[types] clean type annotations generation from pyannotation

32 files changed, 1089 insertions, 643 deletions

diff --git a/__pkginfo__.py b/__pkginfo__.py
index f1bffe5..6ad6cb6 100644
--- a/__pkginfo__.py
+++ b/__pkginfo__.py
@@ -45,6 +45,8 @@ include_dirs = [join('test', 'data')]
 
 install_requires = [
     'setuptools',
+    'mypy-extensions',
+    'typing_extensions',
 ]
 tests_require = [
     'pytz',
diff --git a/logilab/common/__init__.py b/logilab/common/__init__.py
index bf35711..0d7f183 100644
--- a/logilab/common/__init__.py
+++ b/logilab/common/__init__.py
@@ -29,13 +29,16 @@ __docformat__ = "restructuredtext en"
 import sys
 import types
 import pkg_resources
+from typing import List, Sequence
 
 __version__ = pkg_resources.get_distribution('logilab-common').version
 
 # deprecated, but keep compatibility with pylint < 1.4.4
 __pkginfo__ = types.ModuleType('__pkginfo__')
 __pkginfo__.__package__ = __name__
-__pkginfo__.version = __version__
+# mypy output: Module has no attribute "version"
+# logilab's magic
+__pkginfo__.version = __version__  # type: ignore
 sys.modules['logilab.common.__pkginfo__'] = __pkginfo__
 
 STD_BLACKLIST = ('CVS', '.svn', '.hg', '.git', '.tox', 'debian', 'dist', 'build')
@@ -49,7 +52,7 @@ USE_MX_DATETIME = True
 
 class attrdict(dict):
     """A dictionary for which keys are also accessible as attributes."""
-    def __getattr__(self, attr):
+    def __getattr__(self, attr: str) -> str:
         try:
             return self[attr]
         except KeyError:
@@ -170,7 +173,7 @@ def make_domains(lists):
 
 # private stuff ################################################################
 
-def _handle_blacklist(blacklist, dirnames, filenames):
+def _handle_blacklist(blacklist: Sequence[str], dirnames: List[str], filenames: List[str]) -> None:
     """remove files/directories in the black list
 
     dirnames/filenames are usually from os.walk
diff --git a/logilab/common/cache.py b/logilab/common/cache.py
index 11ed137..c47f481 100644
--- a/logilab/common/cache.py
+++ b/logilab/common/cache.py
@@ -27,9 +27,14 @@ __docformat__ = "restructuredtext en"
 from threading import Lock
 
 from logilab.common.decorators import locked
+from typing import Union, TypeVar, List
 
 _marker = object()
 
+
+_KeyType = TypeVar("_KeyType")
+
+
 class Cache(dict):
     """A dictionary like cache.
 
@@ -38,23 +43,23 @@ class Cache(dict):
         len(self.data) <= self.size
     """
 
-    def __init__(self, size=100):
+    def __init__(self, size: int = 100) -> None:
         """ Warning : Cache.__init__() != dict.__init__().
         Constructor does not take any arguments beside size.
         """
         assert size >= 0, 'cache size must be >= 0 (0 meaning no caching)'
         self.size = size
-        self._usage = []
+        self._usage: List = []
         self._lock = Lock()
         super(Cache, self).__init__()
 
-    def _acquire(self):
+    def _acquire(self) -> None:
         self._lock.acquire()
 
-    def _release(self):
+    def _release(self) -> None:
         self._lock.release()
 
-    def _update_usage(self, key):
+    def _update_usage(self, key: _KeyType) -> None:
         if not self._usage:
             self._usage.append(key)
         elif self._usage[-1] != key:
@@ -71,20 +76,20 @@ class Cache(dict):
         else:
             pass # key is already the most recently used key
 
-    def __getitem__(self, key):
+    def __getitem__(self, key: _KeyType):
         value = super(Cache, self).__getitem__(key)
         self._update_usage(key)
         return value
     __getitem__ = locked(_acquire, _release)(__getitem__)
 
-    def __setitem__(self, key, item):
+    def __setitem__(self, key: _KeyType, item):
         # Just make sure that size > 0 before inserting a new item in the cache
         if self.size > 0:
             super(Cache, self).__setitem__(key, item)
             self._update_usage(key)
     __setitem__ = locked(_acquire, _release)(__setitem__)
 
-    def __delitem__(self, key):
+    def __delitem__(self, key: _KeyType):
         super(Cache, self).__delitem__(key)
         self._usage.remove(key)
     __delitem__ = locked(_acquire, _release)(__delitem__)
@@ -94,7 +99,7 @@ class Cache(dict):
         self._usage = []
     clear = locked(_acquire, _release)(clear)
 
-    def pop(self, key, default=_marker):
+    def pop(self, key: _KeyType, default=_marker):
         if key in self:
             self._usage.remove(key)
         #if default is _marker:
diff --git a/logilab/common/changelog.py b/logilab/common/changelog.py
index 6eb8432..c128eb7 100644
--- a/logilab/common/changelog.py
+++ b/logilab/common/changelog.py
@@ -49,6 +49,8 @@ __docformat__ = "restructuredtext en"
 import sys
 from stat import S_IWRITE
 import codecs
+from typing import List, Any, Optional, Tuple
+from _io import StringIO
 
 BULLET = '*'
 SUBBULLET = '-'
@@ -76,7 +78,7 @@ class Version(tuple):
         return tuple.__new__(cls, parsed)
 
     @classmethod
-    def parse(cls, versionstr):
+    def parse(cls, versionstr: str) -> List[int]:
         versionstr = versionstr.strip(' :')
         try:
             return [int(i) for i in versionstr.split('.')]
@@ -84,7 +86,7 @@ class Version(tuple):
             raise ValueError("invalid literal for version '%s' (%s)" %
                              (versionstr, ex))
 
-    def __str__(self):
+    def __str__(self) -> str:
         return '.'.join([str(i) for i in self])
 
 
@@ -96,20 +98,21 @@ class ChangeLogEntry(object):
     """
     version_class = Version
 
-    def __init__(self, date=None, version=None, **kwargs):
+    def __init__(self, date: Optional[str] = None, version: Optional[str] = None, **kwargs: Any) -> None:
         self.__dict__.update(kwargs)
+        self.version: Optional[Version]
         if version:
             self.version = self.version_class(version)
         else:
             self.version = None
         self.date = date
-        self.messages = []
+        self.messages: List[Tuple[List[str], List[List[str]]]] = []
 
-    def add_message(self, msg):
+    def add_message(self, msg: str) -> None:
         """add a new message"""
         self.messages.append(([msg], []))
 
-    def complete_latest_message(self, msg_suite):
+    def complete_latest_message(self, msg_suite: str) -> None:
         """complete the latest added message
         """
         if not self.messages:
@@ -120,7 +123,7 @@ class ChangeLogEntry(object):
         else:  # message
             self.messages[-1][0].append(msg_suite)
 
-    def add_sub_message(self, sub_msg, key=None):
+    def add_sub_message(self, sub_msg: str, key: Optional[Any] = None) -> None:
         if not self.messages:
             raise ValueError('unable to complete last message as '
                              'there is no previous message)')
@@ -130,7 +133,7 @@ class ChangeLogEntry(object):
             raise NotImplementedError('sub message to specific key '
                                       'are not implemented yet')
 
-    def write(self, stream=sys.stdout):
+    def write(self, stream: StringIO = sys.stdout) -> None:
         """write the entry to file """
         stream.write(u'%s  --  %s\n' % (self.date or '', self.version or ''))
         for msg, sub_msgs in self.messages:
@@ -152,19 +155,19 @@ class ChangeLog(object):
 
     entry_class = ChangeLogEntry
 
-    def __init__(self, changelog_file, title=u''):
+    def __init__(self, changelog_file: str, title: str = u'') -> None:
         self.file = changelog_file
         assert isinstance(title, type(u'')), 'title must be a unicode object'
         self.title = title
         self.additional_content = u''
-        self.entries = []
+        self.entries: List[ChangeLogEntry] = []
         self.load()
 
     def __repr__(self):
         return '<ChangeLog %s at %s (%s entries)>' % (self.file, id(self),
                                                       len(self.entries))
 
-    def add_entry(self, entry):
+    def add_entry(self, entry: ChangeLogEntry) -> None:
         """add a new entry to the change log"""
         self.entries.append(entry)
 
@@ -191,26 +194,31 @@ class ChangeLog(object):
         entry = self.get_entry(create=create)
         entry.add_message(msg)
 
-    def load(self):
+    def load(self) -> None:
         """ read a logilab's ChangeLog from file """
         try:
             stream = codecs.open(self.file, encoding='utf-8')
         except IOError:
             return
-        last = None
+
+        last: Optional[ChangeLogEntry] = None
         expect_sub = False
+
         for line in stream:
             sline = line.strip()
             words = sline.split()
+
             # if new entry
             if len(words) == 1 and words[0] == '--':
                 expect_sub = False
                 last = self.entry_class()
+
                 self.add_entry(last)
             # if old entry
             elif len(words) == 3 and words[1] == '--':
                 expect_sub = False
                 last = self.entry_class(words[0], words[2])
+
                 self.add_entry(last)
             # if title
             elif sline and last is None:
@@ -218,19 +226,23 @@ class ChangeLog(object):
             # if new entry
             elif sline and sline[0] == BULLET:
                 expect_sub = False
+
+                assert last is not None
                 last.add_message(sline[1:].strip())
             # if new sub_entry
             elif expect_sub and sline and sline[0] == SUBBULLET:
+                assert last is not None
                 last.add_sub_message(sline[1:].strip())
             # if new line for current entry
-            elif sline and last.messages:
+            elif sline and (last and last.messages):
                 last.complete_latest_message(line)
             else:
                 expect_sub = True
                 self.additional_content += line
+
         stream.close()
 
-    def format_title(self):
+    def format_title(self) -> str:
         return u'%s\n\n' % self.title.strip()
 
     def save(self):
@@ -240,7 +252,7 @@ class ChangeLog(object):
         ensure_fs_mode(self.file, S_IWRITE)
         self.write(codecs.open(self.file, 'w', encoding='utf-8'))
 
-    def write(self, stream=sys.stdout):
+    def write(self, stream: StringIO = sys.stdout) -> None:
         """write changelog to stream"""
         stream.write(self.format_title())
         for entry in self.entries:
diff --git a/logilab/common/compat.py b/logilab/common/compat.py
index eee0a61..4ca540b 100644
--- a/logilab/common/compat.py
+++ b/logilab/common/compat.py
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ import os
 import sys
 import types
 from warnings import warn
+from typing import Union
 
 # not used here, but imported to preserve API
 import builtins
@@ -41,7 +42,7 @@ def str_to_bytes(string):
     return str.encode(string)
 # we have to ignore the encoding in py3k to be able to write a string into a
 # TextIOWrapper or like object (which expect an unicode string)
-def str_encode(string, encoding):
+def str_encode(string: Union[int, str], encoding: str) -> str:
     return str(string)
 
 # See also http://bugs.python.org/issue11776
diff --git a/logilab/common/configuration.py b/logilab/common/configuration.py
index 8489de5..61c2e97 100644
--- a/logilab/common/configuration.py
+++ b/logilab/common/configuration.py
@@ -119,25 +119,31 @@ import os
 import sys
 import re
 from os.path import exists, expanduser
+from optparse import OptionGroup
 from copy import copy
+from _io import StringIO, TextIOWrapper
+from mypy_extensions import NoReturn
+from typing import Any, Optional, Union, Dict, List, Tuple, Iterator, Callable, Sequence
 from warnings import warn
 
 import configparser as cp
 
+from logilab.common.types import OptionParser, Option, attrdict
 from logilab.common.compat import str_encode as _encode
 from logilab.common.deprecation import deprecated
 from logilab.common.textutils import normalize_text, unquote
 from logilab.common import optik_ext
 
+
 OptionError = optik_ext.OptionError
 
-REQUIRED = []
+REQUIRED: List = []
 
 class UnsupportedAction(Exception):
     """raised by set_option when it doesn't know what to do for an action"""
 
 
-def _get_encoding(encoding, stream):
+def _get_encoding(encoding: Optional[str], stream: Union[StringIO, TextIOWrapper]) -> str:
     encoding = encoding or getattr(stream, 'encoding', None)
     if not encoding:
         import locale
@@ -145,12 +151,14 @@ def _get_encoding(encoding, stream):
     return encoding
 
 
+_ValueType = Union[List[str], Tuple[str, ...], str]
+
 # validation functions ########################################################
 
 # validators will return the validated value or raise optparse.OptionValueError
 # XXX add to documentation
 
-def choice_validator(optdict, name, value):
+def choice_validator(optdict: Dict[str, Any], name: str, value: str) -> str:
     """validate and return a converted value for option of type 'choice'
     """
     if not value in optdict['choices']:
@@ -158,7 +166,8 @@ def choice_validator(optdict, name, value):
         raise optik_ext.OptionValueError(msg % (name, value, optdict['choices']))
     return value
 
-def multiple_choice_validator(optdict, name, value):
+
+def multiple_choice_validator(optdict: Dict[str, Any], name: str, value: _ValueType) -> _ValueType:
     """validate and return a converted value for option of type 'choice'
     """
     choices = optdict['choices']
@@ -169,17 +178,17 @@ def multiple_choice_validator(optdict, name, value):
             raise optik_ext.OptionValueError(msg % (name, value, choices))
     return values
 
-def csv_validator(optdict, name, value):
+def csv_validator(optdict: Dict[str, Any], name: str, value: _ValueType) -> _ValueType:
     """validate and return a converted value for option of type 'csv'
     """
     return optik_ext.check_csv(None, name, value)
 
-def yn_validator(optdict, name, value):
+def yn_validator(optdict: Dict[str, Any], name: str, value: Union[bool, str]) -> bool:
     """validate and return a converted value for option of type 'yn'
     """
     return optik_ext.check_yn(None, name, value)
 
-def named_validator(optdict, name, value):
+def named_validator(optdict: Dict[str, Any], name: str, value: Union[Dict[str, str], str]) -> Dict[str, str]:
     """validate and return a converted value for option of type 'named'
     """
     return optik_ext.check_named(None, name, value)
@@ -204,31 +213,32 @@ def time_validator(optdict, name, value):
     """validate and return a time object for option of type 'time'"""
     return optik_ext.check_time(None, name, value)
 
-def bytes_validator(optdict, name, value):
+def bytes_validator(optdict: Dict[str, str], name: str, value: Union[int, str]) -> int:
     """validate and return an integer for option of type 'bytes'"""
     return optik_ext.check_bytes(None, name, value)
 
 
-VALIDATORS = {'string': unquote,
-              'int': int,
-              'float': float,
-              'file': file_validator,
-              'font': unquote,
-              'color': color_validator,
-              'regexp': re.compile,
-              'csv': csv_validator,
-              'yn': yn_validator,
-              'bool': yn_validator,
-              'named': named_validator,
-              'password': password_validator,
-              'date': date_validator,
-              'time': time_validator,
-              'bytes': bytes_validator,
-              'choice': choice_validator,
-              'multiple_choice': multiple_choice_validator,
-              }
-
-def _call_validator(opttype, optdict, option, value):
+VALIDATORS: Dict[str, Callable] = {
+    'string': unquote,
+    'int': int,
+    'float': float,
+    'file': file_validator,
+    'font': unquote,
+    'color': color_validator,
+    'regexp': re.compile,
+    'csv': csv_validator,
+    'yn': yn_validator,
+    'bool': yn_validator,
+    'named': named_validator,
+    'password': password_validator,
+    'date': date_validator,
+    'time': time_validator,
+    'bytes': bytes_validator,
+    'choice': choice_validator,
+    'multiple_choice': multiple_choice_validator,
+}
+
+def _call_validator(opttype: str, optdict: Dict[str, Any], option: str, value: Union[List[str], int, str]) -> Union[List[str], int, str]:
     if opttype not in VALIDATORS:
         raise Exception('Unsupported type "%s"' % opttype)
     try:
@@ -274,10 +284,11 @@ def _make_input_function(opttype):
                 print('bad value: %s' % msg)
     return input_validator
 
-INPUT_FUNCTIONS = {
+
+INPUT_FUNCTIONS: Dict[str, Callable] = {
     'string': input_string,
     'password': input_password,
-    }
+}
 
 for opttype in VALIDATORS.keys():
     INPUT_FUNCTIONS.setdefault(opttype, _make_input_function(opttype))
@@ -306,7 +317,7 @@ def expand_default(self, option):
     return option.help.replace(self.default_tag, str(value))
 
 
-def _validate(value, optdict, name=''):
+def _validate(value: Union[List[str], int, str], optdict: Dict[str, Any], name: str = '') -> Union[List[str], int, str]:
     """return a validated value for an option according to its type
 
     optional argument name is only used for error message formatting
@@ -343,7 +354,7 @@ def format_time(value):
         return '%sh' % nbhour
     return '%sd' % nbday
 
-def format_bytes(value):
+def format_bytes(value: int) -> str:
     if not value:
         return '0'
     if value != int(value):
@@ -358,7 +369,7 @@ def format_bytes(value):
         value = next
     return '%s%s' % (value, unit)
 
-def format_option_value(optdict, value):
+def format_option_value(optdict: Dict[str, Any], value: Any) -> Union[None, int, str]:
     """return the user input's value from a 'compiled' value"""
     if isinstance(value, (list, tuple)):
         value = ','.join(value)
@@ -377,7 +388,7 @@ def format_option_value(optdict, value):
         value = format_bytes(value)
     return value
 
-def ini_format_section(stream, section, options, encoding=None, doc=None):
+def ini_format_section(stream: Union[StringIO, TextIOWrapper], section: str, options: Any, encoding: str = None, doc: Optional[Any] = None) -> None:
     """format an options section using the INI format"""
     encoding = _get_encoding(encoding, stream)
     if doc:
@@ -385,7 +396,7 @@ def ini_format_section(stream, section, options, encoding=None, doc=None):
     print('[%s]' % section, file=stream)
     ini_format(stream, options, encoding)
 
-def ini_format(stream, options, encoding):
+def ini_format(stream: Union[StringIO, TextIOWrapper], options: Any, encoding: str) -> None:
     """format options using the INI format"""
     for optname, optdict, value in options:
         value = format_option_value(optdict, value)
@@ -428,34 +439,37 @@ def rest_format_section(stream, section, options, encoding=None, doc=None):
 
 # Options Manager ##############################################################
 
+
 class OptionsManagerMixIn(object):
     """MixIn to handle a configuration from both a configuration file and
     command line options
     """
 
-    def __init__(self, usage, config_file=None, version=None, quiet=0):
+    def __init__(self, usage: Optional[str], config_file: Optional[Any] = None, version: Optional[Any] = None, quiet: int = 0) -> None:
         self.config_file = config_file
         self.reset_parsers(usage, version=version)
         # list of registered options providers
-        self.options_providers = []
+        self.options_providers: List[ConfigurationMixIn] = []
         # dictionary associating option name to checker
-        self._all_options = {}
-        self._short_options = {}
-        self._nocallback_options = {}
-        self._mygroups = dict()
+        self._all_options: Dict[str, ConfigurationMixIn] = {}
+        self._short_options: Dict[str, str] = {}
+        self._nocallback_options: Dict[ConfigurationMixIn, str] = {}
+        self._mygroups: Dict[str, optik_ext.OptionGroup] = {}
         # verbosity
         self.quiet = quiet
         self._maxlevel = 0
 
-    def reset_parsers(self, usage='', version=None):
+    def reset_parsers(self, usage: Optional[str] = '', version: Optional[Any] = None) -> None:
         # configuration file parser
         self.cfgfile_parser = cp.ConfigParser()
         # command line parser
         self.cmdline_parser = optik_ext.OptionParser(usage=usage, version=version)
-        self.cmdline_parser.options_manager = self
+        # mypy: "OptionParser" has no attribute "options_manager"
+        # dynamic attribute?
+        self.cmdline_parser.options_manager = self  # type: ignore
         self._optik_option_attrs = set(self.cmdline_parser.option_class.ATTRS)
 
-    def register_options_provider(self, provider, own_group=True):
+    def register_options_provider(self, provider: 'ConfigurationMixIn', own_group: bool = True) -> None:
         """register an options provider"""
         assert provider.priority <= 0, "provider's priority can't be >= 0"
         for i in range(len(self.options_providers)):
@@ -464,8 +478,12 @@ class OptionsManagerMixIn(object):
                 break
         else:
             self.options_providers.append(provider)
-        non_group_spec_options = [option for option in provider.options
-                                  if 'group' not in option[1]]
+
+        # mypy: Need type annotation for 'option'
+        # you can't type variable of a list comprehension, right?
+        non_group_spec_options: List = [option for option in provider.options  # type: ignore
+                                        if 'group' not in option[1]]  # type: ignore
+
         groups = getattr(provider, 'option_groups', ())
         if own_group and non_group_spec_options:
             self.add_option_group(provider.name.upper(), provider.__doc__,
@@ -475,11 +493,14 @@ class OptionsManagerMixIn(object):
                 self.add_optik_option(provider, self.cmdline_parser, opt, optdict)
         for gname, gdoc in groups:
             gname = gname.upper()
-            goptions = [option for option in provider.options
-                        if option[1].get('group', '').upper() == gname]
+
+            # mypy: Need type annotation for 'option'
+            # you can't type variable of a list comprehension, right?
+            goptions: List = [option for option in provider.options  # type: ignore
+                              if option[1].get('group', '').upper() == gname]  # type: ignore
             self.add_option_group(gname, gdoc, goptions, provider)
 
-    def add_option_group(self, group_name, doc, options, provider):
+    def add_option_group(self, group_name: str, doc: Optional[str], options: Union[List[Tuple[str, Dict[str, Any]]], List[Tuple[str, Dict[str, str]]]], provider: 'ConfigurationMixIn') -> None:
         """add an option group including the listed options
         """
         assert options
@@ -490,7 +511,9 @@ class OptionsManagerMixIn(object):
             group = optik_ext.OptionGroup(self.cmdline_parser,
                                          title=group_name.capitalize())
             self.cmdline_parser.add_option_group(group)
-            group.level = provider.level
+            # mypy: "OptionGroup" has no attribute "level"
+            # dynamic attribute
+            group.level = provider.level  # type: ignore
             self._mygroups[group_name] = group
             # add section to the config file
             if group_name != "DEFAULT":
@@ -499,7 +522,7 @@ class OptionsManagerMixIn(object):
         for opt, optdict in options:
             self.add_optik_option(provider, group, opt, optdict)
 
-    def add_optik_option(self, provider, optikcontainer, opt, optdict):
+    def add_optik_option(self, provider: 'ConfigurationMixIn', optikcontainer: Union[OptionParser, OptionGroup], opt: str, optdict: Dict[str, Any]) -> None:
         if 'inputlevel' in optdict:
             warn('[0.50] "inputlevel" in option dictionary for %s is deprecated,'
                  ' use "level"' % opt, DeprecationWarning)
@@ -509,12 +532,11 @@ class OptionsManagerMixIn(object):
         self._all_options[opt] = provider
         self._maxlevel = max(self._maxlevel, option.level or 0)
 
-    def optik_option(self, provider, opt, optdict):
+    def optik_option(self, provider: 'ConfigurationMixIn', opt: str, optdict: Dict[str, Any]) -> Tuple[List[str], Dict[str, Any]]:
         """get our personal option definition and return a suitable form for
         use with optik/optparse
         """
         optdict = copy(optdict)
-        others = {}
         if 'action' in optdict:
             self._nocallback_options[provider] = opt
         else:
@@ -539,7 +561,7 @@ class OptionsManagerMixIn(object):
                 optdict.pop(key)
         return args, optdict
 
-    def cb_set_provider_option(self, option, opt, value, parser):
+    def cb_set_provider_option(self, option: 'Option', opt: str, value: Union[List[str], int, str], parser: 'OptionParser') -> None:
         """optik callback for option setting"""
         if opt.startswith('--'):
             # remove -- on long option
@@ -552,16 +574,17 @@ class OptionsManagerMixIn(object):
             value = 1
         self.global_set_option(opt, value)
 
