Dev notes: running mypy on edx-platform

regis · April 29, 2021, 6:48am

I wanted to post here some of my findings on running mypy on edx-platform. I recently added type checks to Tutor, which has allowed me to detect quite a few non-trivial bugs. Now that the Tutor code base is fully typed, I feel more confident when refactoring code or adding features. I think the Tutor code is more readable, too.

I recently noticed that some people ( @kmccormick) have started adding type annotations to edx-platform, and I think that’s great. However, mypy is not currently run as part of the edx-platform test suite. I think it would be great to do just that so I played with the mypy CLI a little. I thought it might be interesting to post here the result of running mypy on edx-platform/openedx/core:

$ mypy --follow-imports=silent --ignore-missing-imports --allow-untyped-globals --exclude=tests openedx/core/
openedx/core/lib/blockstore_api/models.py:22: error: Unsupported converter, only named functions and types are currently supported
openedx/core/lib/blockstore_api/models.py:31: error: Unsupported converter, only named functions and types are currently supported
openedx/core/lib/blockstore_api/models.py:45: error: Unsupported converter, only named functions and types are currently supported
openedx/core/lib/blockstore_api/models.py:46: error: Unsupported converter, only named functions and types are currently supported
openedx/core/lib/blockstore_api/models.py:77: error: Unsupported converter, only named functions and types are currently supported
openedx/core/djangoapps/content/learning_sequences/data.py:177: error: Need type annotation for 'course_visibility'
openedx/core/djangoapps/content/learning_sequences/data.py:305: error: Variable "openedx.core.djangoapps.content.learning_sequences.data.User" is not valid as a type
openedx/core/djangoapps/content/learning_sequences/data.py:305: note: See https://mypy.readthedocs.io/en/latest/common_issues.html#variables-vs-type-aliases
openedx/core/djangoapps/content/learning_sequences/api/processors/base.py:36: error: Variable "openedx.core.djangoapps.content.learning_sequences.api.processors.base.User" is not valid as a type
openedx/core/djangoapps/content/learning_sequences/api/processors/base.py:36: note: See https://mypy.readthedocs.io/en/latest/common_issues.html#variables-vs-type-aliases
openedx/core/djangoapps/content/learning_sequences/api/processors/special_exams.py:61: error: User? has no attribute "id"
openedx/core/djangoapps/user_api/admin.py:117: error: "Callable[[UserRetirementStatusAdmin, Any], Any]" has no attribute "short_description"
openedx/core/djangoapps/user_api/admin.py:198: error: "Callable[[UserRetirementPartnerReportingStatusAdmin, Any, Any], Any]" has no attribute "short_description"
openedx/core/djangoapps/schedules/admin.py:53: error: "partial[Any]" has no attribute "short_description"
openedx/core/djangoapps/schedules/admin.py:54: error: "partial[Any]" has no attribute "__name__"
openedx/core/djangoapps/schedules/admin.py:139: error: "Callable[[ScheduleAdmin, Any], Any]" has no attribute "short_descriptions"
openedx/core/djangoapps/schedules/admin.py:148: error: "Callable[[ScheduleAdmin, Any], Any]" has no attribute "short_description"
openedx/core/djangoapps/schedules/admin.py:159: error: "Callable[[ScheduleAdmin, Any], Any]" has no attribute "short_description"
openedx/core/djangoapps/enrollments/serializers.py:103: error: Incompatible types in assignment (expression has type "Tuple[str, str, str, str, str, str]", base class "Meta" defined the type as "Tuple[str, str, str, str, str]")
openedx/core/djangoapps/discussions/models.py:85: error: Incompatible types in assignment (expression has type "Tuple[str, str, str]", base class "StackedConfigurationModel" defined the type as "Tuple[str]")
openedx/core/djangoapps/discussions/models.py:194: error: Name 'cls' is not defined
openedx/core/djangoapps/content/learning_sequences/api/processors/schedule.py:36: error: Variable "openedx.core.djangoapps.content.learning_sequences.api.processors.schedule.User" is not valid as a type
openedx/core/djangoapps/content/learning_sequences/api/processors/schedule.py:36: note: See https://mypy.readthedocs.io/en/latest/common_issues.html#variables-vs-type-aliases
openedx/core/djangoapps/content/learning_sequences/api/processors/schedule.py:39: error: Need type annotation for 'keys_to_schedule_fields'
openedx/core/djangoapps/content/learning_sequences/api/processors/content_gating.py:24: error: Variable "openedx.core.djangoapps.content.learning_sequences.api.processors.content_gating.User" is not valid as a type
openedx/core/djangoapps/content/learning_sequences/api/processors/content_gating.py:24: note: See https://mypy.readthedocs.io/en/latest/common_issues.html#variables-vs-type-aliases
openedx/core/djangoapps/xblock/runtime/runtime.py:376: error: Name 'Callable' is not defined
openedx/core/djangoapps/xblock/runtime/runtime.py:376: note: Did you forget to import it from "typing"? (Suggestion: "from typing import Callable")
openedx/core/djangoapps/xblock/runtime/runtime.py:376: error: Name 'UsageKey' is not defined
openedx/core/djangoapps/xblock/runtime/runtime.py:376: error: Name 'Union' is not defined
openedx/core/djangoapps/xblock/runtime/runtime.py:376: note: Did you forget to import it from "typing"? (Suggestion: "from typing import Union")
