Rename InternalPoint3D to Point3D, Point3D to Point3DLike and other point-related type aliases

docs/source/contributing/docs/types.rst

@@ -22,32 +22,51 @@ in space. For example:
 
 .. code-block:: python
 
-   def status2D(coord: Point2D) -> None:
+   def print_point2D(coord: Point2DLike) -> None:
        x, y = coord
        print(f"Point at {x=},{y=}")
 
 
-   def status3D(coord: Point3D) -> None:
+   def print_point3D(coord: Point3DLike) -> None:
        x, y, z = coord
        print(f"Point at {x=},{y=},{z=}")
 
 
-   def get_statuses(coords: Point2D_Array | Point3D_Array) -> None:
+   def print_point_array(coords: Point2DLike_Array | Point3DLike_Array) -> None:
        for coord in coords:
            if len(coord) == 2:
-               # it's a Point2D
-               status2D(coord)
+               # it's a Point2DLike
+               print_point2D(coord)
            else:
-               # it's a point3D
-               status3D(coord)
-
-It's important to realize that the status functions accepted both
-tuples/lists of the correct length, and ``NDArray``'s of the correct shape.
-If they only accepted ``NDArray``'s, we would use their ``Internal`` counterparts:
-:class:`~.typing.InternalPoint2D`, :class:`~.typing.InternalPoint3D`, :class:`~.typing.InternalPoint2D_Array` and :class:`~.typing.InternalPoint3D_Array`.
-
-In general, the type aliases prefixed with ``Internal`` should never be used on
-user-facing classes and functions, but should be reserved for internal behavior.
+               # it's a Point3DLike
+               print_point3D(coord)
+
+   def shift_point_up(coord: Point3DLike) -> Point3D:
+       result = np.asarray(coord)
+       result += UP
+       print(f"New point: {result}")
+       return result
+
+Notice that the last function, ``shift_point_up()``, accepts a
+:class:`~.Point3DLike` as a parameter and returns a :class:`~.Point3D`. A
+:class:`~.Point3D` always represents a NumPy array consisting of 3 floats,
+whereas a :class:`~.Point3DLike` can represent anything resembling a 3D point:
+either a NumPy array or a tuple/list of 3 floats, hence the ``Like`` word. The
+same happens with :class:`~.Point2D`, :class:`~.Point2D_Array` and
+:class:`~.Point3D_Array`, and their ``Like`` counterparts
+:class:`~.Point2DLike`, :class:`~.Point2DLike_Array` and
+:class:`~.Point3DLike_Array`.
+
+The rule for typing functions is: **make parameter types as broad as possible,
+and return types as specific as possible.** Therefore, for functions which are
+intended to be called by users, **we should always, if possible, accept**
+``Like`` **types as parameters and return NumPy, non-** ``Like`` **types.** The
+main reason is to be more flexible with users who might want to pass tuples or
+lists as arguments rather than NumPy arrays, because it's more convenient. The
+last function, ``shift_point_up()``, is an example of it.
+
+Internal functions which are *not* meant to be called by users may accept
+non-``Like`` parameters if necessary.
 