-    def global_set_option(self, opt, value):
+    def global_set_option(self, opt: str, value: Union[List[str], int, str]) -> None:
         """set option on the correct option provider"""
         self._all_options[opt].set_option(opt, value)
 
-    def generate_config(self, stream=None, skipsections=(), encoding=None):
+    def generate_config(self, stream: Union[StringIO, TextIOWrapper] = None, skipsections: Tuple[()] = (), encoding: Optional[Any] = None) -> None:
         """write a configuration file according to the current configuration
         into the given stream or stdout
         """
-        options_by_section = {}
+        options_by_section: Dict[Any, List] = {}
         sections = []
+
         for provider in self.options_providers:
             for section, options in provider.options_by_section():
                 if section is None:
@@ -586,7 +609,7 @@ class OptionsManagerMixIn(object):
                            encoding)
             printed = True
 
-    def generate_manpage(self, pkginfo, section=1, stream=None):
+    def generate_manpage(self, pkginfo: attrdict, section: int = 1, stream: StringIO = None) -> None:
         """write a man page for the current configuration into the given
         stream or stdout
         """
@@ -600,17 +623,17 @@ class OptionsManagerMixIn(object):
 
     # initialization methods ##################################################
 
-    def load_provider_defaults(self):
+    def load_provider_defaults(self) -> None:
         """initialize configuration using default values"""
         for provider in self.options_providers:
             provider.load_defaults()
 
-    def load_file_configuration(self, config_file=None):
+    def load_file_configuration(self, config_file: str = None) -> None:
         """load the configuration from file"""
         self.read_config_file(config_file)
         self.load_config_file()
 
-    def read_config_file(self, config_file=None):
+    def read_config_file(self, config_file: str = None) -> None:
         """read the configuration file but do not load it (i.e. dispatching
         values to each options provider)
         """
@@ -637,9 +660,11 @@ class OptionsManagerMixIn(object):
             parser = self.cfgfile_parser
             parser.read([config_file])
             # normalize sections'title
-            for sect, values in list(parser._sections.items()):
+            # mypy: "ConfigParser" has no attribute "_sections"
+            # dynamic attribute?
+            for sect, values in list(parser._sections.items()):  # type: ignore
                 if not sect.isupper() and values:
-                    parser._sections[sect.upper()] = values
+                    parser._sections[sect.upper()] = values  # type: ignore
         elif not self.quiet:
             msg = 'No config file found, using default configuration'
             print(msg, file=sys.stderr)
@@ -663,7 +688,7 @@ class OptionsManagerMixIn(object):
         if stream is not None:
             self.generate_config(stream)
 
-    def load_config_file(self):
+    def load_config_file(self) -> None:
         """dispatch values previously read from a configuration file to each
         options provider)
         """
@@ -676,7 +701,7 @@ class OptionsManagerMixIn(object):
                        # TODO handle here undeclared options appearing in the config file
                        continue
 
-    def load_configuration(self, **kwargs):
+    def load_configuration(self, **kwargs: Any) -> None:
         """override configuration according to given parameters
         """
         for opt, opt_value in kwargs.items():
@@ -684,12 +709,13 @@ class OptionsManagerMixIn(object):
             provider = self._all_options[opt]
             provider.set_option(opt, opt_value)
 
-    def load_command_line_configuration(self, args=None):
+    def load_command_line_configuration(self, args: List[str] = None) -> List[str]:
         """override configuration according to command line parameters
 
         return additional arguments
         """
         self._monkeypatch_expand_default()
+
         try:
             if args is None:
                 args = sys.argv[1:]
@@ -710,32 +736,41 @@ class OptionsManagerMixIn(object):
 
     # help methods ############################################################
 
-    def add_help_section(self, title, description, level=0):
+    def add_help_section(self, title: str, description: str, level: int = 0) -> None:
         """add a dummy option section for help purpose """
         group = optik_ext.OptionGroup(self.cmdline_parser,
                                      title=title.capitalize(),
                                      description=description)
-        group.level = level
+        # mypy: "OptionGroup" has no attribute "level"
+        # it does, it is set in the optik_ext module
+        group.level = level  # type: ignore
         self._maxlevel = max(self._maxlevel, level)
         self.cmdline_parser.add_option_group(group)
 
-    def _monkeypatch_expand_default(self):
+    def _monkeypatch_expand_default(self) -> None:
         # monkey patch optik_ext to deal with our default values
         try:
             self.__expand_default_backup = optik_ext.HelpFormatter.expand_default
-            optik_ext.HelpFormatter.expand_default = expand_default
+            # mypy: Cannot assign to a method
+            # it's dirty but you can
+            optik_ext.HelpFormatter.expand_default = expand_default  # type: ignore
         except AttributeError:
             # python < 2.4: nothing to be done
             pass
-    def _unmonkeypatch_expand_default(self):
+    def _unmonkeypatch_expand_default(self) -> None:
         # remove monkey patch
         if hasattr(optik_ext.HelpFormatter, 'expand_default'):
+            # mypy: Cannot assign to a method
+            # it's dirty but you can
+
             # unpatch optik_ext to avoid side effects
-            optik_ext.HelpFormatter.expand_default = self.__expand_default_backup
+            optik_ext.HelpFormatter.expand_default = self.__expand_default_backup  # type: ignore
 
-    def help(self, level=0):
+    def help(self, level: int = 0) -> str:
         """return the usage string for available options """
-        self.cmdline_parser.formatter.output_level = level
+        # mypy: "HelpFormatter" has no attribute "output_level"
+        # set in optik_ext
+        self.cmdline_parser.formatter.output_level = level  # type: ignore
         self._monkeypatch_expand_default()
         try:
             return self.cmdline_parser.format_help()
@@ -751,12 +786,12 @@ class Method(object):
         self.method = methname
         self._inst = None
 
-    def bind(self, instance):
+    def bind(self, instance: 'Configuration') -> None:
         """bind the method to its instance"""
         if self._inst is None:
             self._inst = instance
 
-    def __call__(self, *args, **kwargs):
+    def __call__(self, *args: Any, **kwargs: Any) -> Dict[str, str]:
         assert self._inst, 'unbound method'
         return getattr(self._inst, self.method)(*args, **kwargs)
 
@@ -768,23 +803,23 @@ class OptionsProviderMixIn(object):
     # those attributes should be overridden
     priority = -1
     name = 'default'
-    options = ()
+    options: Tuple = ()
     level = 0
 
-    def __init__(self):
+    def __init__(self) -> None:
         self.config = optik_ext.Values()
-        for option in self.options:
+        for option_tuple in self.options:
             try:
-                option, optdict = option
+                option, optdict = option_tuple
             except ValueError:
-                raise Exception('Bad option: %r' % option)
+                raise Exception('Bad option: %s' % str(option_tuple))
             if isinstance(optdict.get('default'), Method):
                 optdict['default'].bind(self)
             elif isinstance(optdict.get('callback'), Method):
                 optdict['callback'].bind(self)
         self.load_defaults()
 
-    def load_defaults(self):
+    def load_defaults(self) -> None:
         """initialize the provider using default values"""
         for opt, optdict in self.options:
             action = optdict.get('action')
@@ -883,8 +918,10 @@ class OptionsProviderMixIn(object):
         for option in self.options:
             if option[0] == opt:
                 return option[1]
+        # mypy: Argument 2 to "OptionError" has incompatible type "str"; expected "Option"
+        # seems to be working?
         raise OptionError('no such option %s in section %r'
-                          % (opt, self.name), opt)
+                          % (opt, self.name), opt)  # type: ignore
 
 
     def all_options(self):
@@ -900,17 +937,19 @@ class OptionsProviderMixIn(object):
             for option, optiondict, value in options:
                 yield section, option, optiondict
 
-    def options_by_section(self):
+    def options_by_section(self) -> Iterator[Any]:
         """return an iterator on options grouped by section
 
         (section, [list of (optname, optdict, optvalue)])
         """
-        sections = {}
+        sections: Dict[str, List[Tuple[str, Dict[str, Any], Any]]] = {}
         for optname, optdict in self.options:
             sections.setdefault(optdict.get('group'), []).append(
                 (optname, optdict, self.option_value(optname)))
         if None in sections:
-            yield None, sections.pop(None)
+            # mypy: No overload variant of "pop" of "MutableMapping" matches argument type "None"
+            # it actually works
+            yield None, sections.pop(None)  # type: ignore
         for section, options in sorted(sections.items()):
             yield section.upper(), options
 
@@ -926,14 +965,14 @@ class ConfigurationMixIn(OptionsManagerMixIn, OptionsProviderMixIn):
     """basic mixin for simple configurations which don't need the
     manager / providers model
     """
-    def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
+    def __init__(self, *args: Any, **kwargs: Any) -> None:
         if not args:
             kwargs.setdefault('usage', '')
         kwargs.setdefault('quiet', 1)
         OptionsManagerMixIn.__init__(self, *args, **kwargs)
         OptionsProviderMixIn.__init__(self)
         if not getattr(self, 'option_groups', None):
-            self.option_groups = []
+            self.option_groups: List[Tuple[Any, str]] = []
             for option, optdict in self.options:
                 try:
                     gdef = (optdict['group'].upper(), '')
diff --git a/logilab/common/date.py b/logilab/common/date.py
index cdf2317..2d2ed22 100644
--- a/logilab/common/date.py
+++ b/logilab/common/date.py
@@ -27,6 +27,8 @@ from locale import getlocale, LC_TIME
 from datetime import date, time, datetime, timedelta
 from time import strptime as time_strptime
 from calendar import monthrange, timegm
+from typing import Union, List, Any, Iterator, Optional, Generator
+
 
 try:
     from mx.DateTime import RelativeDateTime, Date, DateTimeType
@@ -90,13 +92,13 @@ FRENCH_MOBILE_HOLIDAYS = {
 
 # XXX this implementation cries for multimethod dispatching
 
-def get_step(dateobj, nbdays=1):
+def get_step(dateobj: Union[date, datetime], nbdays: int = 1) -> timedelta:
     # assume date is either a python datetime or a mx.DateTime object
     if isinstance(dateobj, date):
         return ONEDAY * nbdays
     return nbdays # mx.DateTime is ok with integers
 
-def datefactory(year, month, day, sampledate):
+def datefactory(year: int, month: int, day: int, sampledate: Union[date, datetime]) -> Union[date, datetime]:
     # assume date is either a python datetime or a mx.DateTime object
     if isinstance(sampledate, datetime):
         return datetime(year, month, day)
@@ -104,20 +106,23 @@ def datefactory(year, month, day, sampledate):
         return date(year, month, day)
     return Date(year, month, day)
 
-def weekday(dateobj):
+def weekday(dateobj: Union[date, datetime]) -> int:
     # assume date is either a python datetime or a mx.DateTime object
     if isinstance(dateobj, date):
         return dateobj.weekday()
     return dateobj.day_of_week
 
-def str2date(datestr, sampledate):
+def str2date(datestr: str, sampledate: Union[date, datetime]) -> Union[date, datetime]:
     # NOTE: datetime.strptime is not an option until we drop py2.4 compat
     year, month, day = [int(chunk) for chunk in datestr.split('-')]
     return datefactory(year, month, day, sampledate)
 
-def days_between(start, end):
+def days_between(start: Union[date, datetime], end: Union[date, datetime]) -> int:
     if isinstance(start, date):
-        delta = end - start
+        # mypy: No overload variant of "__sub__" of "datetime" matches argument type "date"
+        # we ensure that end is a date
+        assert isinstance(end, date)
+        delta = end - start  # type: ignore
         # datetime.timedelta.days is always an integer (floored)
         if delta.seconds:
             return delta.days + 1
@@ -125,7 +130,7 @@ def days_between(start, end):
     else:
         return int(math.ceil((end - start).days))
 
-def get_national_holidays(begin, end):
+def get_national_holidays(begin: Union[date, datetime], end: Union[date, datetime]) -> Union[List[date], List[datetime]]:
     """return french national days off between begin and end"""
     begin = datefactory(begin.year, begin.month, begin.day, begin)
     end = datefactory(end.year, end.month, end.day, end)
@@ -138,7 +143,7 @@ def get_national_holidays(begin, end):
                 holidays.append(date)
     return [day for day in holidays if begin <= day < end]
 
-def add_days_worked(start, days):
+def add_days_worked(start: date, days: int) -> date:
     """adds date but try to only take days worked into account"""
     step = get_step(start)
     weeks, plus = divmod(days, 5)
@@ -151,7 +156,7 @@ def add_days_worked(start, days):
         end += (2 * step)
     return end
 
-def nb_open_days(start, end):
+def nb_open_days(start: Union[date, datetime], end: Union[date, datetime]) -> int:
     assert start <= end
     step = get_step(start)
     days = days_between(start, end)
@@ -168,7 +173,8 @@ def nb_open_days(start, end):
         return 0
     return open_days
 
-def date_range(begin, end, incday=None, incmonth=None):
+
+def date_range(begin: date, end: date, incday: Optional[Any] = None, incmonth: Optional[bool] = None) -> Generator[date, Any, None]:
     """yields each date between begin and end
 
     :param begin: the start date
@@ -193,13 +199,13 @@ def date_range(begin, end, incday=None, incmonth=None):
     else:
         incr = get_step(begin, incday or 1)
         while begin < end:
-           yield begin
-           begin += incr
+            yield begin
+            begin += incr
 
 # makes py datetime usable #####################################################
 
-ONEDAY = timedelta(days=1)
-ONEWEEK = timedelta(days=7)
+ONEDAY: timedelta = timedelta(days=1)
+ONEWEEK: timedelta = timedelta(days=7)
 
 try:
     strptime = datetime.strptime
@@ -211,7 +217,7 @@ except AttributeError: # py < 2.5
 def strptime_time(value, format='%H:%M'):
     return time(*time_strptime(value, format)[3:6])
 
-def todate(somedate):
+def todate(somedate: date) -> date:
     """return a date from a date (leaving unchanged) or a datetime"""
     if isinstance(somedate, datetime):
         return date(somedate.year, somedate.month, somedate.day)
@@ -234,10 +240,10 @@ def todatetime(somedate):
     assert isinstance(somedate, (date, DateTimeType)), repr(somedate)
     return datetime(somedate.year, somedate.month, somedate.day)
 
-def datetime2ticks(somedate):
+def datetime2ticks(somedate: Union[date, datetime]) -> int:
     return timegm(somedate.timetuple()) * 1000 + int(getattr(somedate, 'microsecond', 0) / 1000)
 
-def ticks2datetime(ticks):
+def ticks2datetime(ticks: int) -> datetime:
     miliseconds, microseconds = divmod(ticks, 1000)
     try:
         return datetime.fromtimestamp(miliseconds)
@@ -250,7 +256,7 @@ def ticks2datetime(ticks):
         except (ValueError, OverflowError):
             raise
 
-def days_in_month(somedate):
+def days_in_month(somedate: date) -> int:
     return monthrange(somedate.year, somedate.month)[1]
 
 def days_in_year(somedate):
@@ -266,7 +272,7 @@ def previous_month(somedate, nbmonth=1):
         nbmonth -= 1
     return somedate
 
-def next_month(somedate, nbmonth=1):
+def next_month(somedate: date, nbmonth: int = 1) -> date:
     while nbmonth:
         somedate = last_day(somedate) + ONEDAY
         nbmonth -= 1
@@ -275,10 +281,10 @@ def next_month(somedate, nbmonth=1):
 def first_day(somedate):
     return date(somedate.year, somedate.month, 1)
 
-def last_day(somedate):
+def last_day(somedate: date) -> date:
     return date(somedate.year, somedate.month, days_in_month(somedate))
 
-def ustrftime(somedate, fmt='%Y-%m-%d'):
+def ustrftime(somedate: datetime, fmt: str = '%Y-%m-%d') -> str:
     """like strftime, but returns a unicode string instead of an encoded
     string which may be problematic with localized date.
     """
@@ -309,10 +315,11 @@ def ustrftime(somedate, fmt='%Y-%m-%d'):
             fmt = re.sub('%([YmdHMS])', r'%(\1)02d', fmt)
             return unicode(fmt) % fields
 
-def utcdatetime(dt):
+def utcdatetime(dt: datetime) -> datetime:
     if dt.tzinfo is None:
         return dt
-    return (dt.replace(tzinfo=None) - dt.utcoffset())
+    # mypy: No overload variant of "__sub__" of "datetime" matches argument type "None"
+    return (dt.replace(tzinfo=None) - dt.utcoffset())  # type: ignore
 
 def utctime(dt):
     if dt.tzinfo is None:
diff --git a/logilab/common/debugger.py b/logilab/common/debugger.py
index 909169c..2df84ad 100644
--- a/logilab/common/debugger.py
+++ b/logilab/common/debugger.py
@@ -34,7 +34,10 @@ __docformat__ = "restructuredtext en"
 try:
     import readline
 except ImportError:
-    readline = None
+    # mypy: Incompatible types in assignment (expression has type "None",
+    # mypy: variable has type Module))
+    # conditional import
+    readline = None  # type: ignore
 import os
 import os.path as osp
 import sys
diff --git a/logilab/common/decorators.py b/logilab/common/decorators.py
index 8dd2e7f..27ed7ee 100644
--- a/logilab/common/decorators.py
+++ b/logilab/common/decorators.py
@@ -25,6 +25,8 @@ import sys
 import types
 from time import process_time, time
 from inspect import isgeneratorfunction
+from mypy_extensions import NoReturn
+from typing import Any, Optional, Callable, Union
 
 from inspect import getfullargspec
 
@@ -33,12 +35,13 @@ from logilab.common.compat import method_type
 # XXX rewrite so we can use the decorator syntax when keyarg has to be specified
 
 class cached_decorator(object):
-    def __init__(self, cacheattr=None, keyarg=None):
+    def __init__(self, cacheattr: Optional[str] = None, keyarg: Optional[int] = None) -> None:
         self.cacheattr = cacheattr
         self.keyarg = keyarg
-    def __call__(self, callableobj=None):
+    def __call__(self, callableobj: Optional[Callable] = None) -> Callable:
         assert not isgeneratorfunction(callableobj), \
                'cannot cache generator function: %s' % callableobj
+        assert callableobj is not None
         if len(getfullargspec(callableobj).args) == 1 or self.keyarg == 0:
             cache = _SingleValueCache(callableobj, self.cacheattr)
         elif self.keyarg:
@@ -48,7 +51,7 @@ class cached_decorator(object):
         return cache.closure()
 
 class _SingleValueCache(object):
-    def __init__(self, callableobj, cacheattr=None):
+    def __init__(self, callableobj: Callable, cacheattr: Optional[str] = None) -> None:
         self.callable = callableobj
         if cacheattr is None:
             self.cacheattr = '_%s_cache_' % callableobj.__name__
@@ -64,10 +67,12 @@ class _SingleValueCache(object):
             setattr(self, __me.cacheattr, value)
             return value
 
-    def closure(self):
+    def closure(self) -> Callable:
         def wrapped(*args, **kwargs):
             return self.__call__(*args, **kwargs)
-        wrapped.cache_obj = self
+        # mypy: "Callable[[VarArg(Any), KwArg(Any)], Any]" has no attribute "cache_obj"
+        # dynamic attribute for magic
+        wrapped.cache_obj = self  # type: ignore
         try:
             wrapped.__doc__ = self.callable.__doc__
             wrapped.__name__ = self.callable.__name__
@@ -97,7 +102,7 @@ class _MultiValuesCache(_SingleValueCache):
             return _cache[args]
 
 class _MultiValuesKeyArgCache(_MultiValuesCache):
-    def __init__(self, callableobj, keyarg, cacheattr=None):
+    def __init__(self, callableobj: Callable, keyarg: int, cacheattr: Optional[str] = None) -> None:
         super(_MultiValuesKeyArgCache, self).__init__(callableobj, cacheattr)
         self.keyarg = keyarg
 
@@ -111,7 +116,7 @@ class _MultiValuesKeyArgCache(_MultiValuesCache):
             return _cache[key]
 
 
-def cached(callableobj=None, keyarg=None, **kwargs):
+def cached(callableobj: Optional[Callable] = None, keyarg: Optional[int] = None, **kwargs: Any) -> Union[Callable, cached_decorator]:
     """Simple decorator to cache result of method call."""
     kwargs['keyarg'] = keyarg
     decorator = cached_decorator(**kwargs)
@@ -145,8 +150,10 @@ class cachedproperty(object):
                             wrapped)
         self.wrapped = wrapped
 
+    # mypy: Signature of "__doc__" incompatible with supertype "object"
+    # but this works?
     @property
-    def __doc__(self):
+    def __doc__(self) -> str:  # type: ignore
         doc = getattr(self.wrapped, '__doc__', None)
         return ('<wrapped by the cachedproperty decorator>%s'
                 % ('\n%s' % doc if doc else ''))
@@ -241,7 +248,7 @@ def locked(acquire, release):
     having called acquire(self) et will call release(self) afterwards.
     """
     def decorator(f):
-        def wrapper(self, *args, **kwargs):
+        def wrapper(self: Any, *args: Any, **kwargs: Any) -> Any:
             acquire(self)
             try:
                 return f(self, *args, **kwargs)
@@ -251,7 +258,7 @@ def locked(acquire, release):
     return decorator
 
 
-def monkeypatch(klass, methodname=None):
+def monkeypatch(klass: type, methodname: Optional[str] = None) -> Callable:
     """Decorator extending class with the decorated callable. This is basically
     a syntactic sugar vs class assignment.
 
diff --git a/logilab/common/fileutils.py b/logilab/common/fileutils.py
index 93439d3..102cd7c 100644
--- a/logilab/common/fileutils.py
+++ b/logilab/common/fileutils.py
@@ -36,13 +36,15 @@ from os.path import isabs, isdir, islink, split, exists, normpath, join
 from os.path import abspath
 from os import sep, mkdir, remove, listdir, stat, chmod, walk
 from stat import ST_MODE, S_IWRITE
+from typing import Optional, List, Tuple
+from _io import TextIOWrapper
 
 from logilab.common import STD_BLACKLIST as BASE_BLACKLIST, IGNORED_EXTENSIONS
 from logilab.common.shellutils import find
 from logilab.common.deprecation import deprecated
 from logilab.common.compat import FileIO
 
-def first_level_directory(path):
+def first_level_directory(path: str) -> str:
     """Return the first level directory of a path.
 
     >>> first_level_directory('home/syt/work')
@@ -73,7 +75,7 @@ def abspath_listdir(path):
     return [join(path, filename) for filename in listdir(path)]
 
 
-def is_binary(filename):
+def is_binary(filename: str) -> int:
     """Return true if filename may be a binary file, according to it's
     extension.
 
@@ -86,12 +88,14 @@ def is_binary(filename):
       isn't beginning by text/)
     """
     try:
-        return not mimetypes.guess_type(filename)[0].startswith('text')
+        # mypy: Item "None" of "Optional[str]" has no attribute "startswith"
+        # it's handle by the exception
+        return not mimetypes.guess_type(filename)[0].startswith('text')  # type: ignore
     except AttributeError:
         return 1
 
 
-def write_open_mode(filename):
+def write_open_mode(filename: str) -> str:
     """Return the write mode that should used to open file.
 
     :type filename: str
@@ -143,7 +147,7 @@ class ProtectedFile(FileIO):
     - on close()/del(), write/append the StringIO content to the file and
       do the chmod only once
     """
-    def __init__(self, filepath, mode):
+    def __init__(self, filepath: str, mode: str) -> None:
         self.original_mode = stat(filepath)[ST_MODE]
         self.mode_changed = False
         if mode in ('w', 'a', 'wb', 'ab'):
@@ -152,19 +156,19 @@ class ProtectedFile(FileIO):
                 self.mode_changed = True
         FileIO.__init__(self, filepath, mode)
 
-    def _restore_mode(self):
+    def _restore_mode(self) -> None:
         """restores the original mode if needed"""
         if self.mode_changed:
             chmod(self.name, self.original_mode)
             # Don't re-chmod in case of several restore
             self.mode_changed = False
 
-    def close(self):
+    def close(self) -> None:
         """restore mode before closing"""
         self._restore_mode()
         FileIO.close(self)
 
-    def __del__(self):
+    def __del__(self) -> None:
         if not self.closed:
             self.close()
 
@@ -265,7 +269,7 @@ def norm_open(path):
     return open(path, 'U')
 norm_open = deprecated("use \"open(path, 'U')\"")(norm_open)
 
-def lines(path, comments=None):
+def lines(path: str, comments: Optional[str] = None) -> List[str]:
     """Return a list of non empty lines in the file located at `path`.
 
