MyPy should report error if variable imported in TYPE_CHECKING block?
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Description
Currently, MyPy doesn't report an error when a variable is imported in the if TYPE_CHECKING block and then used elsewhere.
For example, MyPy accepts this code:
from typing import TYPE_CHECKING
if TYPE_CHECKING:
from typing import NamedTuple
class C(NamedTuple):
x: int
y: int
even though, at runtime, it fails:
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "type_checking_test.py", line 6, in <module>
class C(NamedTuple):
NameError: name 'NamedTuple' is not defined
(I'm using MyPy version 0.650.)
Should this be fixed? I think this could be fixed by adding an is_type_checking_only variable to SymbolTableNode, which is True if the variable was imported or assigned within a TYPE_CHECKING block, and ensuring that this flag is false for any variables used in places other than type annotations in the actual code.
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 reproducing the issue with the provided TYPE_CHECKING and NamedTuple example, then trace how imports and symbol-table entries from TYPE_CHECKING blocks are handled. The work is done when MyPy reports the runtime-invalid use while continuing to allow names used only in type annotations, with coverage for the example behavior.
Written by the indexing model from the issue text.
Assessment
- Tech stack
- python
- Domain
- compilers
- Issue type
- Bug
- Difficulty
- 4/5
- Estimated time
- 3-5 days
- Activity status
- Stale
- Clarity
- Mostly clear
- Newbie friendliness
- 38/100