openedx/core/djangoapps/xblock/runtime/runtime.py:376: error: Name 'ANONYMOUS_USER' is not defined
openedx/core/djangoapps/xblock/runtime/runtime.py:377: error: Name 'Union' is not defined
openedx/core/djangoapps/xblock/runtime/runtime.py:377: note: Did you forget to import it from "typing"? (Suggestion: "from typing import Union")
openedx/core/djangoapps/xblock/runtime/runtime.py:402: error: Need type annotation for '_error_trackers' (hint: "_error_trackers: Dict[<type>, <type>] = ...")
openedx/core/djangoapps/discussions/admin.py:79: error: Incompatible types in assignment (expression has type "Tuple[str, str]", base class "StackedConfigModelAdmin" defined the type as "Tuple[str, str, str, str]")
openedx/core/djangoapps/content/learning_sequences/api/outlines.py:233: error: Variable "openedx.core.djangoapps.content.learning_sequences.api.outlines.User" is not valid as a type
openedx/core/djangoapps/content/learning_sequences/api/outlines.py:233: note: See https://mypy.readthedocs.io/en/latest/common_issues.html#variables-vs-type-aliases
openedx/core/djangoapps/content/learning_sequences/api/outlines.py:250: error: Variable "openedx.core.djangoapps.content.learning_sequences.api.outlines.User" is not valid as a type
openedx/core/djangoapps/content/learning_sequences/api/outlines.py:250: note: See https://mypy.readthedocs.io/en/latest/common_issues.html#variables-vs-type-aliases
openedx/core/djangoapps/content/learning_sequences/api/outlines.py:272: error: Variable "openedx.core.djangoapps.content.learning_sequences.api.outlines.User" is not valid as a type
openedx/core/djangoapps/content/learning_sequences/api/outlines.py:272: note: See https://mypy.readthedocs.io/en/latest/common_issues.html#variables-vs-type-aliases
openedx/core/djangoapps/content/learning_sequences/api/outlines.py:285: error: User? has no attribute "id"
openedx/core/djangoapps/schedules/tasks.py:195: error: Cannot assign to a type
openedx/core/djangoapps/schedules/tasks.py:209: error: Cannot assign to a type
openedx/core/djangoapps/schedules/tasks.py:223: error: Cannot assign to a type
openedx/core/djangoapps/schedules/tasks.py:270: error: Cannot assign to a type
openedx/core/djangoapps/content/learning_sequences/admin.py:87: error: "Callable[[CourseSectionSequenceInline, Any], Any]" has no attribute "short_description"
openedx/core/djangoapps/content/learning_sequences/admin.py:91: error: "Callable[[CourseSectionSequenceInline, Any], Any]" has no attribute "boolean"
openedx/core/djangoapps/content/learning_sequences/admin.py:95: error: "Callable[[CourseSectionSequenceInline, Any], Any]" has no attribute "boolean"
openedx/core/djangoapps/content/learning_sequences/admin.py:96: error: "Callable[[CourseSectionSequenceInline, Any], Any]" has no attribute "short_description"
openedx/core/djangoapps/content/learning_sequences/admin.py:100: error: "Callable[[CourseSectionSequenceInline, Any], Any]" has no attribute "boolean"
openedx/core/djangoapps/content/learning_sequences/admin.py:101: error: "Callable[[CourseSectionSequenceInline, Any], Any]" has no attribute "short_description"
openedx/core/djangoapps/content/learning_sequences/admin.py:105: error: "Callable[[CourseSectionSequenceInline, Any], Any]" has no attribute "boolean"
openedx/core/djangoapps/content/learning_sequences/admin.py:106: error: "Callable[[CourseSectionSequenceInline, Any], Any]" has no attribute "short_description"
openedx/core/djangoapps/content/learning_sequences/admin.py:110: error: "Callable[[CourseSectionSequenceInline, Any], Any]" has no attribute "boolean"
openedx/core/djangoapps/content/learning_sequences/admin.py:111: error: "Callable[[CourseSectionSequenceInline, Any], Any]" has no attribute "short_description"
openedx/core/djangoapps/content/learning_sequences/admin.py:204: error: "Callable[[CourseContextAdmin, Any], Any]" has no attribute "short_description"
openedx/core/djangoapps/content/learning_sequences/admin.py:208: error: "Callable[[CourseContextAdmin, Any], Any]" has no attribute "short_description"
openedx/core/djangoapps/content/learning_sequences/admin.py:219: error: "Callable[[CourseContextAdmin, Any], Any]" has no attribute "short_description"
openedx/core/djangoapps/content/learning_sequences/admin.py:232: error: "Callable[[CourseContextAdmin, Any], Any]" has no attribute "short_description"
openedx/core/djangoapps/content/learning_sequences/admin.py:236: error: "Callable[[CourseContextAdmin, Any], Any]" has no attribute "short_description"
openedx/core/djangoapps/content/learning_sequences/admin.py:240: error: "Callable[[CourseContextAdmin, Any], Any]" has no attribute "short_description"
openedx/core/djangoapps/schedules/management/commands/send_upgrade_reminder.py:19: error: Incompatible types in assignment (expression has type "Tuple[int]", base class "SendEmailBaseCommand" defined the type as "range")
openedx/core/djangoapps/schedules/management/commands/send_recurring_nudge.py:19: error: Incompatible types in assignment (expression has type "Tuple[int, int]", base class "SendEmailBaseCommand" defined the type as "range")
openedx/core/djangoapps/content_libraries/api.py:224: error: Name 'AccessLevel' already defined on line 152
Found 56 errors in 18 files (checked 915 source files)

