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Permit inferring Self for unannotated self #1860

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24 changes: 12 additions & 12 deletions docs/spec/annotations.rst
Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
Expand Up @@ -27,14 +27,10 @@ general type possible, or ignored, by any type checker.
It is recommended but not required that checked functions have
annotations for all arguments and the return type. For a checked
function, the default annotation for arguments and for the return type
is ``Any``. An exception is the first argument of instance and
class methods. If it is not annotated, then it is assumed to have the
type of the containing class for instance methods, and a type object
type corresponding to the containing class object for class methods.
For example, in class ``A`` the first argument of an instance method
has the implicit type ``A``. In a class method, the precise type of
the first argument cannot be represented using the available type
notation.
is ``Any``. An exception to the above is the first argument of
instance and class methods (conventionally named ``self`` or ``cls``),
which type checkers should assume to have an appropriate type, as per
:ref:`annotating-methods`.

(Note that the return type of ``__init__`` ought to be annotated with
``-> None``. The reason for this is subtle. If ``__init__`` assumed
Expand Down Expand Up @@ -353,10 +349,14 @@ types cannot be specified::
Annotating instance and class methods
-------------------------------------

In most cases the first argument of class and instance methods
does not need to be annotated, and it is assumed to have the
type of the containing class for instance methods, and a type object
type corresponding to the containing class object for class methods.
In most cases the first argument of instance and class methods
(conventionally named ``self`` or ``cls``) does not need to be annotated.

If the argument is not annotated, then for instance methods it is
assumed to have the type of the containing class or :ref:`Self
<self>`, and for class methods the type object type corresponding to
the containing class object or ``type[Self]``.
Comment on lines +356 to +358
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I don't think it is accurate to make an explicit equivalence here between the type Self and "the type of the containing class". This is not actually what the specification for Self says: Self is not "the type of the containing class," it is "a typevar with a bound of the containing class". This distinction is important for how the Self type is handled when used in other arguments, and in inheritance cases.

I suggest we simply don't attempt a mini-definition of the meaning of Self here, and allow the Self spec to handle this in depth.

Suggested change
assumed to have the type of the containing class or :ref:`Self
<self>`, and for class methods the type object type corresponding to
the containing class object or ``type[Self]``.
assumed to have the type :ref:`Self <self>`, and for class methods ``type[Self]``.

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I interpreted this as not an attempt to define Self, but a way to permit type checkers to use an alternative to inferring Self. A type checker may either infer self to be of the type of the containing class (as mypy does: https://mypy-play.net/?mypy=latest&python=3.12&gist=ab4b370dd76d1d446bde35bca7de7bf6 ), or of type Self (as pyright does: https://pyright-play.net/?strict=true&code=MYGwhgzhAEAaBcAoaLoBMCmAzaBbDALgBYAUEGIWAlNALQB80AcgPYB2GSq30AThgDcMYEAH0CATwAOGMhWpA ).

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Oh! I see how that could be the interpretation of the "or" here. If that's the intention, then I suggest we make it a bit more explicit. (I'll make a separate suggested edit, since it would involve one more line than I included in this one.)

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Personally I think inferring Self is the better option here, and we could also consider just specifying that, but I see that may be a bigger change than was intended in this PR.

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Suggested change
If the argument is not annotated, then for instance methods it is
assumed to have the type of the containing class or :ref:`Self
<self>`, and for class methods the type object type corresponding to
the containing class object or ``type[Self]``.
If the argument is not annotated, then for instance methods it may be
inferred to have either the type of the containing class, or the type :ref:`Self
<self>`. For class methods it may be inferred to have either the type object
type corresponding to the containing class object, or ``type[Self]``.


In addition, the first argument in an instance method can be annotated
with a type variable. In this case the return type may use the same
type variable, thus making that method a generic function. For example::
Expand Down