.py:28: error: Unused "type: ignore[type-var]" comment  [unused-ignore]
Scenario 2: Without the comment (in different contexts)

Sometimes passes with no errors, sometimes shows:

example.py:28: error: Value of type variable "S" of "Response" cannot be "object"  [type-var]

I'm not able to nail down exactly when each scenario surfaces but hopefully this is enough to go on as it otherwise presents as a regression since 1.19.0

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 supplied example with mypy 1.19.0 and 1.19.1, both with and without the type: ignore[type-var] comment, and compare the diagnostics. Read PR #20345 and issue #20344 for related nondeterministic tuple type-var behavior; done means the LiteralString-bounded TypeVar case produces a deterministic, correct result.

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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