python / python/typing

Reason given for disallowing non-concrete subtype assignment is unsound

Open
#1,647 10 comments 8 reactions 0 assignees View on GitHub

Nobody has claimed this yet.

topic: documentation
Dominant language
Python
Stars
1.8k
Forks
302
Avg merge
23h
Merged PRs (30d)
8

Description

Issue

According to the discussion https://github.com/python/typing/discussions/1305, “type checkers allow incompatible __init__ overrides, because flagging them would be too disruptive.”

Accepting above as de facto, the example given as the main reason for disallowing non-concrete subtype assignment in the following section of the spec is unsound:
https://github.com/python/typing/blob/e08290b70f58df509f998cbbe09a8e65abb57a9b/docs/spec/protocol.rst#type-and-class-objects-vs-protocols

class Proto(Protocol):
    @abstractmethod
    def meth(self) -> int:
        ...
class Concrete:
    def meth(self) -> int:
        return 42

def fun(cls: type[Proto]) -> int:
    return cls().meth() # ???
fun(Proto)              # Why should this error?
fun(Concrete)           # OK

var: Type[Proto]
var = Proto    # Why should this error?
var = Concrete # OK
var().meth()   # ???

(credit https://github.com/python/mypy/issues/4717#issuecomment-1978239641 for pointing out the contradiction)

Thoughts

One radical approach would be to remove the concreteness rule from the spec altogether. The type of Proto is type[Proto], and if the constructor compatibility is not checked, there is little reason to disallow it from being assigned to variables annotated as type[Proto].

If that is too radical, the spec can stay as is but the reasoning and associated examples should be clearly marked ‘historical’ and no longer valid. That way, we can avoid any immediate changes in practice, but at the same time encourage discussions towards appropriate future specs.

Contributor guide

No contributing guide indexed for this repository

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 with the linked type-and-class-objects-vs-protocols section in docs/spec/protocol.rst, then read the linked typing discussion and mypy issue for the surrounding rationale. The issue presents competing directions rather than a settled change; done would require an agreed specification decision followed by updates to the reasoning and associated examples.

Written by the indexing model from the issue text.

Assessment

Tech stack
python
Domain
documentation
Issue type
Documentation
Difficulty
5/5
Estimated time
Over a week
Activity status
Stale
Clarity
Mostly clear
Newbie friendliness
25/100

Get new issues in your inbox

A short digest of beginner-friendly GitHub issues.