Thoughts?

kmccormick · April 29, 2021, 7:54pm

I am big fan of static analysis and would love to have the extra confidence & coherence that checked annotations provide. Some edx-platform’s more, uh, “magical” code (modulestore, the xblock runtimes, etc) would be a lot more approachable if correctly annotated.

With mypy, there’s going to be some up-front configuration and refactoring to get it to pass on edx-platform. Is it possible to start by checking a smaller piece of the project, and then working out from there? The new learning_sequences app could be a good candidate, being relatively new, well-documented, and partially annotated.

If we could get even a single directory passing, I would support a PR to add mypy to the edx-platform test suite (preferably as a GitHub action).

kmccormick · April 30, 2021, 1:58pm

One other thought:

I know Cale had tried getting mypy running at one point, but got stuck because of the way we hacked sys.path to allow importing directly from the djangoapps/ folders, which confused mypy (as well as import-linter, and probably a number of other static analysis tools). We’ve since fixed that.

There is still the strangeness that is the local projects in common/lib, which we install into edx-platform and then import from as if they are root packages (eg, from xmodule import ... instead of from common.lib.xmodule.xmodule import ...). I am curious whether these would be a stumbling block to getting mypy running. If they do end up being an issue, let me know, and I will add it to my list of justifications for spending the time to fix the common/lib nonsense

regis · May 3, 2021, 10:06am

It’s definitely possible to run mypy on a selected list of modules; this is actually the recommended approach on an existing codebase. I have some success running mypy on the learning_sequences app, with the following mypy.ini configuration file:

[mypy]
follow_imports = silent
ignore_missing_imports = True
allow_untyped_globals = True
exclude = tests
files = openedx/core/djangoapps/content/learning_sequences/

Here are the reported errors:

$  mypy --config-file ./mypy.ini
openedx/core/djangoapps/content/learning_sequences/data.py:214: error: Need type annotation for 'course_visibility'
openedx/core/djangoapps/content/learning_sequences/data.py:342: error: Variable "openedx.core.djangoapps.content.learning_sequences.data.User" is not valid as a type
openedx/core/djangoapps/content/learning_sequences/data.py:342: note: See https://mypy.readthedocs.io/en/latest/common_issues.html#variables-vs-type-aliases
openedx/core/djangoapps/content/learning_sequences/api/processors/base.py:36: error: Variable "openedx.core.djangoapps.content.learning_sequences.api.processors.base.User" is not valid as a type
openedx/core/djangoapps/content/learning_sequences/api/processors/base.py:36: note: See https://mypy.readthedocs.io/en/latest/common_issues.html#variables-vs-type-aliases
openedx/core/djangoapps/content/learning_sequences/api/processors/special_exams.py:61: error: User? has no attribute "id"
openedx/core/djangoapps/content/learning_sequences/api/processors/schedule.py:36: error: Variable "openedx.core.djangoapps.content.learning_sequences.api.processors.schedule.User" is not valid as a type
openedx/core/djangoapps/content/learning_sequences/api/processors/schedule.py:36: note: See https://mypy.readthedocs.io/en/latest/common_issues.html#variables-vs-type-aliases
openedx/core/djangoapps/content/learning_sequences/api/processors/schedule.py:39: error: Need type annotation for 'keys_to_schedule_fields'
openedx/core/djangoapps/content/learning_sequences/api/processors/content_gating.py:24: error: Variable "openedx.core.djangoapps.content.learning_sequences.api.processors.content_gating.User" is not valid as a type
openedx/core/djangoapps/content/learning_sequences/api/processors/content_gating.py:24: note: See https://mypy.readthedocs.io/en/latest/common_issues.html#variables-vs-type-aliases