 Vectors
 ~~~~~~~
@@ -61,20 +80,19 @@ consider this slightly contrived function:
    def shift_mobject(mob: M, direction: Vector3D, scale_factor: float = 1) -> M:
        return mob.shift(direction * scale_factor)
 
-Here we see an important example of the difference. ``direction`` can not, and
-should not, be typed as a :class:`~.typing.Point3D` because the function does not accept tuples/lists,
-like ``direction=(0, 1, 0)``. You could type it as :class:`~.typing.InternalPoint3D` and
-the type checker and linter would be happy; however, this makes the code harder
-to understand.
+Here we see an important example of the difference. ``direction`` should not be
+typed as a :class:`~.Point3D`, because it represents a direction along
+which to shift a :class:`~.Mobject`, not a position in space.
 
 As a general rule, if a parameter is called ``direction`` or ``axis``,
 it should be type hinted as some form of :class:`~.VectorND`.
 
 .. warning::
 
    This is not always true. For example, as of Manim 0.18.0, the direction
-   parameter of the :class:`.Vector` Mobject should be ``Point2D | Point3D``,
-   as it can also accept ``tuple[float, float]`` and ``tuple[float, float, float]``.
+   parameter of the :class:`.Vector` Mobject should be
+   ``Point2DLike | Point3DLike``, as it can also accept ``tuple[float, float]``
+   and ``tuple[float, float, float]``.
 
 Colors
 ------

manim/mobject/geometry/arc.py

@@ -71,10 +71,9 @@ def construct(self):
     from manim.mobject.text.tex_mobject import SingleStringMathTex, Tex
     from manim.mobject.text.text_mobject import Text
     from manim.typing import (
-        CubicBezierPoints,
-        InternalPoint3D,
         Point3D,
-        QuadraticBezierPoints,
+        Point3DLike,
+        QuadraticSpline,
         Vector3D,
     )
 
@@ -269,22 +268,27 @@ def get_tip(self) -> VMobject:
     def get_default_tip_length(self) -> float:
         return self.tip_length
 
-    def get_first_handle(self) -> InternalPoint3D:
+    def get_first_handle(self) -> Point3D:
         # Type inference of extracting an element from a list, is not
         # supported by numpy, see this numpy issue
         # https://github.com/numpy/numpy/issues/16544
-        return self.points[1]
+        first_handle: Point3D = self.points[1]
+        return first_handle
 
-    def get_last_handle(self) -> InternalPoint3D:
-        return self.points[-2]
+    def get_last_handle(self) -> Point3D:
+        # Type inference of extracting an element from a list, is not
+        # supported by numpy, see this numpy issue
+        # https://github.com/numpy/numpy/issues/16544
+        last_handle: Point3D = self.points[-2]
+        return last_handle
 
-    def get_end(self) -> InternalPoint3D:
+    def get_end(self) -> Point3D:
         if self.has_tip():
             return self.tip.get_start()
         else:
             return super().get_end()
 
-    def get_start(self) -> InternalPoint3D:
+    def get_start(self) -> Point3D:
         if self.has_start_tip():
             return self.start_tip.get_start()
         else:
@@ -316,14 +320,14 @@ def __init__(
         start_angle: float = 0,
         angle: float = TAU / 4,
         num_components: int = 9,
-        arc_center: InternalPoint3D = ORIGIN,
+        arc_center: Point3DLike = ORIGIN,
         **kwargs: Any,
     ):
         if radius is None:  # apparently None is passed by ArcBetweenPoints
             radius = 1.0
         self.radius = radius
         self.num_components = num_components
-        self.arc_center = arc_center
+        self.arc_center: Point3D = np.asarray(arc_center)
         self.start_angle = start_angle
         self.angle = angle
         self._failed_to_get_center: bool = False
@@ -351,7 +355,7 @@ def init_points(self) -> None:
     @staticmethod
     def _create_quadratic_bezier_points(
         angle: float, start_angle: float = 0, n_components: int = 8
-    ) -> QuadraticBezierPoints:
+    ) -> QuadraticSpline:
         samples = np.array(
             [
                 [np.cos(a), np.sin(a), 0]
@@ -394,7 +398,7 @@ def _set_pre_positioned_points(self) -> None:
         handles2 = anchors[1:] - (d_theta / 3) * tangent_vectors[1:]
         self.set_anchors_and_handles(anchors[:-1], handles1, handles2, anchors[1:])
 
-    def get_arc_center(self, warning: bool = True) -> InternalPoint3D:
+    def get_arc_center(self, warning: bool = True) -> Point3D:
         """Looks at the normals to the first two
         anchors, and finds their intersection points
         """
@@ -422,7 +426,7 @@ def get_arc_center(self, warning: bool = True) -> InternalPoint3D:
             self._failed_to_get_center = True
             return np.array(ORIGIN)
 
-    def move_arc_center_to(self, point: InternalPoint3D) -> Self:
+    def move_arc_center_to(self, point: Point3DLike) -> Self:
         self.shift(point - self.get_arc_center())
         return self
 
@@ -454,8 +458,8 @@ def construct(self):
 
     def __init__(
