false positive: classmethod constructor on generic class
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Description
I'm inclined to think this is a bug, but could be argued it's a missing feature.
How to reproduce
# makes_bug.py
from typing import Generic, Type, TypeVar
T = TypeVar('T')
class Foo(Generic[T]):
def __init__(self, value: T) -> None: ...
@classmethod
def construct(cls) -> Foo[str]:
return cls('bar')
Expected outcome
This code should pass type checks.
Actual outcome
mypy, to my great surprise, fails:
$ python --version
Python 3.8.1
$ mypy --version
mypy 0.790+dev.65186ae1e23fd44f1d7e6aa2c4458bdf55640742
$ mypy src/makes_bug.py
makes_bug.py:11: error: Incompatible return value type (got "Foo[T]", expected "Foo[str]")
makes_bug.py:11: error: Argument "value" to "Foo" has incompatible type "str"; expected "T"
Found 2 errors in 1 file (checked 1 source file)
Workaround
Changing line 10 to def construct(cls: Type[Foo]) -> Foo[str]: fixes it; or, probably more or less equivalently, def construct(cls: Type[Foo[Any]]) -> Foo[str]:.
Investigation / suggested fix
Adding reveal_type(cls) indicates that cls is inferred to have type Foo[T], which cannot return a Foo[str].
It's not clear to me why classmethods should have the lead argument inferred to a bound type. I'd propose that my workaround be made a default: class methods should infer the type of the lead argument type as the unbound class type, or bound with all Anys.
I'd imagine the change would go here: https://github.com/python/mypy/blob/65186ae1e23fd44f1d7e6aa2c4458bdf55640742/mypy/semanal.py#L609,L610
or (more likely) in the referenced method class_type():
https://github.com/python/mypy/blob/65186ae1e23fd44f1d7e6aa2c4458bdf55640742/mypy/semanal.py#L4790,L4791
Happy to take a stab at it, but wanted to solicit some feedback first. This is a complex system and it's possible I'm missing some potential consequence here.
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 with the generic classmethod reproduction in makes_bug.py and inspect mypy/semanal.py at the referenced lines, especially class_type(). Use reveal_type(cls) and run mypy on the example to confirm the inferred type. Done means the example passes type checking without the Type[Foo] workaround, with the existing generic behavior preserved.
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