python / python/mypy

Class inheriting from property doesn't typecheck properly when used as a decorator

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bug false-positive priority-1-normal topic-descriptors
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Python
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Description

I have a custom class inheriting from property. When I go to use this as a decorator though mypy seems to miss that it's a property at all. This is with Python 3.6.3 and mypy 0.650.

Example:

class CustomProperty(property):
    def __init__(self, fget=None, fset=None, fdel=None, doc=None):
        super().__init__(fget, fset, fdel, doc)

class A:
    def __init__(self) -> None:
        self._val = 1

    @CustomProperty
    def val(self) -> int:
        return self._val

    @val.setter
    def val(self, v: int) -> None:
        self._val = v


def test_a() -> None:
    print(A.val)

Running mypy on this gives the following output:
mypy minimal2.py

minimal.py:14: error: Name 'val' already defined on line 10
minimal.py:14: error: Name 'val' is not defined
minimal.py:20: error: "Type[A]" has no attribute "val"

Contrast this with the same code with the builtin property which typechecks fine:

class B:
    def __init__(self) -> None:
        self._val = 1

    @property
    def val(self) -> int:
        return self._val

    @val.setter
    def val(self, v: int) -> None:
        self._val = v

def test_b() -> None:
    print(B.val)

It's possible that this is related to #1529 where @ilevkivskyi suggested that:

The original example now passes mypy, not sure however how useful the subclass can be (property is heavily special-cased in mypy), but at least the original bug is fixed, so closing this.

Is subclassing property frowned upon (or just not supported in mypy?).

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Research direction

Reproduce the report with the minimal.py example using Python 3.6.3 and mypy 0.650, then compare the CustomProperty decorator case with the builtin property case. Trace mypy's handling of property subclasses and decorator setters; done means the custom class typechecks like the builtin property without the reported duplicate-name or missing-attribute errors.

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
45/100

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