openedx/core/djangoapps/content/learning_sequences/api/outlines.py:258: error: Variable "openedx.core.djangoapps.content.learning_sequences.api.outlines.User" is not valid as a type
openedx/core/djangoapps/content/learning_sequences/api/outlines.py:258: note: See https://mypy.readthedocs.io/en/latest/common_issues.html#variables-vs-type-aliases
openedx/core/djangoapps/content/learning_sequences/api/outlines.py:275: error: Variable "openedx.core.djangoapps.content.learning_sequences.api.outlines.User" is not valid as a type
openedx/core/djangoapps/content/learning_sequences/api/outlines.py:275: note: See https://mypy.readthedocs.io/en/latest/common_issues.html#variables-vs-type-aliases
openedx/core/djangoapps/content/learning_sequences/api/outlines.py:297: error: Variable "openedx.core.djangoapps.content.learning_sequences.api.outlines.User" is not valid as a type
openedx/core/djangoapps/content/learning_sequences/api/outlines.py:297: note: See https://mypy.readthedocs.io/en/latest/common_issues.html#variables-vs-type-aliases
openedx/core/djangoapps/content/learning_sequences/api/outlines.py:310: error: User? has no attribute "id"
openedx/core/djangoapps/content/learning_sequences/api/outlines.py:356: error: Argument "accessible_sequences" to "UserCourseOutlineData" has incompatible type "Set[Any]"; expected "FrozenSet[Any]"
openedx/core/djangoapps/content/learning_sequences/admin.py:87: error: "Callable[[CourseSectionSequenceInline, Any], Any]" has no attribute "short_description"
openedx/core/djangoapps/content/learning_sequences/admin.py:91: error: "Callable[[CourseSectionSequenceInline, Any], Any]" has no attribute "boolean"
openedx/core/djangoapps/content/learning_sequences/admin.py:95: error: "Callable[[CourseSectionSequenceInline, Any], Any]" has no attribute "boolean"
openedx/core/djangoapps/content/learning_sequences/admin.py:96: error: "Callable[[CourseSectionSequenceInline, Any], Any]" has no attribute "short_description"
openedx/core/djangoapps/content/learning_sequences/admin.py:100: error: "Callable[[CourseSectionSequenceInline, Any], Any]" has no attribute "boolean"
openedx/core/djangoapps/content/learning_sequences/admin.py:101: error: "Callable[[CourseSectionSequenceInline, Any], Any]" has no attribute "short_description"
openedx/core/djangoapps/content/learning_sequences/admin.py:105: error: "Callable[[CourseSectionSequenceInline, Any], Any]" has no attribute "boolean"
openedx/core/djangoapps/content/learning_sequences/admin.py:106: error: "Callable[[CourseSectionSequenceInline, Any], Any]" has no attribute "short_description"
openedx/core/djangoapps/content/learning_sequences/admin.py:110: error: "Callable[[CourseSectionSequenceInline, Any], Any]" has no attribute "boolean"
openedx/core/djangoapps/content/learning_sequences/admin.py:111: error: "Callable[[CourseSectionSequenceInline, Any], Any]" has no attribute "short_description"
openedx/core/djangoapps/content/learning_sequences/admin.py:204: error: "Callable[[CourseContextAdmin, Any], Any]" has no attribute "short_description"
openedx/core/djangoapps/content/learning_sequences/admin.py:208: error: "Callable[[CourseContextAdmin, Any], Any]" has no attribute "short_description"
openedx/core/djangoapps/content/learning_sequences/admin.py:219: error: "Callable[[CourseContextAdmin, Any], Any]" has no attribute "short_description"
openedx/core/djangoapps/content/learning_sequences/admin.py:232: error: "Callable[[CourseContextAdmin, Any], Any]" has no attribute "short_description"
openedx/core/djangoapps/content/learning_sequences/admin.py:236: error: "Callable[[CourseContextAdmin, Any], Any]" has no attribute "short_description"
openedx/core/djangoapps/content/learning_sequences/admin.py:240: error: "Callable[[CourseContextAdmin, Any], Any]" has no attribute "short_description"
Found 28 errors in 7 files (checked 33 source files)