     :type path: str
@@ -287,7 +291,7 @@ def lines(path, comments=None):
         return stream_lines(stream, comments)
 
 
-def stream_lines(stream, comments=None):
+def stream_lines(stream: TextIOWrapper, comments: Optional[str] = None) -> List[str]:
     """Return a list of non empty lines in the given `stream`.
 
     :type stream: object implementing 'xreadlines' or 'readlines'
@@ -317,9 +321,9 @@ def stream_lines(stream, comments=None):
     return result
 
 
-def export(from_dir, to_dir,
-           blacklist=BASE_BLACKLIST, ignore_ext=IGNORED_EXTENSIONS,
-           verbose=0):
+def export(from_dir: str, to_dir: str,
+           blacklist: Tuple[str, str, str, str, str, str, str, str] = BASE_BLACKLIST, ignore_ext: Tuple[str, str, str, str, str, str] = IGNORED_EXTENSIONS,
+           verbose: int = 0) -> None:
     """Make a mirror of `from_dir` in `to_dir`, omitting directories and
     files listed in the black list or ending with one of the given
     extensions.
diff --git a/logilab/common/graph.py b/logilab/common/graph.py
index cef1c98..fffa172 100644
--- a/logilab/common/graph.py
+++ b/logilab/common/graph.py
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ import sys
 import tempfile
 import codecs
 import errno
+from typing import Dict, List, Tuple, Union, Any, Optional, Set, TypeVar, Iterable
 
 def escape(value):
     """Make <value> usable in a dot file."""
@@ -176,7 +177,12 @@ class GraphGenerator:
 class UnorderableGraph(Exception):
     pass
 
-def ordered_nodes(graph):
+
+V = TypeVar("V")
+_Graph = Dict[V, List[V]]
+
+
+def ordered_nodes(graph: _Graph) -> Tuple[V, ...]:
     """takes a dependency graph dict as arguments and return an ordered tuple of
     nodes starting with nodes without dependencies and up to the outermost node.
 
@@ -185,84 +191,115 @@ def ordered_nodes(graph):
     Also the given graph dict will be emptied.
     """
     # check graph consistency
-    cycles = get_cycles(graph)
+    cycles: List[List[V]] = get_cycles(graph)
+
     if cycles:
-        cycles = '\n'.join([' -> '.join(cycle) for cycle in cycles])
-        raise UnorderableGraph('cycles in graph: %s' % cycles)
+        bad_cycles = '\n'.join([' -> '.join(map(str, cycle)) for cycle in cycles])
+        raise UnorderableGraph('cycles in graph: %s' % bad_cycles)
+
     vertices = set(graph)
     to_vertices = set()
+
     for edges in graph.values():
         to_vertices |= set(edges)
+
     missing_vertices = to_vertices - vertices
     if missing_vertices:
         raise UnorderableGraph('missing vertices: %s' % ', '.join(missing_vertices))
+
     # order vertices
     order = []
     order_set = set()
     old_len = None
+
     while graph:
         if old_len == len(graph):
             raise UnorderableGraph('unknown problem with %s' % graph)
+
         old_len = len(graph)
         deps_ok = []
+
         for node, node_deps in graph.items():
             for dep in node_deps:
                 if dep not in order_set:
                     break
             else:
                 deps_ok.append(node)
+
         order.append(deps_ok)
         order_set |= set(deps_ok)
+
         for node in deps_ok:
             del graph[node]
+
     result = []
+
     for grp in reversed(order):
         result.extend(sorted(grp))
+
     return tuple(result)
 
 
-def get_cycles(graph_dict, vertices=None):
+def get_cycles(graph_dict: _Graph,
+               vertices: Optional[Iterable] = None) -> List[List]:
     '''given a dictionary representing an ordered graph (i.e. key are vertices
     and values is a list of destination vertices representing edges), return a
     list of detected cycles
     '''
     if not graph_dict:
-        return ()
-    result = []
+        return []
+
+    result: List[List] = []
     if vertices is None:
         vertices = graph_dict.keys()
+
     for vertice in vertices:
         _get_cycles(graph_dict, [], set(), result, vertice)
+
     return result
 
-def _get_cycles(graph_dict, path, visited, result, vertice):
+
+def _get_cycles(graph_dict: _Graph,
+                path: List,
+                visited: Set,
+                result: List[List],
+                vertice: V) -> None:
     """recursive function doing the real work for get_cycles"""
     if vertice in path:
         cycle = [vertice]
+
         for node in path[::-1]:
             if node == vertice:
                 break
+
             cycle.insert(0, node)
+
         # make a canonical representation
         start_from = min(cycle)
         index = cycle.index(start_from)
         cycle = cycle[index:] + cycle[0:index]
+
         # append it to result if not already in
-        if not cycle in result:
+        if cycle not in result:
             result.append(cycle)
         return
+
     path.append(vertice)
+
     try:
         for node in graph_dict[vertice]:
             # don't check already visited nodes again
             if node not in visited:
                 _get_cycles(graph_dict, path, visited, result, node)
                 visited.add(node)
+
     except KeyError:
         pass
+
     path.pop()
 
-def has_path(graph_dict, fromnode, tonode, path=None):
+
+def has_path(graph_dict: Dict[str, List[str]], fromnode: str, tonode: str, path: Optional[List[str]] = None) -> Optional[List[str]]:
     """generic function taking a simple graph definition as a dictionary, with
     node has key associated to a list of nodes directly reachable from it.
 
diff --git a/logilab/common/interface.py b/logilab/common/interface.py
index ab0e529..8248a27 100644
--- a/logilab/common/interface.py
+++ b/logilab/common/interface.py
@@ -29,11 +29,11 @@ __docformat__ = "restructuredtext en"
 class Interface(object):
     """Base class for interfaces."""
     @classmethod
-    def is_implemented_by(cls, instance):
+    def is_implemented_by(cls, instance: type) -> bool:
         return implements(instance, cls)
 
 
-def implements(obj, interface):
+def implements(obj: type, interface: type) -> bool:
     """Return true if the give object (maybe an instance or class) implements
     the interface.
     """
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ def implements(obj, interface):
     return False
 
 
-def extend(klass, interface, _recurs=False):
+def extend(klass: type, interface: type, _recurs: bool = False) -> None:
     """Add interface to klass'__implements__ if not already implemented in.
 
     If klass is subclassed, ensure subclasses __implements__ it as well.
@@ -55,14 +55,14 @@ def extend(klass, interface, _recurs=False):
     """
     if not implements(klass, interface):
         try:
-            kimplements = klass.__implements__
+            kimplements = klass.__implements__  # type: ignore
             kimplementsklass = type(kimplements)
             kimplements = list(kimplements)
         except AttributeError:
             kimplementsklass = tuple
             kimplements = []
         kimplements.append(interface)
-        klass.__implements__ = kimplementsklass(kimplements)
+        klass.__implements__ = kimplementsklass(kimplements)  #type: ignore
         for subklass in klass.__subclasses__():
             extend(subklass, interface, _recurs=True)
     elif _recurs:
diff --git a/logilab/common/modutils.py b/logilab/common/modutils.py
index 34419bd..76c4ac4 100644
--- a/logilab/common/modutils.py
+++ b/logilab/common/modutils.py
@@ -35,13 +35,18 @@ import os
 from os.path import (splitext, join, abspath, isdir, dirname, exists,
                      basename, expanduser, normcase, realpath)
 from imp import find_module, load_module, C_BUILTIN, PY_COMPILED, PKG_DIRECTORY
-from distutils.sysconfig import get_config_var, get_python_lib, get_python_version
+from distutils.sysconfig import get_config_var, get_python_lib
 from distutils.errors import DistutilsPlatformError
+from typing import Dict, List, Optional, Any, Tuple, Union, Sequence
+from types import ModuleType
+from _frozen_importlib_external import FileFinder
 
 try:
     import zipimport
 except ImportError:
-    zipimport = None
+    # mypy: Incompatible types in assignment (expression has type "None", variable has type Module)
+    # conditional import
+    zipimport = None  # type: ignore
 
 ZIPFILE = object()
 
@@ -86,8 +91,8 @@ class LazyObject(object):
 
     def _getobj(self):
         if self._imported is None:
-           self._imported = getattr(load_module_from_name(self.module),
-                                    self.obj)
+            self._imported = getattr(load_module_from_name(self.module),
+                                     self.obj)
         return self._imported
 
     def __getattribute__(self, attr):
@@ -100,7 +105,7 @@ class LazyObject(object):
         return self._getobj()(*args, **kwargs)
 
 
-def load_module_from_name(dotted_name, path=None, use_sys=True):
+def load_module_from_name(dotted_name: str, path: Optional[Any] = None, use_sys: int = True) -> ModuleType:
     """Load a Python module from its name.
 
     :type dotted_name: str
@@ -122,10 +127,13 @@ def load_module_from_name(dotted_name, path=None, use_sys=True):
     :rtype: module
     :return: the loaded module
     """
-    return load_module_from_modpath(dotted_name.split('.'), path, use_sys)
+    module = load_module_from_modpath(dotted_name.split('.'), path, use_sys)
+    if module is None:
+        raise ImportError("module %s doesn't exist" % dotted_name)
+    return module
 
 
-def load_module_from_modpath(parts, path=None, use_sys=True):
+def load_module_from_modpath(parts: List[str], path: Optional[Any] = None, use_sys: int = True) -> Optional[ModuleType]:
     """Load a python module from its splitted name.
 
     :type parts: list(str) or tuple(str)
@@ -208,7 +216,7 @@ def load_module_from_file(filepath, path=None, use_sys=True, extrapath=None):
     return load_module_from_modpath(modpath, path, use_sys)
 
 
-def _check_init(path, mod_path):
+def _check_init(path: str, mod_path: List[str]) -> bool:
     """check there are some __init__.py all along the way"""
     modpath = []
     for part in mod_path:
@@ -219,13 +227,13 @@ def _check_init(path, mod_path):
     return True
 
 
-def _canonicalize_path(path):
+def _canonicalize_path(path: str) -> str:
     return realpath(expanduser(path))
 
 
 
 @deprecated('you should avoid using modpath_from_file()')
-def modpath_from_file(filename, extrapath=None):
+def modpath_from_file(filename: str, extrapath: Optional[Dict[str, str]] = None) -> List[str]:
     """DEPRECATED: doens't play well with symlinks and sys.meta_path
 
     Given a file path return the corresponding splitted module's name
@@ -269,7 +277,7 @@ def modpath_from_file(filename, extrapath=None):
         filename, ', \n'.join(sys.path)))
 
 
-def file_from_modpath(modpath, path=None, context_file=None):
+def file_from_modpath(modpath: List[str], path: Optional[Any] = None, context_file: Optional[str] = None) -> Optional[str]:
     """given a mod path (i.e. splitted module / package name), return the
     corresponding file, giving priority to source file over precompiled
     file if it exists
@@ -299,6 +307,7 @@ def file_from_modpath(modpath, path=None, context_file=None):
       the path to the module's file or None if it's an integrated
       builtin module such as 'sys'
     """
+    context: Optional[str]
     if context_file is not None:
         context = dirname(context_file)
     else:
@@ -316,7 +325,7 @@ def file_from_modpath(modpath, path=None, context_file=None):
 
 
 
-def get_module_part(dotted_name, context_file=None):
+def get_module_part(dotted_name: str, context_file: Optional[str] = None) -> str:
     """given a dotted name return the module part of the name :
 
     >>> get_module_part('logilab.common.modutils.get_module_part')
@@ -354,7 +363,7 @@ def get_module_part(dotted_name, context_file=None):
                 raise ImportError(dotted_name)
             return parts[0]
         # don't use += or insert, we want a new list to be created !
-    path = None
+    path: Optional[List] = None
     starti = 0
     if parts[0] == '':
         assert context_file is not None, \
@@ -363,6 +372,7 @@ def get_module_part(dotted_name, context_file=None):
         starti = 1
     while parts[starti] == '': # for all further dots: change context
         starti += 1
+        assert context_file is not None
         context_file = dirname(context_file)
     for i in range(starti, len(parts)):
         try:
@@ -375,7 +385,7 @@ def get_module_part(dotted_name, context_file=None):
     return dotted_name
 
 
-def get_modules(package, src_directory, blacklist=STD_BLACKLIST):
+def get_modules(package: str, src_directory: str, blacklist: Sequence[str] = STD_BLACKLIST) -> List[str]:
     """given a package directory return a list of all available python
     modules in the package and its subpackages
 
@@ -415,7 +425,7 @@ def get_modules(package, src_directory, blacklist=STD_BLACKLIST):
 
 
 
-def get_module_files(src_directory, blacklist=STD_BLACKLIST):
+def get_module_files(src_directory: str, blacklist: Sequence[str] = STD_BLACKLIST) -> List[str]:
     """given a package directory return a list of all available python
     module's files in the package and its subpackages
 
@@ -447,7 +457,7 @@ def get_module_files(src_directory, blacklist=STD_BLACKLIST):
     return files
 
 
-def get_source_file(filename, include_no_ext=False):
+def get_source_file(filename: str, include_no_ext: bool = False) -> str:
     """given a python module's file name return the matching source file
     name (the filename will be returned identically if it's a already an
     absolute path to a python source file...)
@@ -505,7 +515,7 @@ def is_python_source(filename):
     return splitext(filename)[1][1:] in PY_SOURCE_EXTS
 
 
-def is_standard_module(modname, std_path=(STD_LIB_DIR,)):
+def is_standard_module(modname: str, std_path: Union[List[str], Tuple[str]] = (STD_LIB_DIR,)) -> bool:
     """try to guess if a module is a standard python module (by default,
     see `std_path` parameter's description)
 
@@ -547,7 +557,7 @@ def is_standard_module(modname, std_path=(STD_LIB_DIR,)):
 
 
 
-def is_relative(modname, from_file):
+def is_relative(modname: str, from_file: str) -> bool:
     """return true if the given module name is relative to the given
     file name
 
@@ -575,7 +585,7 @@ def is_relative(modname, from_file):
 
 # internal only functions #####################################################
 
-def _file_from_modpath(modpath, path=None, context=None):
+def _file_from_modpath(modpath: List[str], path: Optional[Any] = None, context: Optional[str] = None) -> Optional[str]:
     """given a mod path (i.e. splitted module / package name), return the
     corresponding file
 
@@ -592,6 +602,7 @@ def _file_from_modpath(modpath, path=None, context=None):
         mtype, mp_filename = _module_file(modpath, path)
     if mtype == PY_COMPILED:
         try:
+            assert mp_filename is not None
             return get_source_file(mp_filename)
         except NoSourceFile:
             return mp_filename
@@ -599,10 +610,11 @@ def _file_from_modpath(modpath, path=None, context=None):
         # integrated builtin module
         return None
     elif mtype == PKG_DIRECTORY:
+        assert mp_filename is not None
         mp_filename = _has_init(mp_filename)
     return mp_filename
 
-def _search_zip(modpath, pic):
+def _search_zip(modpath: List[str], pic: Dict[str, Optional[FileFinder]]) -> Tuple[object, str, str]:
     for filepath, importer in pic.items():
         if importer is not None:
             if importer.find_module(modpath[0]):
@@ -615,15 +627,19 @@ def _search_zip(modpath, pic):
 try:
     import pkg_resources
 except ImportError:
-    pkg_resources = None
+    # mypy: Incompatible types in assignment (expression has type "None", variable has type Module)
+    # conditional import
+    pkg_resources = None  # type: ignore
 
 
-def _is_namespace(modname):
+def _is_namespace(modname: str) -> bool:
+    # mypy: Module has no attribute "_namespace_packages"; maybe "fixup_namespace_packages"?"
+    # but is still has? or is it a failure from python3 port?
     return (pkg_resources is not None
-            and modname in pkg_resources._namespace_packages)
+            and modname in pkg_resources._namespace_packages)  # type: ignore
 
 
-def _module_file(modpath, path=None):
+def _module_file(modpath: List[str], path: Optional[List[str]] = None) -> Tuple[Union[int, object], Optional[str]]:
     """get a module type / file path
 
     :type modpath: list or tuple
@@ -643,7 +659,7 @@ def _module_file(modpath, path=None):
     # egg support compat
     try:
         pic = sys.path_importer_cache
-        _path = (path is None and sys.path or path)
+        _path = path if path is not None else sys.path
         for __path in _path:
             if not __path in pic:
                 try:
@@ -660,10 +676,14 @@ def _module_file(modpath, path=None):
         module = sys.modules[modpath.pop(0)]
         # use list() to protect against _NamespacePath instance we get with python 3, which
         # find_module later doesn't like
-        path = list(module.__path__)
+        # mypy: Module has no attribute "__path__"
+        # I guess it does thanks to logilab's magic?
+        path = list(module.__path__)  # type: ignore
         if not modpath:
             return C_BUILTIN, None
+
     imported = []
+
     while modpath:
         modname = modpath[0]
         # take care to changes in find_module implementation wrt builtin modules
@@ -719,7 +739,7 @@ def _module_file(modpath, path=None):
                     path = [mp_filename]
     return mtype, mp_filename
 
-def _is_python_file(filename):
+def _is_python_file(filename: str) -> bool:
     """return true if the given filename should be considered as a python file
 
     .pyc and .pyo are ignored
@@ -730,12 +750,14 @@ def _is_python_file(filename):
     return False
 
 
-def _has_init(directory):
+def _has_init(directory: str) -> Optional[str]:
     """if the given directory has a valid __init__ file, return its path,
     else return None
     """
     mod_or_pack = join(directory, '__init__')
+
     for ext in PY_SOURCE_EXTS + ('pyc', 'pyo'):
         if exists(mod_or_pack + '.' + ext):
             return mod_or_pack + '.' + ext
+
     return None
diff --git a/logilab/common/optik_ext.py b/logilab/common/optik_ext.py
index 07365a7..11e2155 100644
--- a/logilab/common/optik_ext.py
+++ b/logilab/common/optik_ext.py
@@ -55,6 +55,11 @@ import sys
 import time
 from copy import copy
 from os.path import exists
+from logilab.common import attrdict
+
+from typing import Any, Union, List, Optional, Tuple, Dict
+from optparse import Values, IndentedHelpFormatter, OptionGroup
+from _io import StringIO
 
 # python >= 2.3
 from optparse import OptionParser as BaseParser, Option as BaseOption, \
@@ -83,7 +88,7 @@ def check_regexp(option, opt, value):
         raise OptionValueError(
             "option %s: invalid regexp value: %r" % (opt, value))
 
-def check_csv(option, opt, value):
+def check_csv(option: Optional['Option'], opt: str, value: Union[List[str], Tuple[str, ...], str]) -> Union[List[str], Tuple[str, ...]]:
     """check a csv value by trying to split it
     return the list of separated values
     """
@@ -95,7 +100,7 @@ def check_csv(option, opt, value):
         raise OptionValueError(
             "option %s: invalid csv value: %r" % (opt, value))
 
-def check_yn(option, opt, value):
+def check_yn(option: Optional['Option'], opt: str, value: Union[bool, str]) -> bool:
     """check a yn value
     return true for yes and false for no
     """
@@ -108,18 +113,21 @@ def check_yn(option, opt, value):
     msg = "option %s: invalid yn value %r, should be in (y, yes, n, no)"
     raise OptionValueError(msg % (opt, value))
 
-def check_named(option, opt, value):
+def check_named(option: Optional[Any], opt: str, value: Union[Dict[str, str], str]) -> Dict[str, str]:
     """check a named value
     return a dictionary containing (name, value) associations
     """
     if isinstance(value, dict):
         return value
-    values = []
+    values: List[Tuple[str, str]] = []
     for value in check_csv(option, opt, value):
+        # mypy: Argument 1 to "append" of "list" has incompatible type "List[str]";
+        # mypy: expected "Tuple[str, str]"
+        # we know that the split will give a 2 items list
         if value.find('=') != -1:
-            values.append(value.split('=', 1))
+            values.append(value.split('=', 1))  # type: ignore
         elif value.find(':') != -1:
-            values.append(value.split(':', 1))
+            values.append(value.split(':', 1))  # type: ignore
     if values:
         return dict(values)
     msg = "option %s: invalid named value %r, should be <NAME>=<VALUE> or \
@@ -173,10 +181,12 @@ def check_time(option, opt, value):
         return value
     return apply_units(value, TIME_UNITS)
 
-def check_bytes(option, opt, value):
+def check_bytes(option: Optional['Option'], opt: str, value: Any) -> int:
     if hasattr(value, '__int__'):
         return value
-    return apply_units(value, BYTE_UNITS, final=int)
+    # mypy: Incompatible return value type (got "Union[float, int]", expected "int")
+    # we force "int" using "final=int"
+    return apply_units(value, BYTE_UNITS, final=int)  # type: ignore
 
 
 class Option(BaseOption):
@@ -201,50 +211,62 @@ class Option(BaseOption):
         TYPES += ('date',)
         TYPE_CHECKER['date'] = check_date
 
-    def __init__(self, *opts, **attrs):
+    def __init__(self, *opts: str, **attrs: Any) -> None:
         BaseOption.__init__(self, *opts, **attrs)
-        if hasattr(self, "hide") and self.hide:
+        # mypy: "Option" has no attribute "hide"
+        # we test that in the if
+        if hasattr(self, "hide") and self.hide:  # type: ignore
             self.help = SUPPRESS_HELP
 
-    def _check_choice(self):
+    def _check_choice(self) -> None:
         """FIXME: need to override this due to optik misdesign"""
         if self.type in ("choice", "multiple_choice"):
-            if self.choices is None:
+            # mypy: "Option" has no attribute "choices"
+            # we know that option of this type has this attribute
+            if self.choices is None:  # type: ignore
                 raise OptionError(
                     "must supply a list of choices for type 'choice'", self)
-            elif not isinstance(self.choices, (tuple, list)):
+            elif not isinstance(self.choices, (tuple, list)):  # type: ignore
                 raise OptionError(
                     "choices must be a list of strings ('%s' supplied)"
-                    % str(type(self.choices)).split("'")[1], self)
-        elif self.choices is not None:
+                    % str(type(self.choices)).split("'")[1], self)  # type: ignore
+        elif self.choices is not None:  # type: ignore
             raise OptionError(
                 "must not supply choices for type %r" % self.type, self)
-    BaseOption.CHECK_METHODS[2] = _check_choice
-
+    # mypy: Unsupported target for indexed assignment
+    # black magic?
+    BaseOption.CHECK_METHODS[2] = _check_choice  # type: ignore
 
-    def process(self, opt, value, values, parser):
+    def process(self, opt: str, value: str, values: Values, parser: BaseParser) -> int:
         # First, convert the value(s) to the right type.  Howl if any
         # value(s) are bogus.
         value = self.convert_value(opt, value)
         if self.type == 'named':
+            assert self.dest is not None
             existant = getattr(values, self.dest)
             if existant:
                 existant.update(value)
                 value = existant
-       # And then take whatever action is expected of us.
+        # And then take whatever action is expected of us.
         # This is a separate method to make life easier for
         # subclasses to add new actions.
+        # mypy: Argument 2 to "take_action" of "Option" has incompatible type "Optional[str]";
+        # mypy: expected "str"
+        # is it ok?
         return self.take_action(
-            self.action, self.dest, opt, value, values, parser)
+            self.action, self.dest, opt, value, values, parser)  # type: ignore
 
 
 class OptionParser(BaseParser):
     """override optik.OptionParser to use our Option class
     """
-    def __init__(self, option_class=Option, *args, **kwargs):
-        BaseParser.__init__(self, option_class=Option, *args, **kwargs)
+    def __init__(self, option_class: type = Option, *args: Any, **kwargs: Any) -> None:
+        # mypy: Argument "option_class" to "__init__" of "OptionParser" has incompatible type
+        # mypy: "type"; expected "Option"
+        # mypy is doing really weird things with *args/**kwargs and looks buggy
+        BaseParser.__init__(self, option_class=option_class, *args, **kwargs)  # type: ignore
 