         self,
-        start: Point3D,
-        end: Point3D,
+        start: Point3DLike,
+        end: Point3DLike,
         angle: float = TAU / 4,
         radius: float | None = None,
         **kwargs: Any,
@@ -484,14 +488,18 @@ def __init__(
         if radius is None:
             center = self.get_arc_center(warning=False)
             if not self._failed_to_get_center:
-                temp_radius: float = np.linalg.norm(np.array(start) - np.array(center))
-                self.radius = temp_radius
+                # np.linalg.norm returns floating[Any] which is not compatible with float
+                self.radius = cast(
+                    float, np.linalg.norm(np.array(start) - np.array(center))
+                )
             else:
                 self.radius = np.inf
 
 
 class CurvedArrow(ArcBetweenPoints):
-    def __init__(self, start_point: Point3D, end_point: Point3D, **kwargs: Any) -> None:
+    def __init__(
+        self, start_point: Point3DLike, end_point: Point3DLike, **kwargs: Any
+    ) -> None:
         from manim.mobject.geometry.tips import ArrowTriangleFilledTip
 
         tip_shape = kwargs.pop("tip_shape", ArrowTriangleFilledTip)
@@ -500,7 +508,9 @@ def __init__(self, start_point: Point3D, end_point: Point3D, **kwargs: Any) -> N
 
 
 class CurvedDoubleArrow(CurvedArrow):
-    def __init__(self, start_point: Point3D, end_point: Point3D, **kwargs: Any) -> None:
+    def __init__(
+        self, start_point: Point3DLike, end_point: Point3DLike, **kwargs: Any
+    ) -> None:
         if "tip_shape_end" in kwargs:
             kwargs["tip_shape"] = kwargs.pop("tip_shape_end")
         from manim.mobject.geometry.tips import ArrowTriangleFilledTip
@@ -637,7 +647,7 @@ def construct(self):
 
     @staticmethod
     def from_three_points(
-        p1: Point3D, p2: Point3D, p3: Point3D, **kwargs: Any
+        p1: Point3DLike, p2: Point3DLike, p3: Point3DLike, **kwargs: Any
     ) -> Circle:
         """Returns a circle passing through the specified
         three points.
@@ -661,7 +671,8 @@ def construct(self):
             perpendicular_bisector([np.asarray(p1), np.asarray(p2)]),
             perpendicular_bisector([np.asarray(p2), np.asarray(p3)]),
         )
-        radius: float = np.linalg.norm(p1 - center)
+        # np.linalg.norm returns floating[Any] which is not compatible with float
+        radius = cast(float, np.linalg.norm(p1 - center))
         return Circle(radius=radius, **kwargs).shift(center)
 
 
@@ -698,7 +709,7 @@ def construct(self):
 
     def __init__(
         self,
-        point: Point3D = ORIGIN,
+        point: Point3DLike = ORIGIN,
         radius: float = DEFAULT_DOT_RADIUS,
         stroke_width: float = 0,
         fill_opacity: float = 1.0,
@@ -1006,10 +1017,10 @@ def construct(self):
 
     def __init__(
         self,
-        start_anchor: CubicBezierPoints,
-        start_handle: CubicBezierPoints,
-        end_handle: CubicBezierPoints,
-        end_anchor: CubicBezierPoints,
+        start_anchor: Point3DLike,
+        start_handle: Point3DLike,
+        end_handle: Point3DLike,
+        end_anchor: Point3DLike,
         **kwargs: Any,
     ) -> None:
         super().__init__(**kwargs)
@@ -1097,7 +1108,7 @@ def construct(self):
 
     def __init__(
         self,
-        *vertices: Point3D,
+        *vertices: Point3DLike,
         angle: float = PI / 4,
         radius: float | None = None,
         arc_config: list[dict] | None = None,

manim/mobject/geometry/boolean_ops.py

@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@
 if TYPE_CHECKING:
     from typing import Any
 
-    from manim.typing import InternalPoint3D_Array, Point2D_Array
+    from manim.typing import Point2DLike_Array, Point3D_Array, Point3DLike_Array
 
 from ...constants import RendererType
 
@@ -30,17 +30,17 @@ class _BooleanOps(VMobject, metaclass=ConvertToOpenGL):
 
     def _convert_2d_to_3d_array(
         self,
-        points: Point2D_Array,
+        points: Point2DLike_Array | Point3DLike_Array,
         z_dim: float = 0.0,
-    ) -> InternalPoint3D_Array:
+    ) -> Point3D_Array:
         """Converts an iterable with coordinates in 2D to 3D by adding
         :attr:`z_dim` as the Z coordinate.
 
         Parameters
         ----------
-        points:
+        points
             An iterable of points.
-        z_dim:
+        z_dim
             Default value for the Z coordinate.
 
         Returns

manim/mobject/geometry/labeled.py

@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@
 if TYPE_CHECKING:
     from typing import Any
 
-    from manim.typing import Point3D_Array
+    from manim.typing import Point3DLike_Array
 
 
 class Label(VGroup):
@@ -344,7 +344,7 @@ def construct(self):
 
     def __init__(
         self,
-        *vertex_groups: Point3D_Array,
+        *vertex_groups: Point3DLike_Array,
         label: str | Tex | MathTex | Text,
         precision: float = 0.01,
         label_config: dict[str, Any] | None = None,