Pyright - Fast Python Type Checker
progressive_disclosure: entry_point: summary: "Fast Python type checker from Microsoft with VS Code integration and strict modes" when_to_use: - "When needing faster type checking than mypy" - "When using VS Code (Pylance)" - "When requiring stricter type checking" - "When migrating from mypy" quick_start: - "npm install -g pyright" - "Create pyrightconfig.json" - "pyright ." token_estimate: entry: 65-80 full: 3500-4500
Installation
Node.js (Recommended)
bash
# Global installation npm install -g pyright # Per-project installation npm install --save-dev pyright # Verify installation pyright --version
VS Code (Pylance)
Pyright powers Pylance extension:
bash
# Install Pylance extension (includes pyright) code --install-extension ms-python.vscode-pylance
pip Installation
bash
# Community wrapper pip install pyright # Note: Still requires Node.js runtime
Configuration
pyrightconfig.json
json
{
"include": [
"src"
],
"exclude": [
"**/node_modules",
"**/__pycache__",
".venv"
],
"typeCheckingMode": "basic",
"pythonVersion": "3.11",
"pythonPlatform": "Linux",
"reportMissingImports": true,
"reportMissingTypeStubs": false,
"strictListInference": true,
"strictDictionaryInference": true,
"strictSetInference": true
}
Type Checking Modes
Basic Mode (Default):
json
{
"typeCheckingMode": "basic",
"reportUnusedImport": "warning",
"reportUnusedVariable": "warning"
}
Standard Mode:
json
{
"typeCheckingMode": "standard",
"reportUnknownParameterType": "error",
"reportUnknownArgumentType": "error",
"reportUnknownVariableType": "error"
}
Strict Mode (Maximum type safety):
json
{
"typeCheckingMode": "strict",
"reportPrivateUsage": "error",
"reportConstantRedefinition": "error",
"reportIncompatibleMethodOverride": "error",
"reportIncompatibleVariableOverride": "error",
"reportUnnecessaryIsInstance": "warning",
"reportUnnecessaryCast": "warning"
}
Per-File Configuration
python
# pyright: strict """Strict type checking for this file.""" # pyright: basic """Basic type checking.""" # pyright: reportGeneralTypeIssues=false """Disable specific diagnostics."""
VS Code Integration
settings.json
json
{
"python.languageServer": "Pylance",
"python.analysis.typeCheckingMode": "basic",
"python.analysis.diagnosticMode": "workspace",
"python.analysis.autoImportCompletions": true,
"python.analysis.inlayHints.functionReturnTypes": true,
"python.analysis.inlayHints.variableTypes": true,
"python.analysis.completeFunctionParens": true
}
Workspace Configuration
json
{
"python.analysis.extraPaths": [
"./src",
"./lib"
],
"python.analysis.stubPath": "./typings",
"python.analysis.diagnosticSeverityOverrides": {
"reportUnusedImport": "warning",
"reportUnusedVariable": "warning",
"reportGeneralTypeIssues": "error"
}
}
Type Checking Features
Type Narrowing
python
from typing import Union
def process(value: Union[str, int]) -> str:
# Pyright narrows type based on isinstance
if isinstance(value, str):
return value.upper() # value is str here
else:
return str(value) # value is int here
# Type guards
from typing import TypeGuard
def is_str_list(val: list[object]) -> TypeGuard[list[str]]:
return all(isinstance(x, str) for x in val)
def process_list(items: list[object]) -> None:
if is_str_list(items):
# items is list[str] here
print(", ".join(items))
Protocol Support
python
from typing import Protocol
class Drawable(Protocol):
def draw(self) -> None: ...
class Circle:
def draw(self) -> None:
print("Drawing circle")
def render(obj: Drawable) -> None:
obj.draw()
# Works with structural typing
render(Circle()) # ✓ No explicit inheritance needed
TypedDict
python
from typing import TypedDict, NotRequired
class User(TypedDict):
name: str
age: int
email: NotRequired[str] # Optional in Python 3.11+
def create_user(data: User) -> None:
print(data["name"]) # ✓ Type-safe
# print(data["missing"]) # ✗ Error
user: User = {
"name": "Alice",
"age": 30
} # ✓ email is optional
Literal Types
python
from typing import Literal
Mode = Literal["read", "write", "append"]
def open_file(mode: Mode) -> None:
...
open_file("read") # ✓
open_file("delete") # ✗ Error
Advanced Features
Variance and Generics
python
from typing import TypeVar, Generic, Sequence
T_co = TypeVar("T_co", covariant=True)
T_contra = TypeVar("T_contra", contravariant=True)
class Reader(Generic[T_co]):
def read(self) -> T_co: ...
class Writer(Generic[T_contra]):
def write(self, item: T_contra) -> None: ...