-    def format_option_help(self, formatter=None):
+    def format_option_help(self, formatter: Optional[HelpFormatter] = None) -> str:
         if formatter is None:
             formatter = self.formatter
         outputlevel = getattr(formatter, 'output_level', 0)
@@ -256,7 +278,9 @@ class OptionParser(BaseParser):
             result.append(OptionContainer.format_option_help(self, formatter))
             result.append("\n")
         for group in self.option_groups:
-            if group.level <= outputlevel and (
+            # mypy: "OptionParser" has no attribute "level"
+            # but it has one no?
+            if group.level <= outputlevel and (  # type: ignore
                 group.description or level_options(group, outputlevel)):
                 result.append(group.format_help(formatter))
                 result.append("\n")
@@ -265,12 +289,16 @@ class OptionParser(BaseParser):
         return "".join(result[:-1])
 
 
-OptionGroup.level = 0
+# mypy error: error: "Type[OptionGroup]" has no attribute "level"
+# monkeypatching
+OptionGroup.level = 0  # type: ignore
 
-def level_options(group, outputlevel):
+def level_options(group: BaseParser, outputlevel: int) -> List[BaseOption]:
+    # mypy: "Option" has no attribute "help"
+    # but it does
     return [option for option in group.option_list
             if (getattr(option, 'level', 0) or 0) <= outputlevel
-            and not option.help is SUPPRESS_HELP]
+            and not option.help is SUPPRESS_HELP]  # type: ignore
 
 def format_option_help(self, formatter):
     result = []
@@ -278,33 +306,42 @@ def format_option_help(self, formatter):
     for option in level_options(self, outputlevel):
         result.append(formatter.format_option(option))
     return "".join(result)
-OptionContainer.format_option_help = format_option_help
+# mypy error: Cannot assign to a method
+# but we still do it because magic
+OptionContainer.format_option_help = format_option_help  # type: ignore
 
 
 class ManHelpFormatter(HelpFormatter):
     """Format help using man pages ROFF format"""
 
     def __init__ (self,
-                  indent_increment=0,
-                  max_help_position=24,
-                  width=79,
-                  short_first=0):
+                  indent_increment: int = 0,
+                  max_help_position: int = 24,
+                  width: int = 79,
+                  short_first: int = 0) -> None:
         HelpFormatter.__init__ (
             self, indent_increment, max_help_position, width, short_first)
 
-    def format_heading(self, heading):
+    def format_heading(self, heading: str) -> str:
         return '.SH %s\n' % heading.upper()
 
     def format_description(self, description):
         return description
 
-    def format_option(self, option):
+    def format_option(self, option: BaseParser) -> str:
         try:
-            optstring = option.option_strings
+            # mypy: "Option" has no attribute "option_strings"
+            # we handle if it doesn't
+            optstring = option.option_strings  # type: ignore
         except AttributeError:
             optstring = self.format_option_strings(option)
-        if option.help:
-            help_text = self.expand_default(option)
+        # mypy: "OptionParser" has no attribute "help"
+        # it does
+        if option.help:  # type: ignore
+            # mypy: Argument 1 to "expand_default" of "HelpFormatter" has incompatible type
+            # mypy: "OptionParser"; expected "Option"
+            # it still works?
+            help_text = self.expand_default(option)  # type: ignore
             help = ' '.join([l.strip() for l in help_text.splitlines()])
         else:
             help = ''
@@ -312,13 +349,9 @@ class ManHelpFormatter(HelpFormatter):
 %s
 ''' % (optstring, help)
 
-    def format_head(self, optparser, pkginfo, section=1):
+    def format_head(self, optparser: OptionParser, pkginfo: attrdict, section: int = 1) -> str:
         long_desc = ""
-        try:
-            pgm = optparser._get_prog_name()
-        except AttributeError:
-            # py >= 2.4.X (dunno which X exactly, at least 2)
-            pgm = optparser.get_prog_name()
+        pgm = optparser.get_prog_name()
         short_desc = self.format_short_description(pgm, pkginfo.description)
         if hasattr(pkginfo, "long_desc"):
             long_desc = self.format_long_description(pgm, pkginfo.long_desc)
@@ -326,17 +359,17 @@ class ManHelpFormatter(HelpFormatter):
                                    short_desc, self.format_synopsis(pgm),
                                    long_desc)
 
-    def format_title(self, pgm, section):
+    def format_title(self, pgm: str, section: int) -> str:
         date = '-'.join([str(num) for num in time.localtime()[:3]])
         return '.TH %s %s "%s" %s' % (pgm, section, date, pgm)
 
-    def format_short_description(self, pgm, short_desc):
+    def format_short_description(self, pgm: str, short_desc: str) -> str:
         return '''.SH NAME
 .B %s
 \- %s
 ''' % (pgm, short_desc.strip())
 
-    def format_synopsis(self, pgm):
+    def format_synopsis(self, pgm: str) -> str:
         return '''.SH SYNOPSIS
 .B  %s
 [
@@ -357,7 +390,7 @@ class ManHelpFormatter(HelpFormatter):
 %s
 ''' % (pgm, long_desc.strip())
 
-    def format_tail(self, pkginfo):
+    def format_tail(self, pkginfo: attrdict) -> str:
         tail = '''.SH SEE ALSO
 /usr/share/doc/pythonX.Y-%s/
 
@@ -378,10 +411,12 @@ Please report bugs on the project\'s mailing list:
 
         return tail
 
-def generate_manpage(optparser, pkginfo, section=1, stream=sys.stdout, level=0):
+def generate_manpage(optparser: OptionParser, pkginfo: attrdict, section: int = 1, stream: StringIO = sys.stdout, level: int = 0) -> None:
     """generate a man page from an optik parser"""
     formatter = ManHelpFormatter()
-    formatter.output_level = level
+    # mypy: "ManHelpFormatter" has no attribute "output_level"
+    # dynamic attribute?
+    formatter.output_level = level  # type: ignore
     formatter.parser = optparser
     print(formatter.format_head(optparser, pkginfo, section), file=stream)
     print(optparser.format_option_help(formatter), file=stream)
diff --git a/logilab/common/proc.py b/logilab/common/proc.py
index c27356c..30e9494 100644
--- a/logilab/common/proc.py
+++ b/logilab/common/proc.py
@@ -133,14 +133,9 @@ class ProcInfoLoader:
                 pass
 
 
-try:
-    class ResourceError(BaseException):
-        """Error raise when resource limit is reached"""
-        limit = "Unknown Resource Limit"
-except NameError:
-    class ResourceError(Exception):
-        """Error raise when resource limit is reached"""
-        limit = "Unknown Resource Limit"
+class ResourceError(Exception):
+    """Error raise when resource limit is reached"""
+    limit = "Unknown Resource Limit"
 
 
 class XCPUError(ResourceError):
diff --git a/logilab/common/pytest.py b/logilab/common/pytest.py
index 5c62816..6819c01 100644
--- a/logilab/common/pytest.py
+++ b/logilab/common/pytest.py
@@ -116,13 +116,20 @@ FILE_RESTART = ".pytest.restart"
 import os, sys, re
 import os.path as osp
 from time import process_time, time
+from re import Match
 import warnings
 import types
 import inspect
 import traceback
-from inspect import isgeneratorfunction, isclass
+from inspect import isgeneratorfunction, isclass, FrameInfo
 from random import shuffle
 from itertools import dropwhile
+# mypy error: Module 'unittest.runner' has no attribute '_WritelnDecorator'
+# but it does
+from unittest.runner import _WritelnDecorator  # type: ignore
+from unittest.suite import TestSuite
+
+from typing import Callable, Any, Optional, List, Tuple, Generator, Union, Dict
 
 from logilab.common.deprecation import deprecated
 from logilab.common.fileutils import abspath_listdir
@@ -141,7 +148,8 @@ if not getattr(unittest_legacy, "__package__", None):
     except ImportError:
         sys.exit("You have to install python-unittest2 to use this module")
 else:
-    import unittest.suite as unittest_suite
+    # mypy: Name 'unittest_suite' already defined (possibly by an import))
+    import unittest.suite as unittest_suite  # type: ignore
 
 try:
     import django
@@ -153,12 +161,12 @@ except ImportError:
 CONF_FILE = 'pytestconf.py'
 
 TESTFILE_RE = re.compile("^((unit)?test.*|smoketest)\.py$")
-def this_is_a_testfile(filename):
+def this_is_a_testfile(filename: str) -> Optional[Match]:
     """returns True if `filename` seems to be a test file"""
     return TESTFILE_RE.match(osp.basename(filename))
 
 TESTDIR_RE = re.compile("^(unit)?tests?$")
-def this_is_a_testdir(dirpath):
+def this_is_a_testdir(dirpath: str) -> Optional[Match]:
     """returns True if `filename` seems to be a test directory"""
     return TESTDIR_RE.match(osp.basename(dirpath))
 
@@ -842,10 +850,10 @@ class SkipAwareTextTestRunner(unittest.TextTestRunner):
         self.batchmode = batchmode
         self.options = options
 
-    def _this_is_skipped(self, testedname):
+    def _this_is_skipped(self, testedname: str) -> bool:
         return any([(pat in testedname) for pat in self.skipped_patterns])
 
-    def _runcondition(self, test, skipgenerator=True):
+    def _runcondition(self, test: Callable, skipgenerator: bool = True) -> bool:
         if isinstance(test, testlib.InnerTest):
             testname = test.name
         else:
@@ -876,7 +884,7 @@ class SkipAwareTextTestRunner(unittest.TextTestRunner):
 
         return self.does_match_tags(test)
 
-    def does_match_tags(self, test):
+    def does_match_tags(self, test: Callable) -> bool:
         if self.options is not None:
             tags_pattern = getattr(self.options, 'tags_pattern', None)
             if tags_pattern is not None:
@@ -886,7 +894,7 @@ class SkipAwareTextTestRunner(unittest.TextTestRunner):
                 return tags.match(tags_pattern)
         return True # no pattern
 
-    def _makeResult(self):
+    def _makeResult(self) -> 'SkipAwareTestResult':
         return SkipAwareTestResult(self.stream, self.descriptions,
                                    self.verbosity, self.exitfirst,
                                    self.pdbmode, self.cvg, self.colorize)
@@ -935,14 +943,14 @@ class SkipAwareTextTestRunner(unittest.TextTestRunner):
 
 class SkipAwareTestResult(unittest._TextTestResult):
 
-    def __init__(self, stream, descriptions, verbosity,
-                 exitfirst=False, pdbmode=False, cvg=None, colorize=False):
+    def __init__(self, stream: _WritelnDecorator, descriptions: bool, verbosity: int,
+                 exitfirst: bool = False, pdbmode: bool = False, cvg: Optional[Any] = None, colorize: bool = False) -> None:
         super(SkipAwareTestResult, self).__init__(stream,
                                                   descriptions, verbosity)
-        self.skipped = []
-        self.debuggers = []
-        self.fail_descrs = []
-        self.error_descrs = []
+        self.skipped: List[Tuple[Any, Any]] = []
+        self.debuggers: List = []
+        self.fail_descrs: List = []
+        self.error_descrs: List = []
         self.exitfirst = exitfirst
         self.pdbmode = pdbmode
         self.cvg = cvg
@@ -950,15 +958,15 @@ class SkipAwareTestResult(unittest._TextTestResult):
         self.pdbclass = Debugger
         self.verbose = verbosity > 1
 
-    def descrs_for(self, flavour):
+    def descrs_for(self, flavour: str) -> List[Tuple[int, str]]:
         return getattr(self, '%s_descrs' % flavour.lower())
 
-    def _create_pdb(self, test_descr, flavour):
+    def _create_pdb(self, test_descr: str, flavour: str) -> None:
         self.descrs_for(flavour).append( (len(self.debuggers), test_descr) )
         if self.pdbmode:
             self.debuggers.append(self.pdbclass(sys.exc_info()[2]))
 
-    def _iter_valid_frames(self, frames):
+    def _iter_valid_frames(self, frames: List[FrameInfo]) -> Generator[FrameInfo, Any, None]:
         """only consider non-testlib frames when formatting  traceback"""
         lgc_testlib = osp.abspath(__file__)
         std_testlib = osp.abspath(unittest.__file__)
@@ -1030,11 +1038,11 @@ class SkipAwareTestResult(unittest._TextTestResult):
         elif self.dots:
             self.stream.write('S')
 
-    def printErrors(self):
+    def printErrors(self) -> None:
         super(SkipAwareTestResult, self).printErrors()
         self.printSkippedList()
 
-    def printSkippedList(self):
+    def printSkippedList(self) -> None:
         # format (test, err) compatible with unittest2
         for test, err in self.skipped:
             descr = self.getDescription(test)
@@ -1055,9 +1063,11 @@ class SkipAwareTestResult(unittest._TextTestResult):
 from .decorators import monkeypatch
 orig_call = testlib.TestCase.__call__
 @monkeypatch(testlib.TestCase, '__call__')
-def call(self, result=None, runcondition=None, options=None):
+def call(self: Any, result: SkipAwareTestResult = None, runcondition: Optional[Callable] = None, options: Optional[Any] = None) -> None:
     orig_call(self, result=result, runcondition=runcondition, options=options)
-    if hasattr(options, "exitfirst") and options.exitfirst:
+    # mypy: Item "None" of "Optional[Any]" has no attribute "exitfirst"
+    # we check it first in the if
+    if hasattr(options, "exitfirst") and options.exitfirst:  # type: ignore
         # add this test to restart file
         try:
             restartfile = open(FILE_RESTART, 'a')
@@ -1103,18 +1113,18 @@ class NonStrictTestLoader(unittest.TestLoader):
     'python test_foo.py test_bar' will run FooTC.test_bar1 and BarTC.test_bar2
     """
 
-    def __init__(self):
+    def __init__(self) -> None:
         self.skipped_patterns = ()
 
     # some magic here to accept empty list by extending
     # and to provide callable capability
-    def loadTestsFromNames(self, names, module=None):
+    def loadTestsFromNames(self, names: List[str], module: type = None) -> TestSuite:
         suites = []
         for name in names:
             suites.extend(self.loadTestsFromName(name, module))
         return self.suiteClass(suites)
 
-    def _collect_tests(self, module):
+    def _collect_tests(self, module: type) -> Dict[str, Tuple[type, List[str]]]:
         tests = {}
         for obj in vars(module).values():
             if isclass(obj) and issubclass(obj, unittest.TestCase):
@@ -1182,10 +1192,12 @@ class NonStrictTestLoader(unittest.TestLoader):
                             if pattern in methodname]
         return collected
 
-    def _this_is_skipped(self, testedname):
-        return any([(pat in testedname) for pat in self.skipped_patterns])
+    def _this_is_skipped(self, testedname: str) -> bool:
+        # mypy: Need type annotation for 'pat'
+        # doc doesn't say how to that in list comprehension
+        return any([(pat in testedname) for pat in self.skipped_patterns])  # type: ignore
 
-    def getTestCaseNames(self, testCaseClass):
+    def getTestCaseNames(self, testCaseClass: type) -> List[str]:
         """Return a sorted sequence of method names found within testCaseClass
         """
         is_skipped = self._this_is_skipped
@@ -1202,13 +1214,13 @@ class NonStrictTestLoader(unittest.TestLoader):
 # It is used to monkeypatch the original implementation to support
 # extra runcondition and options arguments (see in testlib.py)
 
-def _ts_run(self, result, runcondition=None, options=None):
+def _ts_run(self: Any, result: SkipAwareTestResult, debug: bool = False, runcondition: Callable = None, options: Optional[Any] = None) -> SkipAwareTestResult:
     self._wrapped_run(result, runcondition=runcondition, options=options)
     self._tearDownPreviousClass(None, result)
     self._handleModuleTearDown(result)
     return result
 
-def _ts_wrapped_run(self, result, debug=False, runcondition=None, options=None):
+def _ts_wrapped_run(self: Any, result: SkipAwareTestResult, debug: bool = False, runcondition: Callable = None, options: Optional[Any] = None) -> SkipAwareTestResult:
     for test in self:
         if result.shouldStop:
             break
@@ -1247,7 +1259,7 @@ if sys.version_info >= (2, 7):
     # The function below implements a modified version of the
     # TestSuite.run method that is provided with python 2.7, in
     # unittest/suite.py
-    def _ts_run(self, result, debug=False, runcondition=None, options=None):
+    def _ts_run(self: Any, result: SkipAwareTestResult, debug: bool = False, runcondition: Callable = None, options: Optional[Any] = None) -> SkipAwareTestResult:
         topLevel = False
         if getattr(result, '_testRunEntered', False) is False:
             result._testRunEntered = topLevel = True
diff --git a/logilab/common/registry.py b/logilab/common/registry.py
index 6f60ef9..d9ae11b 100644
--- a/logilab/common/registry.py
+++ b/logilab/common/registry.py
@@ -78,6 +78,7 @@ Exceptions
 
 from __future__ import print_function
 
+
 __docformat__ = "restructuredtext en"
 
 import sys
@@ -87,9 +88,14 @@ import weakref
 import traceback as tb
 from os import listdir, stat
 from os.path import join, isdir, exists
-from typing import Dict, Type, Optional, Union
+from typing import Dict, Type, Optional, Union, Sequence
 from logging import getLogger
 from warnings import warn
+from typing import List, Tuple, Any, Iterable, Callable
+from types import ModuleType
+from typing_extensions import TypedDict
+from _frozen_importlib import ModuleSpec
+from _frozen_importlib_external import SourceFileLoader
 
 from logilab.common.modutils import modpath_from_file
 from logilab.common.logging_ext import set_log_methods
@@ -99,7 +105,7 @@ from logilab.common.deprecation import deprecated
 
 # selector base classes and operations ########################################
 
-def objectify_predicate(selector_func):
+def objectify_predicate(selector_func: Callable) -> Any:
     """Most of the time, a simple score function is enough to build a selector.
     The :func:`objectify_predicate` decorator turn it into a proper selector
     class::
@@ -119,7 +125,7 @@ def objectify_predicate(selector_func):
 
 _PREDICATES: Dict[int, Type] = {}
 
-def wrap_predicates(decorator):
+def wrap_predicates(decorator: Callable) -> None:
     for predicate in _PREDICATES.values():
         if not '_decorators' in predicate.__dict__:
             predicate._decorators = set()
@@ -158,31 +164,36 @@ class Predicate(object, metaclass=PredicateMetaClass):
         # backward compatibility
         return self.__class__.__name__
 
-    def search_selector(self, selector):
+    def search_selector(self, selector: 'Predicate') -> Optional['Predicate']:
         """search for the given selector, selector instance or tuple of
         selectors in the selectors tree. Return None if not found.
         """
         if self is selector:
             return self
         if (isinstance(selector, type) or isinstance(selector, tuple)) and \
-               isinstance(self, selector):
+           isinstance(self, selector):
             return self
         return None
 
     def __str__(self):
         return self.__class__.__name__
 
-    def __and__(self, other):
+    def __and__(self, other: 'Predicate') -> 'AndPredicate':
         return AndPredicate(self, other)
-    def __rand__(self, other):
+
+    def __rand__(self, other: 'Predicate') -> 'AndPredicate':
         return AndPredicate(other, self)
-    def __iand__(self, other):
+
+    def __iand__(self, other: 'Predicate') -> 'AndPredicate':
         return AndPredicate(self, other)
-    def __or__(self, other):
+
+    def __or__(self, other: 'Predicate') -> 'OrPredicate':
         return OrPredicate(self, other)
-    def __ror__(self, other):
+
+    def __ror__(self, other: 'Predicate'):
         return OrPredicate(other, self)
-    def __ior__(self, other):
+
+    def __ior__(self, other: 'Predicate') -> 'OrPredicate':
         return OrPredicate(self, other)
 
     def __invert__(self):
@@ -201,7 +212,7 @@ class Predicate(object, metaclass=PredicateMetaClass):
 class MultiPredicate(Predicate):
     """base class for compound selector classes"""
 
-    def __init__(self, *selectors):
+    def __init__(self, *selectors: Any) -> None:
         self.selectors = self.merge_selectors(selectors)
 
     def __str__(self):
@@ -209,7 +220,7 @@ class MultiPredicate(Predicate):
                            ','.join(str(s) for s in self.selectors))
 
     @classmethod
-    def merge_selectors(cls, selectors):
+    def merge_selectors(cls, selectors: Sequence[Predicate]) -> List[Predicate]:
         """deal with selector instanciation when necessary and merge
         multi-selectors if possible:
 
@@ -231,7 +242,7 @@ class MultiPredicate(Predicate):
                 merged_selectors.append(selector)
         return merged_selectors
 
-    def search_selector(self, selector):
+    def search_selector(self, selector: Predicate) -> Optional[Predicate]:
         """search for the given selector or selector instance (or tuple of
         selectors) in the selectors tree. Return None if not found
         """
@@ -247,7 +258,7 @@ class MultiPredicate(Predicate):
 
 class AndPredicate(MultiPredicate):
     """and-chained selectors"""
-    def __call__(self, cls, *args, **kwargs):
+    def __call__(self, cls: Optional[Any], *args: Any, **kwargs: Any) -> int:
         score = 0
         for selector in self.selectors:
             partscore = selector(cls, *args, **kwargs)
@@ -259,7 +270,7 @@ class AndPredicate(MultiPredicate):
 
 class OrPredicate(MultiPredicate):
     """or-chained selectors"""
-    def __call__(self, cls, *args, **kwargs):
+    def __call__(self, cls: Optional[Any], *args: Any, **kwargs: Any) -> int:
         for selector in self.selectors:
             partscore = selector(cls, *args, **kwargs)
             if partscore:
@@ -288,7 +299,7 @@ class yes(Predicate): # pylint: disable=C0103
 
     Take care, `yes(0)` could be named 'no'...
     """
-    def __init__(self, score=0.5):
+    def __init__(self, score: float = 0.5) -> None:
         self.score = score
 
     def __call__(self, *args, **kwargs):
@@ -338,7 +349,7 @@ class SelectAmbiguity(RegistryException):
     """
 
 
-def _modname_from_path(path, extrapath=None):
+def _modname_from_path(path: str, extrapath: Optional[Any] = None) -> str:
     modpath = modpath_from_file(path, extrapath)
     # omit '__init__' from package's name to avoid loading that module
     # once for each name when it is imported by some other object
@@ -356,21 +367,26 @@ def _modname_from_path(path, extrapath=None):
     return '.'.join(modpath)
 
 
-def _toload_info(path, extrapath, _toload=None):
+def _toload_info(path: List[str], extrapath: Optional[Any], _toload: Optional[Tuple[Dict[str, str], List]] = None) -> Tuple[Dict[str, str], List[Tuple[str, str]]]:
     """Return a dictionary of <modname>: <modpath> and an ordered list of
     (file, module name) to load
     """
     if _toload is None:
         assert isinstance(path, list)
         _toload = {}, []
+
     for fileordir in path:
         if isdir(fileordir) and exists(join(fileordir, '__init__.py')):
             subfiles = [join(fileordir, fname) for fname in listdir(fileordir)]
+
             _toload_info(subfiles, extrapath, _toload)
+
         elif fileordir[-3:] == '.py':
             modname = _modname_from_path(fileordir, extrapath)
             _toload[0][modname] = fileordir
+
             _toload[1].append((fileordir, modname))
+
     return _toload
 
 
@@ -404,7 +420,7 @@ class RegistrableObject(object):
     __abstract__ = True # see doc snipppets below (in Registry class)
 
     @classproperty
-    def __registries__(cls):
+    def __registries__(cls) -> Union[Tuple[str], Tuple]:
         if cls.__registry__ is None:
             return ()
         return (cls.__registry__,)
@@ -432,10 +448,17 @@ class RegistrableInstance(RegistrableObject):
             obj.__module__ = module
         return obj
 
