More improvements to cheat sheet

docs/source/cheat_sheet.rst

@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 Mypy syntax cheat sheet (Python 2)
 ==================================
 
-This document is a quick cheat sheet showing how the PEP-484 type
+This document is a quick cheat sheet showing how the PEP 484 type
 language represents various common types in Python 2.
 
 .. note::
@@ -11,121 +11,175 @@ language represents various common types in Python 2.
    many of the examples have a dual purpose: show how to write the
    annotation, and show the inferred types.
 
+
+Built-in types
+**************
+
 .. code-block:: python
 
-   from typing import List, Dict, Set, Tuple, Union, Optional, Callable, Match
-   from six import text_type
+   from typing import List, Set, Dict, Tuple, Optional
+   import six
 
-   # For builtin types, just use the name of the type
+   # For simple built-in types, just use the name of the type.
    x = 1 # type: int
    x = 1.0 # type: float
    x = "test" # type: str
    x = u"test" # type: unicode
 
-   # Print an error message giving the type of x (it's also a runtime
-   # error, so don't leave it in)
-   reveal_type(x)
-
    # For collections, the name of the type is capitalized, and the
-   # name of the type in the collection is in brackets.
+   # name of the type inside the collection is in brackets.
    x = [1] # type: List[int]
    x = set([6, 7]) # type: Set[int]
-   # For mappings, we need the types of both keys and values
+
+   # For mappings, we need the types of both keys and values.
    x = dict(field=2.0) # type: Dict[str, float]
-   # For tuples, we specify the types of all the elements
+
+   # For tuples, we specify the types of all the elements.
    x = (3, "yes", 7.5) # type: Tuple[int, str, float]
 
-   # six.text_type is str/unicode in Python 2 and string but not bytes in Python 3
-   x = ["string", u"unicode"] # type: List[text_type]
-   # If something could be one of a few types, use Union
-   x = [3, 5, "test", "fun"] # type: List[Union[int, str]]
-   x = re.match(r'[0-9]+', "15") # type: Match[str]
+   # For textual data, we generally use six.text_type.
+   # This is `unicode` in Python 2 and `str` in Python 3.
+   x = ["string", u"unicode"] # type: List[six.text_type]
+
+   # Use Optional for values that could be None.
+   input_str = f() # type: Optional[str]
+   if input_str is not None:
+      print input_str
 
-   # If you don't know the type of something, you can use Any
-   x = mystery_function() # type: Any
-   # And if you want to have something not be type-checked, you can
-   # use ignore to suppress mypy warnings for a given line
-   # Ideally, one would never use this
-   x = confusing_function() # type: ignore
 
-   # This is how you annotate a function definition
+Functions
+*********
+
+.. code-block:: python
+
+   from typing import Callable, Iterable
+
+   # This is how you annotate a function definition.
    def stringify(num):
        # type: (int) -> str
        """Your function docstring goes here after the type definition."""
        return str(num)
 
-   # And here's how you specify multiple arguments
+   # And here's how you specify multiple arguments.
    def plus(num1, num2):
        # type: (int, int) -> int
        return num1 + num2
 
-   # Add type annotations for kwargs as though they were positional args
+   # Add type annotations for kwargs as though they were positional args.
    def f(num1, my_float=3.5):
        # type: (int, float) -> float
        return num1 + my_float
-   # This is how you annotate a function value
+
+   # This is how you annotate a function value.
    x = f # type: Callable[[int, float], float]
 
