python / python/typing

Add a `import type` feature (like typescript)

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#928 4 comments 37 reactions 0 assignees View on GitHub

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topic: feature
Dominant language
Python
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Forks
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Avg merge
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Merged PRs (30d)
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Description

Importing types can lead to circular imports, longer start up times and unwanted side effects.

I want something like:

from foo.bar import type Baz

def foo(baz: Baz):
    print(baz.bat)

Such that foo, foo.bar and foo.bar.Baz are not actually loaded at all.
It could 'import' the symbol as a forward-ref or some type machinery thing. (maybe just the string "Baz")

Alternatives:
from __future__ import annotations

from typing import TYPE_CHECKING
if TYPE_CHECKING:
    from foo.bar import Baz

def foo(baz: Baz):
    print(baz.bat)

This is mega boilerplate, gross, and leads to messy wacky 'type-time' side effects (https://github.com/python/mypy/issues/11503).

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Research direction

No implementation files, tests, or entry points are named. The proposal needs design and project-context work before a newcomer could identify a code path or a concrete definition of done.

Written by the indexing model from the issue text.

Assessment

Tech stack
python
Domain
tooling
Issue type
Feature
Difficulty
5/5
Estimated time
Over a week
Activity status
Stale
Clarity
Needs clarification
Newbie friendliness
25/100

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