-    def __init__(self, __module__=None):
+    def __init__(self, __module__: Optional[str] = None) -> None:
         super(RegistrableInstance, self).__init__()
 
 
+SelectBestReport = TypedDict("SelectBestReport", {"all_objects": List, "end_score": int,
+                                                  "winners": List,
+                                                  "winner": Optional[Any], "self": 'Registry',
+                                                  "args": List, "kwargs": Dict,
+                                                  "registry": 'Registry'})
+
+
 class Registry(dict):
     """The registry store a set of implementations associated to identifier:
 
@@ -469,10 +492,10 @@ class Registry(dict):
     .. automethod:: possible_objects
     .. automethod:: object_by_id
     """
-    def __init__(self, debugmode):
+    def __init__(self, debugmode: bool) -> None:
         super(Registry, self).__init__()
         self.debugmode = debugmode
-        self._select_listeners = []
+        self._select_listeners: List[Callable[[SelectBestReport], None]] = []
 
     def __getitem__(self, name):
         """return the registry (list of implementation objects) associated to
@@ -486,16 +509,16 @@ class Registry(dict):
             raise exc
 
     @classmethod
-    def objid(cls, obj):
+    def objid(cls, obj: Any) -> str:
         """returns a unique identifier for an object stored in the registry"""
         return '%s.%s' % (obj.__module__, cls.objname(obj))
 
     @classmethod
-    def objname(cls, obj):
+    def objname(cls, obj: Any) -> str:
         """returns a readable name for an object stored in the registry"""
         return getattr(obj, '__name__', id(obj))
 
-    def initialization_completed(self):
+    def initialization_completed(self) -> None:
         """call method __registered__() on registered objects when the callback
         is defined"""
         for objects in self.values():
@@ -506,7 +529,7 @@ class Registry(dict):
         if self.debugmode:
             wrap_predicates(_lltrace)
 
-    def register(self, obj, oid=None, clear=False):
+    def register(self, obj: Any, oid: Optional[Any] = None, clear: bool = False) -> None:
         """base method to add an object in the registry"""
         assert not '__abstract__' in obj.__dict__, obj
         assert obj.__select__, obj
@@ -632,15 +655,16 @@ class Registry(dict):
         once the selection is done and will recieve a dict of the following form::
 
           {"all_objects": [], "end_score": 0, "winners": [], "winner": None or winner,
-          "self": self, "args": args, "kwargs": kwargs, }
+          "self": self, "args": args, "kwargs": kwargs, "registry": self}
         """
 
         if self._select_listeners:
-            select_best_report = {
+            select_best_report: SelectBestReport = {
                 "registry": self,
                 "all_objects": [],
                 "end_score": 0,
                 "winners": [],
+                "winner": None,
                 "self": self,
                 "args": args,
                 "kwargs": kwargs,
@@ -692,7 +716,7 @@ class Registry(dict):
     info = warning = error = critical = exception = debug = lambda msg, *a, **kw: None
 
 
-def obj_registries(cls, registryname=None):
+def obj_registries(cls: Any, registryname: Optional[Any] = None) -> Tuple[str]:
     """return a tuple of registry names (see __registries__)"""
     if registryname:
         return (registryname,)
@@ -817,18 +841,18 @@ class RegistryStore(dict):
     key will be the class used when there is no specific class for a name.
     """
 
-    def __init__(self, debugmode=False):
+    def __init__(self, debugmode: bool = False) -> None:
         super(RegistryStore, self).__init__()
         self.debugmode = debugmode
 
-    def reset(self):
+    def reset(self) -> None:
         """clear all registries managed by this store"""
         # don't use self.clear, we want to keep existing subdictionaries
         for subdict in self.values():
             subdict.clear()
-        self._lastmodifs = {}
+        self._lastmodifs: Dict[str, int] = {}
 
-    def __getitem__(self, name):
+    def __getitem__(self, name: str) -> Registry:
         """return the registry (dictionary of class objects) associated to
         this name
         """
@@ -842,9 +866,9 @@ class RegistryStore(dict):
     # methods for explicit (un)registration ###################################
 
     # default class, when no specific class set
-    REGISTRY_FACTORY = {None: Registry}
+    REGISTRY_FACTORY: Dict[Union[None, str], type] = {None: Registry}
 
-    def registry_class(self, regid):
+    def registry_class(self, regid: str) -> type:
         """return existing registry named regid or use factory to create one and
         return it"""
         try:
@@ -852,14 +876,16 @@ class RegistryStore(dict):
         except KeyError:
             return self.REGISTRY_FACTORY[None]
 
-    def setdefault(self, regid):
+    # mypy: Signature of "setdefault" incompatible with supertype "MutableMapping""
+    # I don't know how to overload signatures of method in mypy
+    def setdefault(self, regid: str) -> Registry:  # type: ignore
         try:
             return self[regid]
         except RegistryNotFound:
             self[regid] = self.registry_class(regid)(self.debugmode)
             return self[regid]
 
-    def register_all(self, objects, modname, butclasses=()):
+    def register_all(self, objects: Iterable, modname: str, butclasses: Sequence = ()) -> None:
         """register registrable objects into `objects`.
 
         Registrable objects are properly configured subclasses of
@@ -886,7 +912,7 @@ class RegistryStore(dict):
                 else:
                     self.register(obj)
 
-    def register(self, obj, registryname=None, oid=None, clear=False):
+    def register(self, obj: Any, registryname: Optional[Any] = None, oid: Optional[Any] = None, clear: bool = False) -> None:
         """register `obj` implementation into `registryname` or
         `obj.__registries__` if not specified, with identifier `oid` or
         `obj.__regid__` if not specified.
@@ -927,7 +953,7 @@ class RegistryStore(dict):
 
     # initialization methods ###################################################
 
-    def init_registration(self, path, extrapath=None):
+    def init_registration(self, path: List[str], extrapath: Optional[Any] = None) -> List[Tuple[str, str]]:
         """reset registry and walk down path to return list of (path, name)
         file modules to be loaded"""
         # XXX make this private by renaming it to _init_registration ?
@@ -937,11 +963,11 @@ class RegistryStore(dict):
         # XXX is _loadedmods still necessary ? It seems like it's useful
         #     to avoid loading same module twice, especially with the
         #     _load_ancestors_then_object logic but this needs to be checked
-        self._loadedmods = {}
+        self._loadedmods: Dict[str, Dict[str, type]] = {}
         return filemods
 
     @deprecated('use register_modnames() instead')
-    def register_objects(self, path, extrapath=None):
+    def register_objects(self, path: List[str], extrapath: Optional[Any] = None) -> None:
         """register all objects found walking down <path>"""
         # load views from each directory in the instance's path
         # XXX inline init_registration ?
@@ -950,14 +976,18 @@ class RegistryStore(dict):
             self.load_file(filepath, modname)
         self.initialization_completed()
 
-    def register_modnames(self, modnames):
+    def register_modnames(self, modnames: List[str]) -> None:
         """register all objects found in <modnames>"""
         self.reset()
         self._loadedmods = {}
         self._toloadmods = {}
         toload = []
         for modname in modnames:
-            filepath = pkgutil.find_loader(modname).get_filename()
+            loader = pkgutil.find_loader(modname)
+            assert loader is not None
+            # mypy: "Loader" has no attribute "get_filename"
+            # the selected class has one
+            filepath = loader.get_filename()  # type: ignore
             if filepath[-4:] in ('.pyc', '.pyo'):
                 # The source file *must* exists
                 filepath = filepath[:-1]
@@ -967,12 +997,12 @@ class RegistryStore(dict):
             self.load_file(filepath, modname)
         self.initialization_completed()
 
-    def initialization_completed(self):
+    def initialization_completed(self) -> None:
         """call initialization_completed() on all known registries"""
         for reg in self.values():
             reg.initialization_completed()
 
-    def _mdate(self, filepath):
+    def _mdate(self, filepath: str) -> Optional[int]:
         """ return the modification date of a file path """
         try:
             return stat(filepath)[-2]
@@ -1004,7 +1034,7 @@ class RegistryStore(dict):
                     return True
         return False
 
-    def load_file(self, filepath, modname):
+    def load_file(self, filepath: str, modname: str) -> None:
         """ load registrable objects (if any) from a python file """
         if modname in self._loadedmods:
             return
@@ -1025,7 +1055,7 @@ class RegistryStore(dict):
         module = __import__(modname, fromlist=modname.split('.')[:-1])
         self.load_module(module)
 
-    def load_module(self, module):
+    def load_module(self, module: ModuleType) -> None:
         """Automatically handle module objects registration.
 
         Instances are registered as soon as they are hashable and have the
@@ -1046,11 +1076,13 @@ class RegistryStore(dict):
         """
         self.info('loading %s from %s', module.__name__, module.__file__)
         if hasattr(module, 'registration_callback'):
-            module.registration_callback(self)
+            # mypy: Module has no attribute "registration_callback"
+            # we check that before
+            module.registration_callback(self)  # type: ignore
         else:
             self.register_all(vars(module).values(), module.__name__)
 
-    def _load_ancestors_then_object(self, modname, objectcls, butclasses=()):
+    def _load_ancestors_then_object(self, modname: str, objectcls: type, butclasses: Sequence[Any] = ()) -> None:
         """handle class registration according to rules defined in
         :meth:`load_module`
         """
@@ -1092,7 +1124,7 @@ class RegistryStore(dict):
         self.register(objectcls)
 
     @classmethod
-    def is_registrable(cls, obj):
+    def is_registrable(cls, obj: Any) -> bool:
         """ensure `obj` should be registered
 
         as arbitrary stuff may be registered, do a lot of check and warn about
@@ -1107,25 +1139,33 @@ class RegistryStore(dict):
                     return False
             elif issubclass(obj, RegistrableInstance):
                 return False
+
         elif not isinstance(obj, RegistrableInstance):
             return False
+
         if not obj.__regid__:
             return False # no regid
+
         registries = obj.__registries__
         if not registries:
             return False # no registries
+
         selector = obj.__select__
         if not selector:
             return False # no selector
+
         if obj.__dict__.get('__abstract__', False):
             return False
+
         # then detect potential problems that should be warned
         if not isinstance(registries, (tuple, list)):
             cls.warning('%s has __registries__ which is not a list or tuple', obj)
             return False
+
         if not callable(selector):
             cls.warning('%s has not callable __select__', obj)
             return False
+
         return True
 
     # these are overridden by set_log_methods below
diff --git a/logilab/common/shellutils.py b/logilab/common/shellutils.py
index d03ae16..2764723 100644
--- a/logilab/common/shellutils.py
+++ b/logilab/common/shellutils.py
@@ -37,6 +37,8 @@ import random
 import subprocess
 import warnings
 from os.path import exists, isdir, islink, basename, join
+from _io import StringIO
+from typing import Any, Callable, Optional, List, Union, Iterator, Tuple
 
 from logilab.common import STD_BLACKLIST, _handle_blacklist
 from logilab.common.compat import str_to_bytes
@@ -130,7 +132,7 @@ def cp(source, destination):
     """
     mv(source, destination, _action=shutil.copy)
 
-def find(directory, exts, exclude=False, blacklist=STD_BLACKLIST):
+def find(directory: str, exts: Union[Tuple[str, ...], str], exclude: bool = False, blacklist: Tuple[str, ...] = STD_BLACKLIST) -> List[str]:
     """Recursively find files ending with the given extensions from the directory.
 
     :type directory: str
@@ -158,13 +160,13 @@ def find(directory, exts, exclude=False, blacklist=STD_BLACKLIST):
     if isinstance(exts, str):
         exts = (exts,)
     if exclude:
-        def match(filename, exts):
+        def match(filename: str, exts: Tuple[str, ...]) -> bool:
             for ext in exts:
                 if filename.endswith(ext):
                     return False
             return True
     else:
-        def match(filename, exts):
+        def match(filename: str, exts: Tuple[str, ...]) -> bool:
             for ext in exts:
                 if filename.endswith(ext):
                     return True
@@ -180,7 +182,7 @@ def find(directory, exts, exclude=False, blacklist=STD_BLACKLIST):
     return files
 
 
-def globfind(directory, pattern, blacklist=STD_BLACKLIST):
+def globfind(directory: str, pattern: str, blacklist: Tuple[str, str, str, str, str, str, str, str] = STD_BLACKLIST) -> Iterator[str]:
     """Recursively finds files matching glob `pattern` under `directory`.
 
     This is an alternative to `logilab.common.shellutils.find`.
@@ -236,7 +238,7 @@ class Execute:
 class ProgressBar(object):
     """A simple text progression bar."""
 
-    def __init__(self, nbops, size=20, stream=sys.stdout, title=''):
+    def __init__(self, nbops: int, size: int = 20, stream: StringIO = sys.stdout, title: str = '') -> None:
         if title:
             self._fstr = '\r%s [%%-%ss]' % (title, int(size))
         else:
@@ -262,7 +264,7 @@ class ProgressBar(object):
 
     text = property(_get_text, _set_text, _del_text)
 
-    def update(self, offset=1, exact=False):
+    def update(self, offset: int = 1, exact: bool = False) -> None:
         """Move FORWARD to new cursor position (cursor will never go backward).
 
         :offset: fraction of ``size``
@@ -283,7 +285,7 @@ class ProgressBar(object):
             self._progress = progress
             self.refresh()
 
-    def refresh(self):
+    def refresh(self) -> None:
         """Refresh the progression bar display."""
         self._stream.write(self._fstr % ('=' * min(self._progress, self._size)) )
         if self._last_text_write_size or self._current_text:
@@ -338,7 +340,7 @@ class progress(object):
 
 class RawInput(object):
 
-    def __init__(self, input_function=None, printer=None, **kwargs):
+    def __init__(self, input_function: Optional[Callable] = None, printer: Optional[Callable] = None, **kwargs: Any) -> None:
         if 'input' in kwargs:
             input_function = kwargs.pop('input')
             warnings.warn(
@@ -349,7 +351,7 @@ class RawInput(object):
         self._input = input_function or input
         self._print = printer
 
-    def ask(self, question, options, default):
+    def ask(self, question: str, options: Tuple[str, ...], default: str) -> str:
         assert default in options
         choices = []
         for option in options:
@@ -383,7 +385,7 @@ class RawInput(object):
             tries -= 1
         raise Exception('unable to get a sensible answer')
 
-    def confirm(self, question, default_is_yes=True):
+    def confirm(self, question: str, default_is_yes: bool = True) -> bool:
         default = default_is_yes and 'y' or 'n'
         answer = self.ask(question, ('y', 'n'), default)
         return answer == 'y'
diff --git a/logilab/common/table.py b/logilab/common/table.py
index 1f1101c..e7b9195 100644
--- a/logilab/common/table.py
+++ b/logilab/common/table.py
@@ -18,6 +18,10 @@
 """Table management module."""
 
 from __future__ import print_function
+from types import CodeType
+from typing import Any, List, Optional, Tuple, Union, Dict, Iterator
+from _io import StringIO
+from mypy_extensions import NoReturn
 
 __docformat__ = "restructuredtext en"
 
@@ -30,51 +34,64 @@ class Table(object):
         forall(self.data, lambda x: len(x) <= len(self.col_names))
     """
 
-    def __init__(self, default_value=0, col_names=None, row_names=None):
-        self.col_names = []
-        self.row_names = []
-        self.data = []
-        self.default_value = default_value
+    def __init__(self, default_value: int = 0, col_names: Optional[List[str]] = None, row_names: Optional[Any] = None) -> None:
+        self.col_names: List = []
+        self.row_names: List = []
+        self.data: List = []
+        self.default_value: int = default_value
         if col_names:
             self.create_columns(col_names)
         if row_names:
             self.create_rows(row_names)
 
-    def _next_row_name(self):
+    def _next_row_name(self) -> str:
         return 'row%s' % (len(self.row_names)+1)
 
-    def __iter__(self):
+    def __iter__(self) -> Iterator:
         return iter(self.data)
 
-    def __eq__(self, other):
+    # def __eq__(self, other: Union[List[List[int]], List[Tuple[str, str, str, float]]]) -> bool:
+    def __eq__(self, other: object) -> bool:
+        def is_iterable(variable: Any) -> bool:
+            try:
+                iter(variable)
+            except TypeError:
+                return False
+            else:
+                return True
+
         if other is None:
             return False
+        elif is_iterable(other):
+            # mypy: No overload variant of "list" matches argument type "object"
+            # checked before
+            return list(self) == list(other)  # type: ignore
         else:
-            return list(self) == list(other)
+            return False
 
     __hash__ = object.__hash__
 
     def __ne__(self, other):
         return not self == other
 
-    def __len__(self):
+    def __len__(self) -> int:
         return len(self.row_names)
 
     ## Rows / Columns creation #################################################
-    def create_rows(self, row_names):
+    def create_rows(self, row_names: List[str]) -> None:
         """Appends row_names to the list of existing rows
         """
         self.row_names.extend(row_names)
         for row_name in row_names:
             self.data.append([self.default_value]*len(self.col_names))
 
-    def create_columns(self, col_names):
+    def create_columns(self, col_names: List[str]) -> None:
         """Appends col_names to the list of existing columns
         """
         for col_name in col_names:
             self.create_column(col_name)
 
-    def create_row(self, row_name=None):
+    def create_row(self, row_name: str = None) -> None:
         """Creates a rowname to the row_names list
         """
         row_name = row_name or self._next_row_name()
@@ -82,7 +99,7 @@ class Table(object):
         self.data.append([self.default_value]*len(self.col_names))
 
 
-    def create_column(self, col_name):
+    def create_column(self, col_name: str) -> None:
         """Creates a colname to the col_names list
         """
         self.col_names.append(col_name)
@@ -90,7 +107,7 @@ class Table(object):
             row.append(self.default_value)
 
     ## Sort by column ##########################################################
-    def sort_by_column_id(self, col_id, method = 'asc'):
+    def sort_by_column_id(self, col_id: str, method: str = 'asc') -> None:
         """Sorts the table (in-place) according to data stored in col_id
         """
         try:
@@ -100,7 +117,7 @@ class Table(object):
             raise KeyError("Col (%s) not found in table" % (col_id))
 
 
-    def sort_by_column_index(self, col_index, method = 'asc'):
+    def sort_by_column_index(self, col_index: int, method: str = 'asc') -> None:
         """Sorts the table 'in-place' according to data stored in col_index
 
         method should be in ('asc', 'desc')
@@ -119,29 +136,33 @@ class Table(object):
             self.data.append(row)
             self.row_names.append(row_name)
 
-    def groupby(self, colname, *others):
+    def groupby(self, colname: str, *others: str) -> Union[Dict[str, Dict[str, 'Table']],
+                                                           Dict[str, 'Table']]:
         """builds indexes of data
         :returns: nested dictionaries pointing to actual rows
         """
-        groups = {}
+        groups: Dict = {}
         colnames = (colname,) + others
         col_indexes = [self.col_names.index(col_id) for col_id in colnames]
         for row in self.data:
             ptr = groups
             for col_index in col_indexes[:-1]:
                 ptr = ptr.setdefault(row[col_index], {})
-            ptr = ptr.setdefault(row[col_indexes[-1]],
-                                 Table(default_value=self.default_value,
-                                       col_names=self.col_names))
-            ptr.append_row(tuple(row))
+            table = ptr.setdefault(row[col_indexes[-1]],
+                                   Table(default_value=self.default_value,
+                                         col_names=self.col_names))
+            table.append_row(tuple(row))
         return groups
 
-    def select(self, colname, value):
+    def select(self, colname: str, value: str) -> 'Table':
         grouped = self.groupby(colname)
         try:
-            return grouped[value]
+            # mypy: Incompatible return value type (got "Union[Dict[str, Table], Table]",
+            # mypy: expected "Table")
+            # I guess we are sure we'll get a Table here?
+            return grouped[value]  # type: ignore
         except KeyError:
-            return []
+            return Table()
 
     def remove(self, colname, value):
         col_index = self.col_names.index(colname)
@@ -151,13 +172,13 @@ class Table(object):
 
 
     ## The 'setter' part #######################################################
-    def set_cell(self, row_index, col_index, data):
+    def set_cell(self, row_index: int, col_index: int, data: int) -> None:
         """sets value of cell 'row_indew', 'col_index' to data
         """
         self.data[row_index][col_index] = data
 
 
-    def set_cell_by_ids(self, row_id, col_id, data):
+    def set_cell_by_ids(self, row_id: str, col_id: str, data: Union[int, str]) -> None:
         """sets value of cell mapped by row_id and col_id to data
         Raises a KeyError if row_id or col_id are not found in the table
         """
@@ -173,7 +194,7 @@ class Table(object):
                 raise KeyError("Column (%s) not found in table" % (col_id))
 
 
-    def set_row(self, row_index, row_data):
+    def set_row(self, row_index: int, row_data: Union[List[float], List[int], List[str]]) -> None:
         """sets the 'row_index' row
         pre::
 
@@ -183,7 +204,7 @@ class Table(object):
         self.data[row_index] = row_data
 
 
-    def set_row_by_id(self, row_id, row_data):
+    def set_row_by_id(self, row_id: str, row_data: List[str]) -> None:
         """sets the 'row_id' column
         pre::
 
@@ -199,7 +220,7 @@ class Table(object):
             raise KeyError('Row (%s) not found in table' % (row_id))
 
 
-    def append_row(self, row_data, row_name=None):
+    def append_row(self, row_data: Union[List[Union[float, str]], List[int]], row_name: Optional[str] = None) -> int:
         """Appends a row to the table
         pre::
 
@@ -211,7 +232,7 @@ class Table(object):
         self.data.append(row_data)
         return len(self.data) - 1
 
-    def insert_row(self, index, row_data, row_name=None):
+    def insert_row(self, index: int, row_data: List[str], row_name: str = None) -> None:
         """Appends row_data before 'index' in the table. To make 'insert'
         behave like 'list.insert', inserting in an out of range index will
         insert row_data to the end of the list
@@ -225,7 +246,7 @@ class Table(object):
         self.data.insert(index, row_data)
 
 
-    def delete_row(self, index):
+    def delete_row(self, index: int) -> List[str]:
         """Deletes the 'index' row in the table, and returns it.
         Raises an IndexError if index is out of range
         """
@@ -233,7 +254,7 @@ class Table(object):
         return self.data.pop(index)
 
 
-    def delete_row_by_id(self, row_id):
+    def delete_row_by_id(self, row_id: str) -> None:
         """Deletes the 'row_id' row in the table.
         Raises a KeyError if row_id was not found.
         """
@@ -244,7 +265,7 @@ class Table(object):
             raise KeyError('Row (%s) not found in table' % (row_id))
 
 
-    def set_column(self, col_index, col_data):
+    def set_column(self, col_index: int, col_data: Union[List[int], range]) -> None:
         """sets the 'col_index' column
         pre::
 
@@ -256,7 +277,7 @@ class Table(object):
             self.data[row_index][col_index] = cell_data
 
 
-    def set_column_by_id(self, col_id, col_data):
+    def set_column_by_id(self, col_id: str, col_data: Union[List[int], range]) -> None:
         """sets the 'col_id' column
         pre::
 
@@ -272,7 +293,7 @@ class Table(object):
             raise KeyError('Column (%s) not found in table' % (col_id))
 
 
-    def append_column(self, col_data, col_name):
+    def append_column(self, col_data: range, col_name: str) -> None:
         """Appends the 'col_index' column
         pre::
 
@@ -284,7 +305,7 @@ class Table(object):
             self.data[row_index].append(cell_data)
 
 
-    def insert_column(self, index, col_data, col_name):
+    def insert_column(self, index: int, col_data: range, col_name: str) -> None:
         """Appends col_data before 'index' in the table. To make 'insert'
         behave like 'list.insert', inserting in an out of range index will
         insert col_data to the end of the list
@@ -298,7 +319,7 @@ class Table(object):
             self.data[row_index].insert(index, cell_data)
 