# Covariance: Reader[Dog] is subtype of Reader[Animal]
# Contravariance: Writer[Animal] is subtype of Writer[Dog]
ParamSpec
python
from typing import ParamSpec, TypeVar, Callable
P = ParamSpec("P")
R = TypeVar("R")
def add_logging(f: Callable[P, R]) -> Callable[P, R]:
def wrapper(*args: P.args, **kwargs: P.kwargs) -> R:
print(f"Calling {f.__name__}")
return f(*args, **kwargs)
return wrapper
@add_logging
def greet(name: str, age: int) -> str:
return f"Hello {name}, {age}"
# Type-safe: greet("Alice", 30)
Type Aliases
python
from typing import TypeAlias # Simple alias UserId: TypeAlias = int Username: TypeAlias = str # Generic alias from collections.abc import Sequence Vector: TypeAlias = Sequence[float] # Complex alias JSON: TypeAlias = dict[str, "JSON"] | list["JSON"] | str | int | float | bool | None
CI/CD Integration
GitHub Actions
yaml
name: Type Check
on: [push, pull_request]
jobs:
typecheck:
runs-on: ubuntu-latest
steps:
- uses: actions/checkout@v4
- name: Set up Node.js
uses: actions/setup-node@v4
with:
node-version: '20'
- name: Install pyright
run: npm install -g pyright
- name: Set up Python
uses: actions/setup-python@v5
with:
python-version: '3.11'
- name: Install dependencies
run: |
python -m pip install --upgrade pip
pip install -r requirements.txt
- name: Run pyright
run: pyright
Pre-commit Hook
yaml
# .pre-commit-config.yaml
repos:
- repo: local
hooks:
- id: pyright
name: pyright
entry: pyright
language: node
types: [python]
pass_filenames: false
additional_dependencies: ['pyright@1.1.350']
Makefile
makefile
.PHONY: typecheck typecheck-strict typecheck: pyright typecheck-strict: pyright --level strict typecheck-watch: pyright --watch typecheck-stats: pyright --stats
Migration from mypy
Configuration Mapping
json
{
"// mypy: disallow_untyped_defs": "reportUntypedFunctionDecorator",
"// mypy: disallow_any_generics": "reportMissingTypeArgument",
"// mypy: warn_return_any": "reportUnknownArgumentType",
"// mypy: strict_equality": "reportUnnecessaryComparison",
"// mypy: warn_unused_ignores": "reportUnnecessaryTypeIgnoreComment"
}
Comment Syntax
python
# mypy: ignore-errors # ↓ pyright equivalent # pyright: reportGeneralTypeIssues=false # type: ignore # ↓ pyright equivalent # pyright: ignore # type: ignore[error-code] # ↓ pyright equivalent # pyright: ignore[reportGeneralTypeIssues]
Gradual Migration
json
{
"typeCheckingMode": "basic",
"include": ["src/new_module"],
"exclude": ["src/legacy"],
"reportMissingImports": true,
"reportMissingTypeStubs": false
}
Performance Optimization
Baseline Performance
bash
# Create performance baseline pyright --stats --createstub # Compare after changes pyright --stats
Watch Mode
bash
# Fast incremental checking pyright --watch # With specific path pyright --watch src/
Parallel Checking
json
{
"executionEnvironments": [
{
"root": "src",
"pythonVersion": "3.11"
},
{
"root": "tests",
"pythonVersion": "3.11",
"extraPaths": ["src"]
}
]
}
Common Patterns
Optional Handling
python
from typing import Optional
def get_user(user_id: int) -> Optional[str]:
return "Alice" if user_id == 1 else None
# Before pyright 1.1.200
user = get_user(1)
if user is not None:
print(user.upper())
# With pyright type narrowing
user = get_user(1)
if user: # Narrows to str
print(user.upper())
Union Narrowing
python
from typing import Union
def process(value: Union[str, list[str]]) -> str:
if isinstance(value, list):
return ", ".join(value) # value is list[str]
return value # value is str
Overload
python
from typing import overload, Literal
@overload
def open_file(path: str, mode: Literal["r"]) -> str: ...
