Python: Improve modelling of overloaded methods

python/ql/lib/change-notes/2026-03-05-ignore-type-overloaded-methods-during-resolution.md

@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+category: minorAnalysis
+---
+
+- The call graph resolution no longer considers methods marked using [`@typing.overload`](https://typing.python.org/en/latest/spec/overload.html#overloads) as valid targets. This ensures that only the method that contains the actual implementation gets resolved as a target.

python/ql/lib/semmle/python/dataflow/new/internal/DataFlowDispatch.qll

@@ -304,6 +304,25 @@ predicate hasContextmanagerDecorator(Function func) {
   )
 }
 
+/**
+ * Holds if the function `func` has a `typing.overload` decorator.
+ * Such functions are type stubs that declare an overload signature but are
+ * not the actual implementation.
+ *
+ * Normally we would want to model this using API graphs for more precision, but since this
+ * predicate is used in the call graph computation, we have to use a more syntactic approach.
+ */
+overlay[local]
+private predicate hasOverloadDecorator(Function func) {
+  exists(ControlFlowNode overload |
+    overload.(NameNode).getId() = "overload" and overload.(NameNode).isGlobal()
+    or
+    overload.(AttrNode).getObject("overload").(NameNode).isGlobal()
+  |
+    func.getADecorator() = overload.getNode()
+  )
+}
+
 // =============================================================================
 // Callables
 // =============================================================================
@@ -849,7 +868,8 @@ private Class getNextClassInMro(Class cls) {
  */
 Function findFunctionAccordingToMro(Class cls, string name) {
   result = cls.getAMethod() and
-  result.getName() = name
+  result.getName() = name and
+  not hasOverloadDecorator(result)
   or
   not class_has_method(cls, name) and
   result = findFunctionAccordingToMro(getNextClassInMro(cls), name)
@@ -891,6 +911,7 @@ Class getNextClassInMroKnownStartingClass(Class cls, Class startingClass) {
 Function findFunctionAccordingToMroKnownStartingClass(Class cls, Class startingClass, string name) {
   result = cls.getAMethod() and
   result.getName() = name and
+  not hasOverloadDecorator(result) and
   cls = getADirectSuperclass*(startingClass)
   or
   not class_has_method(cls, name) and

python/ql/test/library-tests/dataflow/calls-overload/OverloadCallTest.ql

@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+/**
+ * Test that `@typing.overload` stubs are not resolved as call targets.
+ */
+
+import python
+import semmle.python.dataflow.new.internal.DataFlowDispatch as DataFlowDispatch
+import utils.test.InlineExpectationsTest
+
+module OverloadCallTest implements TestSig {
+  string getARelevantTag() { result = "init" }
+
+  predicate hasActualResult(Location location, string element, string tag, string value) {
+    exists(location.getFile().getRelativePath()) and
+    exists(DataFlowDispatch::DataFlowCall call, Function target |
+      location = call.getLocation() and
+      element = call.toString() and
+      DataFlowDispatch::resolveCall(call.getNode(), target, _) and
+      target.getName() = "__init__"
+    |
+      value = target.getQualifiedName() + ":" + target.getLocation().getStartLine().toString() and
+      tag = "init"
+    )
+  }
+}
+
+import MakeTest<OverloadCallTest>

python/ql/test/library-tests/dataflow/calls-overload/test.py

@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+import typing
+
+
+class OverloadedInit:
+    @typing.overload
+    def __init__(self, x: int) -> None: ...
+
+    @typing.overload
+    def __init__(self, x: str, y: str) -> None: ...
+
+    def __init__(self, x, y=None):
+        pass
+
+OverloadedInit(1) # $ init=OverloadedInit.__init__:11
+OverloadedInit("a", "b") # $ init=OverloadedInit.__init__:11
+
+
+from typing import overload
+
+
+class OverloadedInitFromImport:
+    @overload
+    def __init__(self, x: int) -> None: ...
+
+    @overload
+    def __init__(self, x: str, y: str) -> None: ...
+
+    def __init__(self, x, y=None):
+        pass
+
+OverloadedInitFromImport(1) # $ init=OverloadedInitFromImport.__init__:28
+OverloadedInitFromImport("a", "b") # $ init=OverloadedInitFromImport.__init__:28
+
+
+class NoOverloads:
+    def __init__(self, x):
+        pass
+
+NoOverloads(1) # $ init=NoOverloads.__init__:36