 
-    def delete_column(self, index):
+    def delete_column(self, index: int) -> List[int]:
         """Deletes the 'index' column in the table, and returns it.
         Raises an IndexError if index is out of range
         """
@@ -306,7 +327,7 @@ class Table(object):
         return [row.pop(index) for row in self.data]
 
 
-    def delete_column_by_id(self, col_id):
+    def delete_column_by_id(self, col_id: str) -> None:
         """Deletes the 'col_id' col in the table.
         Raises a KeyError if col_id was not found.
         """
@@ -319,53 +340,68 @@ class Table(object):
 
     ## The 'getter' part #######################################################
 
-    def get_shape(self):
+    def get_shape(self) -> Tuple[int, int]:
         """Returns a tuple which represents the table's shape
         """
         return len(self.row_names), len(self.col_names)
     shape = property(get_shape)
 
-    def __getitem__(self, indices):
+    def __getitem__(self, indices: Union[Tuple[Union[int, slice, str], Union[int, str]], int, slice]) -> Any:
         """provided for convenience"""
-        rows, multirows = None, False
-        cols, multicols = None, False
+        multirows: bool = False
+        multicols: bool = False
+
+        rows: slice
+        cols: slice
+
+        rows_indice: Union[int, slice, str]
+        cols_indice: Union[int, str, None] = None
+
         if isinstance(indices, tuple):
-            rows = indices[0]
+            rows_indice = indices[0]
             if len(indices) > 1:
-                cols = indices[1]
+                cols_indice = indices[1]
         else:
-            rows = indices
+            rows_indice = indices
+
         # define row slice
-        if isinstance(rows, str):
+        if isinstance(rows_indice, str):
             try:
-                rows = self.row_names.index(rows)
+                rows_indice = self.row_names.index(rows_indice)
             except ValueError:
-                raise KeyError("Row (%s) not found in table" % (rows))
-        if isinstance(rows, int):
-            rows = slice(rows, rows+1)
+                raise KeyError("Row (%s) not found in table" % (rows_indice))
+
+        if isinstance(rows_indice, int):
+            rows = slice(rows_indice, rows_indice + 1)
             multirows = False
         else:
             rows = slice(None)
             multirows = True
+
         # define col slice
-        if isinstance(cols, str):
+        if isinstance(cols_indice, str):
             try:
-                cols = self.col_names.index(cols)
+                cols_indice = self.col_names.index(cols_indice)
             except ValueError:
-                raise KeyError("Column (%s) not found in table" % (cols))
-        if isinstance(cols, int):
-            cols = slice(cols, cols+1)
+                raise KeyError("Column (%s) not found in table" % (cols_indice))
+
+        if isinstance(cols_indice, int):
+            cols = slice(cols_indice, cols_indice + 1)
             multicols = False
         else:
             cols = slice(None)
             multicols = True
+
         # get sub-table
         tab = Table()
         tab.default_value = self.default_value
+
         tab.create_rows(self.row_names[rows])
         tab.create_columns(self.col_names[cols])
+
         for idx, row in enumerate(self.data[rows]):
             tab.set_row(idx, row[cols])
+
         if multirows :
             if multicols:
                 return tab
@@ -409,7 +445,7 @@ class Table(object):
             raise KeyError("Column (%s) not found in table" % (col_id))
         return self.get_column(col_index, distinct)
 
-    def get_columns(self):
+    def get_columns(self) -> List[List[int]]:
         """Returns all the columns in the table
         """
         return [self[:, index] for index in range(len(self.col_names))]
@@ -421,14 +457,14 @@ class Table(object):
             col = list(set(col))
         return col
 
-    def apply_stylesheet(self, stylesheet):
+    def apply_stylesheet(self, stylesheet: 'TableStyleSheet') -> None:
         """Applies the stylesheet to this table
         """
         for instruction in stylesheet.instructions:
             eval(instruction)
 
 
-    def transpose(self):
+    def transpose(self) -> 'Table':
         """Keeps the self object intact, and returns the transposed (rotated)
         table.
         """
@@ -440,7 +476,7 @@ class Table(object):
         return transposed
 
 
-    def pprint(self):
+    def pprint(self) -> str:
         """returns a string representing the table in a pretty
         printed 'text' format.
         """
@@ -482,7 +518,7 @@ class Table(object):
         return '\n'.join(lines)
 
 
-    def __repr__(self):
+    def __repr__(self) -> str:
         return repr(self.data)
 
     def as_text(self):
@@ -499,7 +535,7 @@ class TableStyle:
     """Defines a table's style
     """
 
-    def __init__(self, table):
+    def __init__(self, table: Table) -> None:
 
         self._table = table
         self.size = dict([(col_name, '1*') for col_name in table.col_names])
@@ -516,12 +552,12 @@ class TableStyle:
         self.units['__row_column__'] = ''
 
     # XXX FIXME : params order should be reversed for all set() methods
-    def set_size(self, value, col_id):
+    def set_size(self, value: str, col_id: str) -> None:
         """sets the size of the specified col_id to value
         """
         self.size[col_id] = value
 
-    def set_size_by_index(self, value, col_index):
+    def set_size_by_index(self, value: str, col_index: int) -> None:
         """Allows to set the size according to the column index rather than
         using the column's id.
         BE CAREFUL : the '0' column is the '__row_column__' one !
@@ -534,13 +570,13 @@ class TableStyle:
         self.size[col_id] = value
 
 
-    def set_alignment(self, value, col_id):
+    def set_alignment(self, value: str, col_id: str) -> None:
         """sets the alignment of the specified col_id to value
         """
         self.alignment[col_id] = value
 
 
-    def set_alignment_by_index(self, value, col_index):
+    def set_alignment_by_index(self, value: str, col_index: int) -> None:
         """Allows to set the alignment according to the column index rather than
         using the column's id.
         BE CAREFUL : the '0' column is the '__row_column__' one !
@@ -553,13 +589,13 @@ class TableStyle:
         self.alignment[col_id] = value
 
 
-    def set_unit(self, value, col_id):
+    def set_unit(self, value: str, col_id: str) -> None:
         """sets the unit of the specified col_id to value
         """
         self.units[col_id] = value
 
 
-    def set_unit_by_index(self, value, col_index):
+    def set_unit_by_index(self, value: str, col_index: int) -> None:
         """Allows to set the unit according to the column index rather than
         using the column's id.
         BE CAREFUL :  the '0' column is the '__row_column__' one !
@@ -574,13 +610,13 @@ class TableStyle:
         self.units[col_id] = value
 
 
-    def get_size(self, col_id):
+    def get_size(self, col_id: str) -> str:
         """Returns the size of the specified col_id
         """
         return self.size[col_id]
 
 
-    def get_size_by_index(self, col_index):
+    def get_size_by_index(self, col_index: int) -> str:
         """Allows to get the size  according to the column index rather than
         using the column's id.
         BE CAREFUL : the '0' column is the '__row_column__' one !
@@ -593,13 +629,13 @@ class TableStyle:
         return self.size[col_id]
 
 
-    def get_alignment(self, col_id):
+    def get_alignment(self, col_id: str) -> str:
         """Returns the alignment of the specified col_id
         """
         return self.alignment[col_id]
 
 
-    def get_alignment_by_index(self, col_index):
+    def get_alignment_by_index(self, col_index: int) -> str:
         """Allors to get the alignment according to the column index rather than
         using the column's id.
         BE CAREFUL : the '0' column is the '__row_column__' one !
@@ -612,13 +648,13 @@ class TableStyle:
         return self.alignment[col_id]
 
 
-    def get_unit(self, col_id):
+    def get_unit(self, col_id: str) -> str:
         """Returns the unit of the specified col_id
         """
         return self.units[col_id]
 
 
-    def get_unit_by_index(self, col_index):
+    def get_unit_by_index(self, col_index: int) -> str:
         """Allors to get the unit according to the column index rather than
         using the column's id.
         BE CAREFUL : the '0' column is the '__row_column__' one !
@@ -649,28 +685,30 @@ class TableStyleSheet:
         2_5 = sqrt(2_3**2 + 2_4**2)
     """
 
-    def __init__(self, rules = None):
+    def __init__(self, rules: Optional[List[str]] = None) -> None:
         rules = rules or []
-        self.rules = []
-        self.instructions = []
+
+        self.rules: List[str] = []
+        self.instructions: List[CodeType] = []
+
         for rule in rules:
             self.add_rule(rule)
 
 
-    def add_rule(self, rule):
+    def add_rule(self, rule: str) -> None:
         """Adds a rule to the stylesheet rules
         """
         try:
             source_code = ['from math import *']
             source_code.append(CELL_PROG.sub(r'self.data[\1][\2]', rule))
             self.instructions.append(compile('\n'.join(source_code),
-                'table.py', 'exec'))
+                                             'table.py', 'exec'))
             self.rules.append(rule)
         except SyntaxError:
             print("Bad Stylesheet Rule : %s [skipped]" % rule)
 
 
-    def add_rowsum_rule(self, dest_cell, row_index, start_col, end_col):
+    def add_rowsum_rule(self, dest_cell: Tuple[int, int], row_index: int, start_col: int, end_col: int) -> None:
         """Creates and adds a rule to sum over the row at row_index from
         start_col to end_col.
         dest_cell is a tuple of two elements (x,y) of the destination cell
@@ -686,7 +724,7 @@ class TableStyleSheet:
         self.add_rule(rule)
 
 
-    def add_rowavg_rule(self, dest_cell, row_index, start_col, end_col):
+    def add_rowavg_rule(self, dest_cell: Tuple[int, int], row_index: int, start_col: int, end_col: int) -> None:
         """Creates and adds a rule to make the row average (from start_col
         to end_col)
         dest_cell is a tuple of two elements (x,y) of the destination cell
@@ -703,7 +741,7 @@ class TableStyleSheet:
         self.add_rule(rule)
 
 
-    def add_colsum_rule(self, dest_cell, col_index, start_row, end_row):
+    def add_colsum_rule(self, dest_cell: Tuple[int, int], col_index: int, start_row: int, end_row: int) -> None:
         """Creates and adds a rule to sum over the col at col_index from
         start_row to end_row.
         dest_cell is a tuple of two elements (x,y) of the destination cell
@@ -719,7 +757,7 @@ class TableStyleSheet:
         self.add_rule(rule)
 
 
-    def add_colavg_rule(self, dest_cell, col_index, start_row, end_row):
+    def add_colavg_rule(self, dest_cell: Tuple[int, int], col_index: int, start_row: int, end_row: int) -> None:
         """Creates and adds a rule to make the col average (from start_row
         to end_row)
         dest_cell is a tuple of two elements (x,y) of the destination cell
@@ -741,7 +779,7 @@ class TableCellRenderer:
     """Defines a simple text renderer
     """
 
-    def __init__(self, **properties):
+    def __init__(self, **properties: Any) -> None:
         """keywords should be properties with an associated boolean as value.
         For example :
             renderer = TableCellRenderer(units = True, alignment = False)
@@ -752,7 +790,7 @@ class TableCellRenderer:
         self.properties = properties
 
 
-    def render_cell(self, cell_coord, table, table_style):
+    def render_cell(self, cell_coord: Tuple[int, int], table: Table, table_style: TableStyle) -> Union[str, int]:
         """Renders the cell at 'cell_coord' in the table, using table_style
         """
         row_index, col_index = cell_coord
@@ -763,14 +801,14 @@ class TableCellRenderer:
                                          table_style, col_index + 1)
 
 
-    def render_row_cell(self, row_name, table, table_style):
+    def render_row_cell(self, row_name: str, table: Table, table_style: TableStyle) -> Union[str, int]:
         """Renders the cell for 'row_id' row
         """
         cell_value = row_name
         return self._render_cell_content(cell_value, table_style, 0)
 
 
-    def render_col_cell(self, col_name, table, table_style):
+    def render_col_cell(self, col_name: str, table: Table, table_style: TableStyle) -> Union[str, int]:
         """Renders the cell for 'col_id' row
         """
         cell_value = col_name
@@ -779,7 +817,7 @@ class TableCellRenderer:
 
 
 
-    def _render_cell_content(self, content, table_style, col_index):
+    def _render_cell_content(self, content: Union[str, int], table_style: TableStyle, col_index: int) -> Union[str, int]:
         """Makes the appropriate rendering for this cell content.
         Rendering properties will be searched using the
         *table_style.get_xxx_by_index(col_index)' methods
@@ -789,11 +827,12 @@ class TableCellRenderer:
         return content
 
 
-    def _make_cell_content(self, cell_content, table_style, col_index):
+    def _make_cell_content(self, cell_content: int, table_style: TableStyle, col_index: int) -> Union[int, str]:
         """Makes the cell content (adds decoration data, like units for
         example)
         """
-        final_content = cell_content
+        final_content: Union[int, str] = cell_content
+
         if 'skip_zero' in self.properties:
             replacement_char = self.properties['skip_zero']
         else:
@@ -812,7 +851,7 @@ class TableCellRenderer:
         return final_content
 
 
-    def _add_unit(self, cell_content, table_style, col_index):
+    def _add_unit(self, cell_content: int, table_style: TableStyle, col_index: int) -> str:
         """Adds unit to the cell_content if needed
         """
         unit = table_style.get_unit_by_index(col_index)
@@ -824,7 +863,7 @@ class DocbookRenderer(TableCellRenderer):
     """Defines how to render a cell for a docboook table
     """
 
-    def define_col_header(self, col_index, table_style):
+    def define_col_header(self, col_index: int, table_style: TableStyle) -> str:
         """Computes the colspec element according to the style
         """
         size = table_style.get_size_by_index(col_index)
@@ -832,7 +871,7 @@ class DocbookRenderer(TableCellRenderer):
                (col_index, size)
 
 
-    def _render_cell_content(self, cell_content, table_style, col_index):
+    def _render_cell_content(self, cell_content: Union[int, str], table_style: TableStyle, col_index: int) -> str:
         """Makes the appropriate rendering for this cell content.
         Rendering properties will be searched using the
         table_style.get_xxx_by_index(col_index)' methods.
@@ -847,17 +886,20 @@ class DocbookRenderer(TableCellRenderer):
             # KeyError <=> Default alignment
             return "<entry>%s</entry>\n" % cell_content
 
+        # XXX really?
+        return ""
+
 
 class TableWriter:
     """A class to write tables
     """
 
-    def __init__(self, stream, table, style, **properties):
+    def __init__(self, stream: StringIO, table: Table, style: Optional[Any], **properties: Any) -> None:
         self._stream = stream
         self.style = style or TableStyle(table)
         self._table = table
         self.properties = properties
-        self.renderer = None
+        self.renderer: Optional[DocbookRenderer] = None
 
 
     def set_style(self, style):
@@ -866,7 +908,7 @@ class TableWriter:
         self.style = style
 
 
-    def set_renderer(self, renderer):
+    def set_renderer(self, renderer: DocbookRenderer) -> None:
         """sets the way to render cell
         """
         self.renderer = renderer
@@ -878,7 +920,7 @@ class TableWriter:
         self.properties.update(properties)
 
 
-    def write_table(self, title = ""):
+    def write_table(self, title: str = "") -> None:
         """Writes the table
         """
         raise NotImplementedError("write_table must be implemented !")
@@ -889,9 +931,11 @@ class DocbookTableWriter(TableWriter):
     """Defines an implementation of TableWriter to write a table in Docbook
     """
 
-    def _write_headers(self):
+    def _write_headers(self) -> None:
         """Writes col headers
         """
+        assert self.renderer is not None
+
         # Define col_headers (colstpec elements)
         for col_index in range(len(self._table.col_names)+1):
             self._stream.write(self.renderer.define_col_header(col_index,
@@ -908,9 +952,11 @@ class DocbookTableWriter(TableWriter):
         self._stream.write("</row>\n</thead>\n")
 
 
-    def _write_body(self):
+    def _write_body(self) -> None:
         """Writes the table body
         """
+        assert self.renderer is not None
+
         self._stream.write('<tbody>\n')
 
         for row_index, row in enumerate(self._table.data):
@@ -931,7 +977,7 @@ class DocbookTableWriter(TableWriter):
         self._stream.write('</tbody>\n')
 
 
-    def write_table(self, title = ""):
+    def write_table(self, title: str = "") -> None:
         """Writes the table
         """
         self._stream.write('<table>\n<title>%s></title>\n'%(title))
diff --git a/logilab/common/tasksqueue.py b/logilab/common/tasksqueue.py
index 7d561ca..4e3434e 100644
--- a/logilab/common/tasksqueue.py
+++ b/logilab/common/tasksqueue.py
@@ -19,8 +19,9 @@
 
 __docformat__ = "restructuredtext en"
 
-from bisect import insort_left
 
+from typing import Iterator, List
+from bisect import insort_left
 import queue
 
 LOW = 0
@@ -35,16 +36,15 @@ PRIORITY = {
 REVERSE_PRIORITY = dict((values, key) for key, values in PRIORITY.items())
 
 
-
 class PrioritizedTasksQueue(queue.Queue):
 
-    def _init(self, maxsize):
+    def _init(self, maxsize: int) -> None:
         """Initialize the queue representation"""
         self.maxsize = maxsize
         # ordered list of task, from the lowest to the highest priority
-        self.queue = []
+        self.queue: List['Task'] = []  # type: ignore
 
-    def _put(self, item):
+    def _put(self, item: 'Task') -> None:
         """Put a new item in the queue"""
         for i, task in enumerate(self.queue):
             # equivalent task
@@ -60,14 +60,14 @@ class PrioritizedTasksQueue(queue.Queue):
                 return
         insort_left(self.queue, item)
 
-    def _get(self):
+    def _get(self) -> 'Task':
         """Get an item from the queue"""
         return self.queue.pop()
 
-    def __iter__(self):
+    def __iter__(self) -> Iterator['Task']:
         return iter(self.queue)
 
-    def remove(self, tid):
+    def remove(self, tid: str) -> None:
         """remove a specific task from the queue"""
         # XXX acquire lock
         for i, task in enumerate(self):
@@ -76,26 +76,23 @@ class PrioritizedTasksQueue(queue.Queue):
                 return
         raise ValueError('not task of id %s in queue' % tid)
 
-class Task(object):
-    def __init__(self, tid, priority=LOW):
+class Task:
+    def __init__(self, tid: str, priority: int = LOW) -> None:
         # task id
         self.id = tid
         # task priority
         self.priority = priority
 
-    def __repr__(self):
+    def __repr__(self) -> str:
         return '<Task %s @%#x>' % (self.id, id(self))
 
-    def __cmp__(self, other):
-        return cmp(self.priority, other.priority)
-
-    def __lt__(self, other):
+    def __lt__(self, other: 'Task') -> bool:
         return self.priority < other.priority
 
-    def __eq__(self, other):
-        return self.id == other.id
+    def __eq__(self, other: object) -> bool:
+        return isinstance(other, type(self)) and self.id == other.id
 
     __hash__ = object.__hash__
 
-    def merge(self, other):
+    def merge(self, other: 'Task') -> None:
         pass
diff --git a/logilab/common/testlib.py b/logilab/common/testlib.py
index dae1ff5..8348900 100644
--- a/logilab/common/testlib.py
+++ b/logilab/common/testlib.py
@@ -55,6 +55,8 @@ import warnings
 from shutil import rmtree
 from operator import itemgetter
 from inspect import isgeneratorfunction
+from typing import Any, Iterator, Union, Optional, Callable, Dict, List, Tuple
+from mypy_extensions import NoReturn
 
 import builtins
 import configparser
@@ -69,7 +71,9 @@ if not getattr(unittest_legacy, "__package__", None):
     except ImportError:
         raise ImportError("You have to install python-unittest2 to use %s" % __name__)
 else:
-    import unittest as unittest
+    # mypy: Name 'unittest' already defined (possibly by an import)
+    # compat
+    import unittest as unittest  # type: ignore
     from unittest import SkipTest
 
 from functools import wraps
@@ -91,11 +95,11 @@ __unittest = 1
 
 
 @deprecated('with_tempdir is deprecated, use tempfile.TemporaryDirectory.')
-def with_tempdir(callable):
+def with_tempdir(callable: Callable) -> Callable:
     """A decorator ensuring no temporary file left when the function return
     Work only for temporary file created with the tempfile module"""
     if isgeneratorfunction(callable):
-        def proxy(*args, **kwargs):
+        def proxy(*args: Any, **kwargs: Any) -> Iterator[Union[Iterator, Iterator[str]]]:
             old_tmpdir = tempfile.gettempdir()
             new_tmpdir = tempfile.mkdtemp(prefix="temp-lgc-")
             tempfile.tempdir = new_tmpdir
@@ -109,20 +113,21 @@ def with_tempdir(callable):
                     tempfile.tempdir = old_tmpdir
         return proxy
 
-    @wraps(callable)
-    def proxy(*args, **kargs):
+    else:
+        @wraps(callable)
+        def proxy(*args: Any, **kargs: Any) -> Any:
 
-        old_tmpdir = tempfile.gettempdir()
-        new_tmpdir = tempfile.mkdtemp(prefix="temp-lgc-")
-        tempfile.tempdir = new_tmpdir
-        try:
-            return callable(*args, **kargs)
-        finally:
+            old_tmpdir = tempfile.gettempdir()
+            new_tmpdir = tempfile.mkdtemp(prefix="temp-lgc-")
+            tempfile.tempdir = new_tmpdir
             try:
-                rmtree(new_tmpdir, ignore_errors=True)
+                return callable(*args, **kargs)
             finally:
-                tempfile.tempdir = old_tmpdir
-    return proxy
+                try:
+                    rmtree(new_tmpdir, ignore_errors=True)
+                finally:
+                    tempfile.tempdir = old_tmpdir
+        return proxy
 
 def in_tempdir(callable):
     """A decorator moving the enclosed function inside the tempfile.tempfdir
@@ -204,7 +209,7 @@ def start_interactive_mode(result):
 # coverage pausing tools #####################################################
 
 @contextmanager
-def replace_trace(trace=None):
+def replace_trace(trace: Optional[Callable] = None) -> Iterator:
     """A context manager that temporary replaces the trace function"""
     oldtrace = sys.gettrace()
     sys.settrace(trace)
@@ -222,16 +227,20 @@ def replace_trace(trace=None):
 pause_trace = replace_trace
 
 
-def nocoverage(func):
+def nocoverage(func: Callable) -> Callable:
     """Function decorator that pauses tracing functions"""
     if hasattr(func, 'uncovered'):
         return func
-    func.uncovered = True
+    # mypy: "Callable[..., Any]" has no attribute "uncovered"
+    # dynamic attribute for magic
+    func.uncovered = True  # type: ignore
 
-    def not_covered(*args, **kwargs):
+    def not_covered(*args: Any, **kwargs: Any) -> Any:
         with pause_trace():
             return func(*args, **kwargs)
-    not_covered.uncovered = True
+    # mypy: "Callable[[VarArg(Any), KwArg(Any)], NoReturn]" has no attribute "uncovered"
+    # dynamic attribute for magic
+    not_covered.uncovered = True  # type: ignore
     return not_covered
 
 
@@ -264,10 +273,10 @@ class InnerTestSkipped(SkipTest):
     """raised when a test is skipped"""
     pass
 
-def parse_generative_args(params):
+def parse_generative_args(params: Tuple[int, ...]) -> Tuple[Union[List[bool], List[int]], Dict]:
     args = []
     varargs = ()
-    kwargs = {}
+    kwargs: Dict = {}
     flags = 0 # 2 <=> starargs, 4 <=> kwargs
     for param in params:
         if isinstance(param, starargs):
@@ -298,22 +307,28 @@ class InnerTest(tuple):
 class Tags(set):
     """A set of tag able validate an expression"""
 
-    def __init__(self, *tags, **kwargs):
+    def __init__(self, *tags: str, **kwargs: Any) -> None:
         self.inherit = kwargs.pop('inherit', True)
         if kwargs:
            raise TypeError("%s are an invalid keyword argument for this function" % kwargs.keys())
 
         if len(tags) == 1 and not isinstance(tags[0], str):
             tags = tags[0]
-        super(Tags, self).__init__(tags, **kwargs)
+        super(Tags, self).__init__(tags)
 