@overload
def open_file(path: str, mode: Literal["rb"]) -> bytes: ...
def open_file(path: str, mode: str) -> str | bytes:
if mode == "rb":
return b"binary data"
return "text data"
# Type-safe usage
text: str = open_file("file.txt", "r")
data: bytes = open_file("file.bin", "rb")
Assertion Functions
python
from typing import Never
def assert_never(value: Never) -> Never:
raise AssertionError(f"Unexpected value: {value}")
def handle_status(status: Literal["success", "error"]) -> None:
if status == "success":
print("OK")
elif status == "error":
print("Failed")
else:
assert_never(status) # Exhaustiveness check
Pyright vs mypy
Performance Comparison
bash
# Typical project (10K lines) # mypy: ~5-10 seconds # pyright: ~1-2 seconds # Large project (100K lines) # mypy: ~60-120 seconds # pyright: ~10-20 seconds
Feature Differences
Pyright Advantages:
- •5-10x faster type checking
- •Better type inference
- •VS Code integration (Pylance)
- •Active development by Microsoft
- •Better Protocol support
- •Superior type narrowing
mypy Advantages:
- •More mature ecosystem
- •Plugin system
- •Finer-grained control
- •Better documentation
- •More configuration options
When to Use Pyright
- •✅ VS Code users
- •✅ Need fast feedback
- •✅ Want strict type checking
- •✅ Modern Python (3.10+)
- •✅ Starting new projects
When to Use mypy
- •✅ Existing mypy setup
- •✅ Need mypy plugins
- •✅ Non-VS Code editors
- •✅ Legacy Python (<3.8)
- •✅ Team prefers mypy
Best Practices
Start with Basic Mode
json
{
"typeCheckingMode": "basic",
"reportMissingImports": true,
"reportUndefinedVariable": true
}
Gradually Increase Strictness
json
{
"typeCheckingMode": "standard",
"reportUnknownParameterType": "warning",
"reportUnknownArgumentType": "warning"
}
Use Type Stubs
bash
# Generate stubs for third-party packages pyright --createstub package_name # Custom stubs directory mkdir -p typings
Leverage Inlay Hints
json
{
"python.analysis.inlayHints.variableTypes": true,
"python.analysis.inlayHints.functionReturnTypes": true,
"python.analysis.inlayHints.callArgumentNames": true
}
Type Coverage
bash
# Check type completeness pyright --stats # Output: # Files analyzed: 42 # Lines of code: 3,421 # Type completeness: 87.3%
Ignore Strategically
python
# Avoid broad ignores # pyright: ignore # ✗ Too broad # Prefer specific ignores # pyright: ignore[reportGeneralTypeIssues] # ✓ Specific # Or fix the issue value: str = cast(str, unknown_value) # ✓ Best
Troubleshooting
Import Resolution
json
{
"extraPaths": ["src", "lib"],
"stubPath": "typings",
"venvPath": ".",
"venv": ".venv"
}
Stub Generation
bash
# Generate stubs for package pyright --createstub requests # Custom stub location pyright --createstub requests --outputdir typings
Performance Issues
json
{
"exclude": [
"**/node_modules",
"**/__pycache__",
".venv",
"build",
"dist"
]
}
VS Code Not Using Pyright
json
{
"python.languageServer": "Pylance",
"python.analysis.typeCheckingMode": "basic",
"python.analysis.diagnosticMode": "workspace"
}
Resources
Official:
Community:
- •awesome-pyright
- •Python Type Hints
- •PEP 484 - Type Hints
Related Skills: mypy, FastAPI, Django, pytest Token Count: ~3,850 tokens