I think I can open a PR that adds:

this mypy.ini file
the mypy dev dependency
a “make” command that runs mypy
a github action run on every PR
changes to address all errors reported by mypy with this specific config

Would you be interested in that?

kmccormick · May 5, 2021, 6:19pm

Sounds good to me!

@dave , do you have any qualms with Regis hacking on learning_sequences a bit in order to get mypy to pass on it?

kmccormick · May 5, 2021, 6:22pm

Also, @jmbowman , does adding a required mypy check to edx-platform as a GitHub action sound good to you? I am checking with you since one of your teams would likely end up owning the mypy.ini and GitHub action files, if I had to guess

jmbowman · May 5, 2021, 8:04pm

I’m open to adding a mypy GitHub action as long as it’s relatively fast, works reliably, and doesn’t require developers to start cleaning up old problems while trying to get new tasks done.

dave · May 6, 2021, 4:39am

I’d be delighted! Thanks @regis! This is an area that I’m definitely still learning about.

regis · May 10, 2021, 9:40am

I’m open to adding a mypy GitHub action as long as it’s relatively fast, works reliably, and doesn’t require developers to start cleaning up old problems while trying to get new tasks done.

I believe all these objectives can be achieved

Here is the PR: https://github.com/edx/edx-platform/pull/27575

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Dev notes: running mypy on edx-platform

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