-    def __getitem__(self, key):
+    def __getitem__(self, key: str) -> bool:
         return key in self
 
-    def match(self, exp):
-        return eval(exp, {}, self)
+    def match(self, exp: str) -> bool:
+        # mypy: Argument 3 to "eval" has incompatible type "Tags";
+        # mypy: expected "Optional[Mapping[str, Any]]"
+        # I'm really not sure here?
+        return eval(exp, {}, self)  # type: ignore
 
-    def __or__(self, other):
+    # mypy: Argument 1 of "__or__" is incompatible with supertype "AbstractSet";
+    # mypy: supertype defines the argument type as "AbstractSet[_T]"
+    # not sure how to fix this one
+    def __or__(self, other: 'Tags') -> 'Tags':  # type: ignore
         return Tags(*super(Tags, self).__or__(other))
 
 
@@ -331,7 +346,7 @@ class TestCase(unittest.TestCase):
     maxDiff = None
     tags = Tags()
 
-    def __init__(self, methodName='runTest'):
+    def __init__(self, methodName: str = 'runTest') -> None:
         super(TestCase, self).__init__(methodName)
         self.__exc_info = sys.exc_info
         self.__testMethodName = self._testMethodName
@@ -340,7 +355,7 @@ class TestCase(unittest.TestCase):
 
     @classproperty
     @cached
-    def datadir(cls): # pylint: disable=E0213
+    def datadir(cls) -> str: # pylint: disable=E0213
         """helper attribute holding the standard test's data directory
 
         NOTE: this is a logilab's standard
@@ -351,7 +366,7 @@ class TestCase(unittest.TestCase):
     # instantiated for each test run)
 
     @classmethod
-    def datapath(cls, *fname):
+    def datapath(cls, *fname: str) -> str:
         """joins the object's datadir and `fname`"""
         return osp.join(cls.datadir, *fname)
 
@@ -363,7 +378,7 @@ class TestCase(unittest.TestCase):
         self._current_test_descr = descr
 
     # override default's unittest.py feature
-    def shortDescription(self):
+    def shortDescription(self) -> Optional[Any]:
         """override default unittest shortDescription to handle correctly
         generative tests
         """
@@ -371,7 +386,7 @@ class TestCase(unittest.TestCase):
             return self._current_test_descr
         return super(TestCase, self).shortDescription()
 
-    def quiet_run(self, result, func, *args, **kwargs):
+    def quiet_run(self, result: Any, func: Callable, *args: Any, **kwargs: Any) -> bool:
         try:
             func(*args, **kwargs)
         except (KeyboardInterrupt, SystemExit):
@@ -389,7 +404,7 @@ class TestCase(unittest.TestCase):
             return False
         return True
 
-    def _get_test_method(self):
+    def _get_test_method(self) -> Callable:
         """return the test method"""
         return getattr(self, self._testMethodName)
 
@@ -446,7 +461,7 @@ class TestCase(unittest.TestCase):
             #     result.cvg.stop()
             result.stopTest(self)
 
-    def _proceed_generative(self, result, testfunc, runcondition=None):
+    def _proceed_generative(self, result: Any, testfunc: Callable, runcondition: Callable = None) -> bool:
         # cancel startTest()'s increment
         result.testsRun -= 1
         success = True
@@ -485,7 +500,7 @@ class TestCase(unittest.TestCase):
             success = False
         return success
 
-    def _proceed(self, result, testfunc, args=(), kwargs=None):
+    def _proceed(self, result: Any, testfunc: Callable, args: Union[List[bool], List[int], Tuple[()]] = (), kwargs: Optional[Dict] = None) -> int:
         """proceed the actual test
         returns 0 on success, 1 on failure, 2 on error
 
@@ -512,7 +527,7 @@ class TestCase(unittest.TestCase):
             return 2
         return 0
 
-    def innerSkip(self, msg=None):
+    def innerSkip(self, msg: str = None) -> NoReturn:
         """mark a generative test as skipped for the <msg> reason"""
         msg = msg or 'test was skipped'
         raise InnerTestSkipped(msg)
@@ -549,7 +564,9 @@ class DocTestFinder(doctest.DocTestFinder):
                                                globs, source_lines)
 
 
-class DocTest(TestCase, metaclass=class_deprecated):
+# mypy error: Invalid metaclass 'class_deprecated'
+# but it works?
+class DocTest(TestCase, metaclass=class_deprecated):  # type: ignore
     """trigger module doctest
     I don't know how to make unittest.main consider the DocTestSuite instance
     without this hack
@@ -610,7 +627,9 @@ class MockConnection:
         pass
 
 
-def mock_object(**params):
+# mypy error: Name 'Mock' is not defined
+# dynamic class created by this class
+def mock_object(**params: Any) -> 'Mock':  # type: ignore
     """creates an object using params to set attributes
     >>> option = mock_object(verbose=False, index=range(5))
     >>> option.verbose
@@ -621,7 +640,7 @@ def mock_object(**params):
     return type('Mock', (), params)()
 
 
-def create_files(paths, chroot):
+def create_files(paths: List[str], chroot: str) -> None:
     """Creates directories and files found in <path>.
 
     :param paths: list of relative paths to files or directories
@@ -662,19 +681,21 @@ class AttrObject: # XXX cf mock_object
     def __init__(self, **kwargs):
         self.__dict__.update(kwargs)
 
-def tag(*args, **kwargs):
+def tag(*args: str, **kwargs: Any) -> Callable:
     """descriptor adding tag to a function"""
-    def desc(func):
+    def desc(func: Callable) -> Callable:
         assert not hasattr(func, 'tags')
-        func.tags = Tags(*args, **kwargs)
+        # mypy: "Callable[..., Any]" has no attribute "tags"
+        # dynamic magic attribute
+        func.tags = Tags(*args, **kwargs)  # type: ignore
         return func
     return desc
 
-def require_version(version):
+def require_version(version: str) -> Callable:
     """ Compare version of python interpreter to the given one. Skip the test
     if older.
     """
-    def check_require_version(f):
+    def check_require_version(f: Callable) -> Callable:
         version_elements = version.split('.')
         try:
             compare = tuple([int(v) for v in version_elements])
@@ -690,10 +711,10 @@ def require_version(version):
             return f
     return check_require_version
 
-def require_module(module):
+def require_module(module: str) -> Callable:
     """ Check if the given module is loaded. Skip the test if not.
     """
-    def check_require_module(f):
+    def check_require_module(f: Callable) -> Callable:
         try:
             __import__(module)
             return f
diff --git a/logilab/common/textutils.py b/logilab/common/textutils.py
index 1a5573d..4b6ea98 100644
--- a/logilab/common/textutils.py
+++ b/logilab/common/textutils.py
@@ -46,8 +46,10 @@ __docformat__ = "restructuredtext en"
 import sys
 import re
 import os.path as osp
+from re import Pattern, Match
 from warnings import warn
 from unicodedata import normalize as _uninormalize
+from typing import Any, Optional, Tuple, List, Callable, Dict, Union
 try:
     from os import linesep
 except ImportError:
@@ -74,7 +76,7 @@ MANUAL_UNICODE_MAP = {
     u'\u2019': u"'",  # SIMPLE QUOTE
     }
 
-def unormalize(ustring, ignorenonascii=None, substitute=None):
+def unormalize(ustring: str, ignorenonascii: Optional[Any] = None, substitute: Optional[str] = None) -> str:
     """replace diacritical characters with their corresponding ascii characters
 
     Convert the unicode string to its long normalized form (unicode character
@@ -107,7 +109,7 @@ def unormalize(ustring, ignorenonascii=None, substitute=None):
         res.append(replacement)
     return u''.join(res)
 
-def unquote(string):
+def unquote(string: str) -> str:
     """remove optional quotes (simple or double) from the string
 
     :type string: str or unicode
@@ -128,7 +130,7 @@ def unquote(string):
 _BLANKLINES_RGX = re.compile('\r?\n\r?\n')
 _NORM_SPACES_RGX = re.compile('\s+')
 
-def normalize_text(text, line_len=80, indent='', rest=False):
+def normalize_text(text: str, line_len: int = 80, indent: str = '', rest: bool = False) -> str:
     """normalize a text to display it with a maximum line size and
     optionally arbitrary indentation. Line jumps are normalized but blank
     lines are kept. The indentation string may be used to insert a
@@ -159,7 +161,7 @@ def normalize_text(text, line_len=80, indent='', rest=False):
     return ('%s%s%s' % (linesep, indent, linesep)).join(result)
 
 
-def normalize_paragraph(text, line_len=80, indent=''):
+def normalize_paragraph(text: str, line_len: int = 80, indent: str = '') -> str:
     """normalize a text to display it with a maximum line size and
     optionally arbitrary indentation. Line jumps are normalized. The
     indentation string may be used top insert a comment mark for
@@ -188,7 +190,7 @@ def normalize_paragraph(text, line_len=80, indent=''):
         lines.append(indent + aline)
     return linesep.join(lines)
 
-def normalize_rest_paragraph(text, line_len=80, indent=''):
+def normalize_rest_paragraph(text: str, line_len: int = 80, indent: str = '') -> str:
     """normalize a ReST text to display it with a maximum line size and
     optionally arbitrary indentation. Line jumps are normalized. The
     indentation string may be used top insert a comment mark for
@@ -229,7 +231,7 @@ def normalize_rest_paragraph(text, line_len=80, indent=''):
     return linesep.join(lines)
 
 
-def splittext(text, line_len):
+def splittext(text: str, line_len: int) -> Tuple[str, str]:
     """split the given text on space according to the given max line size
 
     return a 2-uple:
@@ -248,7 +250,7 @@ def splittext(text, line_len):
     return text[:pos], text[pos+1:].strip()
 
 
-def splitstrip(string, sep=','):
+def splitstrip(string: str, sep: str = ',') -> List[str]:
     """return a list of stripped string by splitting the string given as
     argument on `sep` (',' by default). Empty string are discarded.
 
@@ -337,8 +339,8 @@ TIME_UNITS = {
     "d": 60 * 60 *24,
 }
 
-def apply_units(string, units, inter=None, final=float, blank_reg=_BLANK_RE,
-                value_reg=_VALUE_RE):
+def apply_units(string: str, units: Dict[str, int], inter: Union[Callable, None, type] = None, final: type = float, blank_reg: Pattern = _BLANK_RE,
+                value_reg: Pattern = _VALUE_RE) -> Union[float, int]:
     """Parse the string applying the units defined in units
     (e.g.: "1.5m",{'m',60} -> 80).
 
@@ -379,7 +381,7 @@ def apply_units(string, units, inter=None, final=float, blank_reg=_BLANK_RE,
 
 _LINE_RGX = re.compile('\r\n|\r+|\n')
 
-def pretty_match(match, string, underline_char='^'):
+def pretty_match(match: Match, string: str, underline_char: str = '^') -> str:
     """return a string with the match location underlined:
 
     >>> import re
@@ -424,11 +426,14 @@ def pretty_match(match, string, underline_char='^'):
         result.append(string)
         result.append(underline)
     else:
-        end = string[end_line_pos + len(linesep):]
+        # mypy: Incompatible types in assignment (expression has type "str",
+        # mypy: variable has type "int")
+        # but it's a str :|
+        end = string[end_line_pos + len(linesep):]  # type: ignore
         string = string[start_line_pos:end_line_pos]
         result.append(string)
         result.append(underline)
-        result.append(end)
+        result.append(end)  # type: ignore # see previous comment
     return linesep.join(result).rstrip()
 
 
@@ -458,7 +463,7 @@ ANSI_COLORS = {
     'white': "37",
 }
 
-def _get_ansi_code(color=None, style=None):
+def _get_ansi_code(color: Optional[str] = None, style: Optional[str] = None) -> str:
     """return ansi escape code corresponding to color and style
 
     :type color: str or None
@@ -491,7 +496,7 @@ def _get_ansi_code(color=None, style=None):
         return ANSI_PREFIX + ';'.join(ansi_code) + ANSI_END
     return ''
 
-def colorize_ansi(msg, color=None, style=None):
+def colorize_ansi(msg: str, color: Optional[str] = None, style: Optional[str] = None) -> str:
     """colorize message by wrapping it with ansi escape codes
 
     :type msg: str or unicode
diff --git a/logilab/common/tree.py b/logilab/common/tree.py
index 885eb0f..1fc5a21 100644
--- a/logilab/common/tree.py
+++ b/logilab/common/tree.py
@@ -25,29 +25,37 @@ __docformat__ = "restructuredtext en"
 
 import sys
 
-from logilab.common import flatten
+# from logilab.common import flatten
 from logilab.common.visitor import VisitedMixIn, FilteredIterator, no_filter
+from logilab.common.types import Paragraph, Title
+from typing import Optional, Any, Union, List, Callable, TypeVar
 
 ## Exceptions #################################################################
 
 class NodeNotFound(Exception):
     """raised when a node has not been found"""
 
-EX_SIBLING_NOT_FOUND = "No such sibling as '%s'"
-EX_CHILD_NOT_FOUND = "No such child as '%s'"
-EX_NODE_NOT_FOUND = "No such node as '%s'"
+EX_SIBLING_NOT_FOUND: str = "No such sibling as '%s'"
+EX_CHILD_NOT_FOUND: str = "No such child as '%s'"
+EX_NODE_NOT_FOUND: str = "No such node as '%s'"
 
 
 # Base node ###################################################################
 
+# describe node of current class
+NodeType = Any
+
+
 class Node(object):
     """a basic tree node, characterized by an id"""
 
-    def __init__(self, nid=None) :
+    def __init__(self, nid: Optional[str] = None) -> None :
         self.id = nid
         # navigation
-        self.parent = None
-        self.children = []
+        # should be something like Optional[type(self)] for subclasses but that's not possible?
+        self.parent: Optional[NodeType] = None
+        # should be something like List[type(self)] for subclasses but that's not possible?
+        self.children: List[NodeType] = []
 
     def __iter__(self):
         return iter(self.children)
@@ -65,31 +73,35 @@ class Node(object):
     def is_leaf(self):
         return not self.children
 
-    def append(self, child):
+    def append(self, child: NodeType) -> None:
+        # should be child: type(self) but that's not possible
         """add a node to children"""
         self.children.append(child)
         child.parent = self
 
-    def remove(self, child):
+    def remove(self, child: NodeType) -> None:
+        # should be child: type(self) but that's not possible
         """remove a child node"""
         self.children.remove(child)
         child.parent = None
 
-    def insert(self, index, child):
+    def insert(self, index: int, child: NodeType) -> None:
+        # should be child: type(self) but that's not possible
         """insert a child node"""
         self.children.insert(index, child)
         child.parent = self
 
-    def replace(self, old_child, new_child):
+    def replace(self, old_child: NodeType, new_child: NodeType) -> None:
         """replace a child node with another"""
         i = self.children.index(old_child)
         self.children.pop(i)
         self.children.insert(i, new_child)
         new_child.parent = self
 
-    def get_sibling(self, nid):
+    def get_sibling(self, nid: str) -> NodeType:
         """return the sibling node that has given id"""
         try:
+            assert self.parent is not None
             return self.parent.get_child_by_id(nid)
         except NodeNotFound :
             raise NodeNotFound(EX_SIBLING_NOT_FOUND % nid)
@@ -121,7 +133,7 @@ class Node(object):
             return parent.children[index-1]
         return None
 
-    def get_node_by_id(self, nid):
+    def get_node_by_id(self, nid: str) -> NodeType:
         """
         return node in whole hierarchy that has given id
         """
@@ -131,7 +143,7 @@ class Node(object):
         except NodeNotFound :
             raise NodeNotFound(EX_NODE_NOT_FOUND % nid)
 
-    def get_child_by_id(self, nid, recurse=None):
+    def get_child_by_id(self, nid: str, recurse: Optional[bool] = None) -> NodeType:
         """
         return child of given id
         """
@@ -147,7 +159,7 @@ class Node(object):
                 return c
         raise NodeNotFound(EX_CHILD_NOT_FOUND % nid)
 
-    def get_child_by_path(self, path):
+    def get_child_by_path(self, path: List[str]) -> NodeType:
         """
         return child of given path (path is a list of ids)
         """
@@ -162,7 +174,7 @@ class Node(object):
                         pass
         raise NodeNotFound(EX_CHILD_NOT_FOUND % path)
 
-    def depth(self):
+    def depth(self) -> int:
         """
         return depth of this node in the tree
         """
@@ -171,7 +183,7 @@ class Node(object):
         else :
             return 0
 
-    def depth_down(self):
+    def depth_down(self) -> int:
         """
         return depth of the tree from this node
         """
@@ -179,13 +191,13 @@ class Node(object):
             return 1 + max([c.depth_down() for c in self.children])
         return 1
 
-    def width(self):
+    def width(self) -> int:
         """
         return the width of the tree from this node
         """
         return len(self.leaves())
 
-    def root(self):
+    def root(self) -> NodeType:
         """
         return the root node of the tree
         """
@@ -193,7 +205,7 @@ class Node(object):
             return self.parent.root()
         return self
 
-    def leaves(self):
+    def leaves(self) -> List[NodeType]:
         """
         return a list with all the leaves nodes descendant from this node
         """
@@ -205,7 +217,7 @@ class Node(object):
         else:
             return [self]
 
-    def flatten(self, _list=None):
+    def flatten(self, _list: Optional[List[NodeType]] = None) -> List[NodeType]:
         """
         return a list with all the nodes descendant from this node
         """
@@ -216,7 +228,7 @@ class Node(object):
             c.flatten(_list)
         return _list
 
-    def lineage(self):
+    def lineage(self) -> List[NodeType]:
         """
         return list of parents up to root node
         """
@@ -226,6 +238,7 @@ class Node(object):
         return lst
 
 class VNode(Node, VisitedMixIn):
+    # we should probably merge this VisitedMixIn here because it's only used here
     """a visitable node
     """
     pass
@@ -298,7 +311,7 @@ class ListNode(VNode, list_class):
 
 # construct list from tree ####################################################
 
-def post_order_list(node, filter_func=no_filter):
+def post_order_list(node: Optional[Node], filter_func: Callable = no_filter) -> List[Node]:
     """
     create a list with tree nodes for which the <filter> function returned true
     in a post order fashion
@@ -326,7 +339,7 @@ def post_order_list(node, filter_func=no_filter):
             poped = 1
     return l
 
-def pre_order_list(node, filter_func=no_filter):
+def pre_order_list(node: Optional[Node], filter_func: Callable = no_filter) -> List[Node]:
     """
     create a list with tree nodes for which the <filter> function returned true
     in a pre order fashion
@@ -358,12 +371,12 @@ def pre_order_list(node, filter_func=no_filter):
 class PostfixedDepthFirstIterator(FilteredIterator):
     """a postfixed depth first iterator, designed to be used with visitors
     """
-    def __init__(self, node, filter_func=None):
+    def __init__(self, node: Node, filter_func: Optional[Any] = None) -> None:
         FilteredIterator.__init__(self, node, post_order_list, filter_func)
 
 class PrefixedDepthFirstIterator(FilteredIterator):
     """a prefixed depth first iterator, designed to be used with visitors
     """
-    def __init__(self, node, filter_func=None):
+    def __init__(self, node: Node, filter_func: Optional[Any] = None) -> None:
         FilteredIterator.__init__(self, node, pre_order_list, filter_func)
 
diff --git a/logilab/common/types.py b/logilab/common/types.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b13f3c7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/logilab/common/types.py
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+# copyright 2019 LOGILAB S.A. (Paris, FRANCE), all rights reserved.
+# contact http://www.logilab.fr/ -- mailto:contact@logilab.fr
+#
+# This file is part of yams.
+#
+# yams is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the
+# terms of the GNU Lesser General Public License as published by the Free
+# Software Foundation, either version 2.1 of the License, or (at your option)
+# any later version.
+#
+# yams is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY
+# WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR
+# A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU Lesser General Public License for more
+# details.
+#
+# You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public License
+# along with yams. If not, see <https://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+
+"""Types declarations for types annotations"""
+
+from typing import TYPE_CHECKING, TypeVar
+
+
+# to avoid circular imports
+if TYPE_CHECKING:
+    from logilab.common.tree import Node
+    from logilab.common.ureports.html_writer import HTMLWriter
+    from logilab.common.ureports.text_writer import TextWriter
+    from logilab.common.ureports.nodes import Paragraph
+    from logilab.common.ureports.nodes import Title
+    from logilab.common.table import Table
+    from logilab.common.optik_ext import OptionParser
+    from logilab.common.optik_ext import Option
+    from logilab.common import attrdict
+else:
+    Node = TypeVar("Node")
+    HTMLWriter = TypeVar("HTMLWriter")
+    TextWriter = TypeVar("TextWriter")
+    Table = TypeVar("Table")
+    OptionParser = TypeVar("OptionParser")
+    Option = TypeVar("Option")
+    attrdict = TypeVar("attrdict")
+    Paragraph = TypeVar("Paragraph")
+    Title = TypeVar("Title")
diff --git a/logilab/common/umessage.py b/logilab/common/umessage.py
index e5a7f4e..77a6272 100644
--- a/logilab/common/umessage.py
+++ b/logilab/common/umessage.py
@@ -24,8 +24,10 @@ from encodings import search_function
 import sys
 from email.utils import parseaddr, parsedate
 from email.header import decode_header
+from email.message import Message
 
 from datetime import datetime
+from typing import Any, Optional, List, Tuple, Union
 
 try:
     from mx.DateTime import DateTime
@@ -35,17 +37,20 @@ except ImportError:
 import logilab.common as lgc
 
 
-def decode_QP(string):
-    parts = []
-    for decoded, charset in decode_header(string):
+def decode_QP(string: str) -> str:
+    parts: List[str] = []
+    for maybe_decoded, charset in decode_header(string):
         if not charset :
             charset = 'iso-8859-15'
         # python 3 sometimes returns str and sometimes bytes.
         # the 'official' fix is to use the new 'policy' APIs
         # https://bugs.python.org/issue24797
         # let's just handle this bug ourselves for now
-        if isinstance(decoded, bytes):
-            decoded = decoded.decode(charset, 'replace')
+        if isinstance(maybe_decoded, bytes):
+            decoded = maybe_decoded.decode(charset, 'replace')
+        else:
+            decoded = maybe_decoded
+
         assert isinstance(decoded, str)
         parts.append(decoded)
 
@@ -53,6 +58,7 @@ def decode_QP(string):
         # decoding was non-RFC compliant wrt to whitespace handling
         # see http://bugs.python.org/issue1079
         return u' '.join(parts)
+
     return u''.join(parts)
 
 def message_from_file(fd):
@@ -61,7 +67,7 @@ def message_from_file(fd):
     except email.errors.MessageParseError:
         return ''
 
-def message_from_string(string):
+def message_from_string(string: str) -> Union['UMessage', str]:
     try:
         return UMessage(email.message_from_string(string))
     except email.errors.MessageParseError:
@@ -71,12 +77,12 @@ class UMessage:
     """Encapsulates an email.Message instance and returns only unicode objects.
     """
 
-    def __init__(self, message):
+    def __init__(self, message: Message) -> None:
         self.message = message
 
     # email.Message interface #################################################
 
-    def get(self, header, default=None):
+    def get(self, header: str, default: Optional[Any] = None) -> Optional[str]:
         value = self.message.get(header, default)
         if value:
             return decode_QP(value)
@@ -85,7 +91,7 @@ class UMessage:
     def __getitem__(self, header):
         return self.get(header)
 
-    def get_all(self, header, default=()):
+    def get_all(self, header: str, default: Tuple[()] = ()) -> List[str]:
         return [decode_QP(val) for val in self.message.get_all(header, default)
                 if val is not None]
 
@@ -99,23 +105,33 @@ class UMessage:
         for part in self.message.walk():
             yield UMessage(part)
 