-   # Use Optional[Type] for objects that could be None
-   def f(input_str=None):
-       # type: (Optional[str]) -> int
-       if input_str is not None:
-           return len(input_str)
-       return 0
-
-   from typing import Mapping, MutableMapping
-   # Dict is a python dictionary
-   # MutableMapping is an abstract base class for a dict-type thing
-   # Mapping is an abtract base class for a dict-type thing that may
-   # not support writing to the mapping
+   # A generator function that yields ints is secretly just a function that
+   # returns an iterable (see below) of ints, so that's how we annotate it.
+   def f(n):
+       # type: (int) -> Iterable[int]
+       i = 0
+       while i < n:
+           yield i
+           i += 1
+
+
+When you're puzzled or when things are complicated
+**************************************************
+
+.. code-block:: python
+
+   from typing import Union, Any
+
+   # To find out what type mypy infers for an expression anywhere in
+   # your program, wrap it in reveal_type.  Mypy will print an error
+   # message with the type; remove it again before running the code.
+   reveal_type(1) # -> error: Revealed type is 'builtins.int'
+
+   # Use Union when something could be one of a few types.
+   x = [3, 5, "test", "fun"] # type: List[Union[int, str]]
+
+   # Use Any if you don't know the type of something or it's too
+   # dynamic to write a type for.
+   x = mystery_function() # type: Any
+
+   # Use `ignore` to suppress type-checking on a given line, when your
+   # code confuses mypy or runs into an outright bug in mypy.
+   # Good practice is to comment every `ignore` with a bug link
+   # (in mypy, typeshed, or your own code) or an explanation of the issue.
+   x = confusing_function() # type: ignore # https://github.com/python/mypy/issues/1167
+
+   # TODO: explain cast
+
+   # TODO: explain "Need type annotation for variable" when
+   # initializing with None or an empty container
+
+
+Standard duck types
+*******************
+
+In typical Python code, many functions that can take a list or a dict
+as an argument only need their argument to be somehow "list-like" or
+"dict-like".  A specific meaning of "list-like" or "dict-like" (or
+something-else-like) is called a "duck type", and several duck types
+that are common in idiomatic Python are standardized.
+
+.. code-block:: python
+
+   from typing import Mapping, MutableMapping, Sequence, Iterator
+
+   # Use Iterable for generic iterables (anything usable in `for`),
+   # and Sequence where a sequence (supporting `len` and `__getitem__`) is required.
+   def f(iterable_of_ints):
+       # type: (Iterable[int]) -> List[str]
+       return [str(x) for x in iterator_of_ints]
+   f(range(1, 3))
+
+   # Mapping describes a dict-like object (with `__getitem__`) that we won't mutate,
+   # and MutableMapping one (with `__setitem__`) that we might.
    def f(my_dict):
        # type: (Mapping[int, str]) -> List[int]
        return list(my_dict.keys())
    f({3: 'yes', 4: 'no'})
-
    def f(my_mapping):
        # type: (MutableMapping[int, str]) -> Set[str]
        my_dict[5] = 'maybe'
        return set(my_dict.values())
    f({3: 'yes', 4: 'no'})
 
-   from typing import Sequence, Iterable, Generator
-   # Use Iterable[Type] for generic iterators
-   # Sequence[Type] is abstract base class for list-like iterables
-   def f(iterator_of_ints):
-       # type: (Sequence[int]) -> List[str]
-       return [str(x) for x in iterator_of_ints]
-   f(range(1, 3))
-
-   from typing import Tuple
-   def f(my_tuple):
-       # type: (Tuple[int, int]) -> int
-       return sum([val for val in my_tuple])
-   f((1, 2))
 
-   from typing import Iterator
-   def f(n):
-       # type: (int) -> Iterator[int]
-       i = 0
-       while i < n:
-           yield i
-           i += 1
-   f(5)
+Classes
+*******
 
-   # TODO: Add typevar example
+.. code-block:: python
 
-   # This is how you annotate a class with '__init__' constructor and a method.
    class MyClass(object):
-       """This is where your class docstring goes."""
-
-       def __init__(self):
-           # type: () -> None
-           """Add your constructor stuff here."""
-           pass
 
+       # For instance methods, omit `self`.
        def my_class_method(self, num, str1):
            # type: (int, str) -> str
-           """Returns 'str1' repeated 'num' times."""
            return num * str1
 
+       # The __init__ method doesn't return anything, so it gets return
+       # type None just like any other method that doesn't return anything.
+       def __init__(self):
+           # type: () -> None
+           pass
+
+   # User-defined classes are written with just their own names.
    x = MyClass() # type: MyClass
+
+
+Other stuff
+***********
+
+.. code-block:: python
+
+   # typing.Match describes regex matches from the re module.
+   from typing import Match
+   x = re.match(r'[0-9]+', "15") # type: Match[str]
+
+   # TODO: add typing.IO: e.g., sys.stdout has type IO[str]
+
+   # TODO: add TypeVar and a simple generic function
+
+   # TODO: add AnyStr (and mention up next to strings)