-    def get_payload(self, index=None, decode=False):
+    def get_payload(self, index: Optional[Any] = None, decode: bool = False) -> Union[str, 'UMessage', List['UMessage']]:
         message = self.message
+
         if index is None:
-            payload = message.get_payload(index, decode)
+            # mypy: Argument 1 to "get_payload" of "Message" has incompatible type "None"; expected "int"
+            # email.message.Message.get_payload has type signature:
+            # Message.get_payload(self, i=None, decode=False)
+            # so None seems to be totally acceptable, I don't understand mypy here
+            payload = message.get_payload(index, decode)  # type: ignore
+
             if isinstance(payload, list):
                 return [UMessage(msg) for msg in payload]
+
             if message.get_content_maintype() != 'text':
                 return payload
+
             if isinstance(payload, str):
                 return payload
 
             charset = message.get_content_charset() or 'iso-8859-1'
             if search_function(charset) is None:
                 charset = 'iso-8859-1'
+
             return str(payload or b'', charset, "replace")
         else:
             payload = UMessage(message.get_payload(index, decode))
+
         return payload
 
     def get_content_maintype(self):
diff --git a/logilab/common/ureports/__init__.py b/logilab/common/ureports/__init__.py
index 8ce68a0..9c0f1df 100644
--- a/logilab/common/ureports/__init__.py
+++ b/logilab/common/ureports/__init__.py
@@ -26,6 +26,9 @@ import sys
 
 from logilab.common.compat import StringIO
 from logilab.common.textutils import linesep
+from logilab.common.tree import VNode
+from logilab.common.ureports.nodes import Table, List as NodeList
+from typing import Any, Optional, Union, List, Generator, Tuple, Callable, TextIO
 
 
 def get_nodes(node, klass):
@@ -76,7 +79,7 @@ def build_summary(layout, level=1):
 class BaseWriter(object):
     """base class for ureport writers"""
 
-    def format(self, layout, stream=None, encoding=None):
+    def format(self, layout: Any, stream: Optional[Union[StringIO, TextIO]] = None, encoding: Optional[Any] = None) -> None:
         """format and write the given layout into the stream object
 
         unicode policy: unicode strings may be found in the layout;
@@ -88,87 +91,121 @@ class BaseWriter(object):
         if not encoding:
             encoding = getattr(stream, 'encoding', 'UTF-8')
         self.encoding = encoding or 'UTF-8'
-        self.__compute_funcs = []
+        self.__compute_funcs: List[Tuple[Callable[[str], Any], Callable[[str], Any]]] = []
         self.out = stream
         self.begin_format(layout)
         layout.accept(self)
         self.end_format(layout)
 
-    def format_children(self, layout):
+    def format_children(self, layout: Union['Paragraph', 'Section', 'Title']) -> None:
         """recurse on the layout children and call their accept method
         (see the Visitor pattern)
         """
         for child in getattr(layout, 'children', ()):
             child.accept(self)
 
-    def writeln(self, string=u''):
+    def writeln(self, string: str = u'') -> None:
         """write a line in the output buffer"""
         self.write(string + linesep)
 
-    def write(self, string):
+    def write(self, string: str) -> None:
         """write a string in the output buffer"""
         try:
             self.out.write(string)
         except UnicodeEncodeError:
-            self.out.write(string.encode(self.encoding))
+            # mypy: Argument 1 to "write" of "IO" has incompatible type "bytes"; expected "str"
+            # probably a python3 port issue?
+            self.out.write(string.encode(self.encoding))  # type: ignore
 
-    def begin_format(self, layout):
+    def begin_format(self, layout: Any) -> None:
         """begin to format a layout"""
         self.section = 0
 
-    def end_format(self, layout):
+    def end_format(self, layout: Any) -> None:
         """finished to format a layout"""
 
-    def get_table_content(self, table):
+    def get_table_content(self, table: Table) -> List[List[str]]:
         """trick to get table content without actually writing it
 
         return an aligned list of lists containing table cells values as string
         """
-        result = [[]]
-        cols = table.cols
+        result: List[List[str]] = [[]]
+        # mypy: "Table" has no attribute "cols"
+        # dynamic attribute
+        cols = table.cols  # type: ignore
+
         for cell in self.compute_content(table):
             if cols == 0:
                 result.append([])
-                cols = table.cols
+                # mypy: "Table" has no attribute "cols"
+                # dynamic attribute
+                cols = table.cols  # type: ignore
+
             cols -= 1
             result[-1].append(cell)
+
         # fill missing cells
         while len(result[-1]) < cols:
             result[-1].append(u'')
+
         return result
 
-    def compute_content(self, layout):
+    def compute_content(self, layout: VNode) -> Generator[str, Any, None]:
         """trick to compute the formatting of children layout before actually
         writing it
 
         return an iterator on strings (one for each child element)
         """
         # use cells !
-        def write(data):
+        def write(data: str) -> None:
             try:
                 stream.write(data)
             except UnicodeEncodeError:
-                stream.write(data.encode(self.encoding))
-        def writeln(data=u''):
+                # mypy: Argument 1 to "write" of "TextIOWrapper" has incompatible type "bytes";
+                # mypy: expected "str"
+                # error from porting to python3?
+                stream.write(data.encode(self.encoding))  # type: ignore
+
+        def writeln(data: str = u'') -> None:
             try:
                 stream.write(data+linesep)
             except UnicodeEncodeError:
-                stream.write(data.encode(self.encoding)+linesep)
-        self.write = write
-        self.writeln = writeln
+                # mypy: Unsupported operand types for + ("bytes" and "str")
+                # error from porting to python3?
+                stream.write(data.encode(self.encoding)+linesep)  # type: ignore
+
+        # mypy: Cannot assign to a method
+        # this really looks like black dirty magic since self.write is reused elsewhere in the code
+        # especially since self.write and self.writeln are conditionally
+        # deleted at the end of this function
+        self.write = write  # type: ignore
+        self.writeln = writeln  # type: ignore
+
         self.__compute_funcs.append((write, writeln))
-        for child in layout.children:
+
+        # mypy: Item "Table" of "Union[List[Any], Table, Title]" has no attribute "children"
+        # dynamic attribute?
+        for child in layout.children:  # type: ignore
             stream = StringIO()
+
             child.accept(self)
+
             yield stream.getvalue()
+
         self.__compute_funcs.pop()
+
         try:
-            self.write, self.writeln = self.__compute_funcs[-1]
+            # mypy: Cannot assign to a method
+            # even more black dirty magic
+            self.write, self.writeln = self.__compute_funcs[-1]  # type: ignore
         except IndexError:
             del self.write
             del self.writeln
 
-
-from logilab.common.ureports.nodes import *
+# mypy error: Incompatible import of "Table" (imported name has type
+# mypy error: "Type[logilab.common.ureports.nodes.Table]", local name has type
+# mypy error: "Type[logilab.common.table.Table]")
+# this will be cleaned when the "*" will be removed
+from logilab.common.ureports.nodes import *  # type: ignore
 from logilab.common.ureports.text_writer import TextWriter
 from logilab.common.ureports.html_writer import HTMLWriter
diff --git a/logilab/common/ureports/html_writer.py b/logilab/common/ureports/html_writer.py
index 989662f..0783075 100644
--- a/logilab/common/ureports/html_writer.py
+++ b/logilab/common/ureports/html_writer.py
@@ -20,16 +20,19 @@ __docformat__ = "restructuredtext en"
 
 
 from logilab.common.ureports import BaseWriter
+from logilab.common.ureports.nodes import (Section, Title, Table, List,
+                                           Paragraph, Link, VerbatimText, Text)
+from typing import Any
 
 
 class HTMLWriter(BaseWriter):
     """format layouts as HTML"""
 
-    def __init__(self, snippet=None):
+    def __init__(self, snippet: int = None) -> None:
         super(HTMLWriter, self).__init__()
         self.snippet = snippet
 
-    def handle_attrs(self, layout):
+    def handle_attrs(self, layout: Any) -> str:
         """get an attribute string from layout member attributes"""
         attrs = u''
         klass = getattr(layout, 'klass', None)
@@ -40,20 +43,20 @@ class HTMLWriter(BaseWriter):
             attrs += u' id="%s"' % nid
         return attrs
 
-    def begin_format(self, layout):
+    def begin_format(self, layout: Any) -> None:
         """begin to format a layout"""
         super(HTMLWriter, self).begin_format(layout)
         if self.snippet is None:
             self.writeln(u'<html>')
             self.writeln(u'<body>')
 
-    def end_format(self, layout):
+    def end_format(self, layout: Any) -> None:
         """finished to format a layout"""
         if self.snippet is None:
             self.writeln(u'</body>')
             self.writeln(u'</html>')
 
-    def visit_section(self, layout):
+    def visit_section(self, layout: Section) -> None:
         """display a section as html, using div + h[section level]"""
         self.section += 1
         self.writeln(u'<div%s>' % self.handle_attrs(layout))
@@ -61,13 +64,13 @@ class HTMLWriter(BaseWriter):
         self.writeln(u'</div>')
         self.section -= 1
 
-    def visit_title(self, layout):
+    def visit_title(self, layout: Title) -> None:
         """display a title using <hX>"""
         self.write(u'<h%s%s>' % (self.section, self.handle_attrs(layout)))
         self.format_children(layout)
         self.writeln(u'</h%s>' % self.section)
 
-    def visit_table(self, layout):
+    def visit_table(self, layout: Table) -> None:
         """display a table as html"""
         self.writeln(u'<table%s>' % self.handle_attrs(layout))
         table_content = self.get_table_content(layout)
@@ -91,14 +94,14 @@ class HTMLWriter(BaseWriter):
             self.writeln(u'</tr>')
         self.writeln(u'</table>')
 
-    def visit_list(self, layout):
+    def visit_list(self, layout: List) -> None:
         """display a list as html"""
         self.writeln(u'<ul%s>' % self.handle_attrs(layout))
         for row in list(self.compute_content(layout)):
             self.writeln(u'<li>%s</li>' % row)
         self.writeln(u'</ul>')
 
-    def visit_paragraph(self, layout):
+    def visit_paragraph(self, layout: Paragraph) -> None:
         """display links (using <p>)"""
         self.write(u'<p>')
         self.format_children(layout)
@@ -110,19 +113,19 @@ class HTMLWriter(BaseWriter):
         self.format_children(layout)
         self.write(u'</span>')
 
-    def visit_link(self, layout):
+    def visit_link(self, layout: Link) -> None:
         """display links (using <a>)"""
         self.write(u' <a href="%s"%s>%s</a>' % (layout.url,
                                                 self.handle_attrs(layout),
                                                 layout.label))
 
-    def visit_verbatimtext(self, layout):
+    def visit_verbatimtext(self, layout: VerbatimText) -> None:
         """display verbatim text (using <pre>)"""
         self.write(u'<pre>')
         self.write(layout.data.replace(u'&', u'&amp;').replace(u'<', u'&lt;'))
         self.write(u'</pre>')
 
-    def visit_text(self, layout):
+    def visit_text(self, layout: Text) -> None:
         """add some text"""
         data = layout.data
         if layout.escaped:
diff --git a/logilab/common/ureports/nodes.py b/logilab/common/ureports/nodes.py
index d1267f5..d086faf 100644
--- a/logilab/common/ureports/nodes.py
+++ b/logilab/common/ureports/nodes.py
@@ -22,6 +22,14 @@ A micro report is a tree of layout and content objects.
 __docformat__ = "restructuredtext en"
 
 from logilab.common.tree import VNode
+from typing import Optional
+# from logilab.common.ureports.nodes import List
+# from logilab.common.ureports.nodes import Paragraph
+# from logilab.common.ureports.nodes import Text
+from typing import Any
+from typing import List as TypingList
+from typing import Tuple
+from typing import Union
 
 
 class BaseComponent(VNode):
@@ -31,7 +39,7 @@ class BaseComponent(VNode):
     * id : the component's optional id
     * klass : the component's optional klass
     """
-    def __init__(self, id=None, klass=None):
+    def __init__(self, id: Optional[str] = None, klass: Optional[str] = None) -> None:
         VNode.__init__(self, id)
         self.klass = klass
 
@@ -43,27 +51,36 @@ class BaseLayout(BaseComponent):
     * BaseComponent attributes
     * children : components in this table (i.e. the table's cells)
     """
-    def __init__(self, children=(), **kwargs):
+    def __init__(self,
+                 children: Union[TypingList['Text'],
+                                 Tuple[Union['Paragraph', str],
+                                       Union[TypingList, str]], Tuple[str, ...]] = (),
+                 **kwargs: Any) -> None:
+
         super(BaseLayout, self).__init__(**kwargs)
+
         for child in children:
             if isinstance(child, BaseComponent):
                 self.append(child)
             else:
-                self.add_text(child)
+                # mypy: Argument 1 to "add_text" of "BaseLayout" has incompatible type
+                # mypy: "Union[str, List[Any]]"; expected "str"
+                # we check this situation in the if
+                self.add_text(child)  # type: ignore
 
-    def append(self, child):
+    def append(self, child: Any) -> None:
         """overridden to detect problems easily"""
         assert child not in self.parents()
         VNode.append(self, child)
 
-    def parents(self):
+    def parents(self) -> TypingList:
         """return the ancestor nodes"""
         assert self.parent is not self
         if self.parent is None:
             return []
         return [self.parent] + self.parent.parents()
 
-    def add_text(self, text):
+    def add_text(self, text: str) -> None:
         """shortcut to add text data"""
         self.children.append(Text(text))
 
@@ -77,7 +94,7 @@ class Text(BaseComponent):
     * BaseComponent attributes
     * data : the text value as an encoded or unicode string
     """
-    def __init__(self, data, escaped=True, **kwargs):
+    def __init__(self, data: str, escaped: bool = True, **kwargs: Any) -> None:
         super(Text, self).__init__(**kwargs)
         # if isinstance(data, unicode):
         #     data = data.encode('ascii')
@@ -103,7 +120,7 @@ class Link(BaseComponent):
     * url : the link's target (REQUIRED)
     * label : the link's label as a string (use the url by default)
     """
-    def __init__(self, url, label=None, **kwargs):
+    def __init__(self, url: str, label: str = None, **kwargs: Any) -> None:
         super(Link, self).__init__(**kwargs)
         assert url
         self.url = url
@@ -141,7 +158,7 @@ class Section(BaseLayout):
     a description may also be given to the constructor, it'll be added
     as a first paragraph
     """
-    def __init__(self, title=None, description=None, **kwargs):
+    def __init__(self, title: str = None, description: str = None, **kwargs: Any) -> None:
         super(Section, self).__init__(**kwargs)
         if description:
             self.insert(0, Paragraph([Text(description)]))
@@ -189,9 +206,9 @@ class Table(BaseLayout):
     * cheaders : the first col's elements are table's header
     * title : the table's optional title
     """
-    def __init__(self, cols, title=None,
-                 rheaders=0, cheaders=0, rrheaders=0, rcheaders=0,
-                 **kwargs):
+    def __init__(self, cols: int, title: Optional[Any] = None,
+                 rheaders: int = 0, cheaders: int = 0, rrheaders: int = 0, rcheaders: int = 0,
+                 **kwargs: Any) -> None:
         super(Table, self).__init__(**kwargs)
         assert isinstance(cols, int)
         self.cols = cols
diff --git a/logilab/common/ureports/text_writer.py b/logilab/common/ureports/text_writer.py
index ae92774..f75d7c9 100644
--- a/logilab/common/ureports/text_writer.py
+++ b/logilab/common/ureports/text_writer.py
@@ -18,11 +18,14 @@
 """Text formatting drivers for ureports"""
 
 from __future__ import print_function
+from typing import Any, List, Tuple
 
 __docformat__ = "restructuredtext en"
 
 from logilab.common.textutils import linesep
 from logilab.common.ureports import BaseWriter
+from logilab.common.ureports.nodes import (Section, Title, Table, List as NodeList,
+                                           Paragraph, Link, VerbatimText, Text)
 
 
 TITLE_UNDERLINES = [u'', u'=', u'-', u'`', u'.', u'~', u'^']
@@ -33,12 +36,12 @@ class TextWriter(BaseWriter):
     """format layouts as text
     (ReStructured inspiration but not totally handled yet)
     """
-    def begin_format(self, layout):
+    def begin_format(self, layout: Any) -> None:
         super(TextWriter, self).begin_format(layout)
         self.list_level = 0
-        self.pending_urls = []
+        self.pending_urls: List[Tuple[str, str]] = []
 
-    def visit_section(self, layout):
+    def visit_section(self, layout: Section) -> None:
         """display a section as text
         """
         self.section += 1
@@ -52,7 +55,7 @@ class TextWriter(BaseWriter):
         self.section -= 1
         self.writeln()
 
-    def visit_title(self, layout):
+    def visit_title(self, layout: Title) -> None:
         title = u''.join(list(self.compute_content(layout)))
         self.writeln(title)
         try:
@@ -60,7 +63,7 @@ class TextWriter(BaseWriter):
         except IndexError:
             print("FIXME TITLE TOO DEEP. TURNING TITLE INTO TEXT")
 
-    def visit_paragraph(self, layout):
+    def visit_paragraph(self, layout: 'Paragraph') -> None:
         """enter a paragraph"""
         self.format_children(layout)
         self.writeln()
@@ -69,7 +72,7 @@ class TextWriter(BaseWriter):
         """enter a span"""
         self.format_children(layout)
 
-    def visit_table(self, layout):
+    def visit_table(self, layout: Table) -> None:
         """display a table as text"""
         table_content = self.get_table_content(layout)
         # get columns width
@@ -84,36 +87,40 @@ class TextWriter(BaseWriter):
             self.default_table(layout, table_content, cols_width)
         self.writeln()
 
-    def default_table(self, layout, table_content, cols_width):
+    def default_table(self, layout: Table, table_content: List[List[str]], cols_width: List[int]) -> None:
         """format a table"""
         cols_width = [size+1 for size in cols_width]
+
         format_strings = u' '.join([u'%%-%ss'] * len(cols_width))
         format_strings = format_strings % tuple(cols_width)
-        format_strings = format_strings.split(' ')
+
+        format_strings_list = format_strings.split(' ')
+
         table_linesep = (
             u'\n+' + u'+'.join([u'-'*w for w in cols_width]) + u'+\n')
         headsep = u'\n+' + u'+'.join([u'='*w for w in cols_width]) + u'+\n'
+
         # FIXME: layout.cheaders
         self.write(table_linesep)
         for i in range(len(table_content)):
             self.write(u'|')
             line = table_content[i]
             for j in range(len(line)):
-                self.write(format_strings[j] % line[j])
+                self.write(format_strings_list[j] % line[j])
                 self.write(u'|')
             if i == 0 and layout.rheaders:
                 self.write(headsep)
             else:
                 self.write(table_linesep)
 
-    def field_table(self, layout, table_content, cols_width):
+    def field_table(self, layout: Table, table_content: List[List[str]], cols_width: List[int]) -> None:
         """special case for field table"""
         assert layout.cols == 2
         format_string = u'%s%%-%ss: %%s' % (linesep, cols_width[0])
         for field, value in table_content:
             self.write(format_string % (field, value))
 
-    def visit_list(self, layout):
+    def visit_list(self, layout: NodeList) -> None:
         """display a list layout as text"""
         bullet = BULLETS[self.list_level % len(BULLETS)]
         indent = '  ' * self.list_level
@@ -123,7 +130,7 @@ class TextWriter(BaseWriter):
             child.accept(self)
         self.list_level -= 1
 
-    def visit_link(self, layout):
+    def visit_link(self, layout: Link) -> None:
         """add a hyperlink"""
         if layout.label != layout.url:
             self.write(u'`%s`_' % layout.label)
@@ -131,7 +138,7 @@ class TextWriter(BaseWriter):
         else:
             self.write(layout.url)
 
-    def visit_verbatimtext(self, layout):
+    def visit_verbatimtext(self, layout: VerbatimText) -> None:
         """display a verbatim layout as text (so difficult ;)
         """
         self.writeln(u'::\n')
@@ -139,6 +146,6 @@ class TextWriter(BaseWriter):
             self.writeln(u'    ' + line)
         self.writeln()
 
-    def visit_text(self, layout):
+    def visit_text(self, layout: Text) -> None:
         """add some text"""
         self.write(u'%s' % layout.data)
diff --git a/logilab/common/visitor.py b/logilab/common/visitor.py
index ed2b70f..0698bae 100644
--- a/logilab/common/visitor.py
+++ b/logilab/common/visitor.py
@@ -21,21 +21,24 @@
 
 
 """
+from typing import Any, Callable, Optional, Union
+from logilab.common.types import Node, HTMLWriter, TextWriter
 __docformat__ = "restructuredtext en"
 
-def no_filter(_):
+
+def no_filter(_: Node) -> int:
     return 1
 
 # Iterators ###################################################################
 class FilteredIterator(object):
 
-    def __init__(self, node, list_func, filter_func=None):
+    def __init__(self, node: Node, list_func: Callable, filter_func: Optional[Any] = None) -> None:
         self._next = [(node, 0)]
         if filter_func is None:
             filter_func = no_filter
         self._list = list_func(node, filter_func)
 
-    def __next__(self):
+    def __next__(self) -> Optional[Node]:
         try:
             return self._list.pop(0)
         except :
@@ -89,18 +92,20 @@ class VisitedMixIn(object):
     """
     Visited interface allow node visitors to use the node
     """
-    def get_visit_name(self):
+    def get_visit_name(self) -> str:
         """
         return the visit name for the mixed class. When calling 'accept', the
         method <'visit_' + name returned by this method> will be called on the
         visitor
         """
         try:
-            return self.TYPE.replace('-', '_')
+            # mypy: "VisitedMixIn" has no attribute "TYPE"
+            # dynamic attribute
+            return self.TYPE.replace('-', '_')  # type: ignore
         except:
             return self.__class__.__name__.lower()
 
-    def accept(self, visitor, *args, **kwargs):
+    def accept(self, visitor: Union[HTMLWriter, TextWriter], *args: Any, **kwargs: Any) -> Optional[Any]:
         func = getattr(visitor, 'visit_%s' % self.get_visit_name())
         return func(self, *args, **kwargs)
 
diff --git a/logilab/common/xmlutils.py b/logilab/common/xmlutils.py
index d383b9d..7b12c45 100644
--- a/logilab/common/xmlutils.py
+++ b/logilab/common/xmlutils.py
@@ -29,11 +29,12 @@ instruction and return a Python dictionary.
 __docformat__ = "restructuredtext en"
 
 import re
+from typing import Dict, Optional, Union
 
 RE_DOUBLE_QUOTE = re.compile('([\w\-\.]+)="([^"]+)"')
 RE_SIMPLE_QUOTE = re.compile("([\w\-\.]+)='([^']+)'")
 
-def parse_pi_data(pi_data):
+def parse_pi_data(pi_data: str) -> Dict[str, Optional[str]]:
     """
     Utility function that parses the data contained in an XML
     processing instruction and returns a dictionary of keywords and their
@@ -51,10 +52,13 @@ def parse_pi_data(pi_data):
     """
     results = {}
     for elt in pi_data.split():
-        if RE_DOUBLE_QUOTE.match(elt):
-            kwd, val = RE_DOUBLE_QUOTE.match(elt).groups()
-        elif RE_SIMPLE_QUOTE.match(elt):
-            kwd, val = RE_SIMPLE_QUOTE.match(elt).groups()
+        val: Optional[str]
+        double_match = RE_DOUBLE_QUOTE.match(elt)
+        simple_match = RE_SIMPLE_QUOTE.match(elt)
+        if double_match:
+            kwd, val = double_match.groups()
+        elif simple_match:
+            kwd, val = simple_match.groups()
         else:
             kwd, val = elt, None
         results[kwd] = val
diff --git a/tox.ini b/tox.ini
index 341b3ae..fb24e02 100644
--- a/tox.ini
+++ b/tox.ini
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 [tox]
-envlist=py3
+envlist=py3,mypy
 
 [testenv]
 deps =
@@ -14,3 +14,8 @@ deps =
   -r docs/requirements-doc.txt
 commands=
   {envpython} -m sphinx -b html {toxinidir}/docs {toxinidir}/docs/_build/html {posargs}
+
+[testenv:mypy]
+deps =
+  mypy >= 0.761
+commands = mypy --ignore-missing-imports logilab