Add an option for displaying short Literal types

The new ``python_display_short_literal_types`` configuration option
for the ``py`` domain controls display of PEP 586 ``Literal`` types.
The 'short' format is inspired by PEP 604, using the bitwise OR operator
to distinguish the possible legal values for the argument.

CHANGES

@@ -53,6 +53,8 @@ Features added
   Patch by Jeremy Maitin-Shepard
 * #11281: Support for :confval:`imgmath_latex` ``= 'tectonic'`` or
   ``= 'xelatex'``.  Patch by Dimitar Dimitrov
+* #11109, #9643: Add :confval:`python_display_short_literal_types` option for
+  condensed rendering of ``Literal`` types.
 
 Bugs fixed
 ----------

doc/usage/configuration.rst

@@ -2936,6 +2936,36 @@ Options for the C++ domain
 Options for the Python domain
 -----------------------------
 
+.. confval:: python_display_short_literal_types
+
+   This value controls how :py:data:`~typing.Literal` types are displayed.
+   The setting is a boolean, default ``False``.
+
+   Examples
+   ~~~~~~~~
+
+   The examples below use the following :rst:dir:`py:function` directive:
+
+   .. code:: reStructuredText
+
+      .. py:function:: serve_food(item: Literal["egg", "spam", "lobster thermidor"]) -> None
+
+   When ``False``, :py:data:`~typing.Literal` types display as per standard
+   Python syntax, i.e.:
+
+      .. code:: python
+
+         serve_food(item: Literal["egg", "spam", "lobster thermidor"]) -> None
+
+   When ``True``, :py:data:`~typing.Literal` types display with a short,
+   :PEP:`604`-inspired syntax, i.e.:
+
+      .. code:: python
+
+         serve_food(item: "egg" | "spam" | "lobster thermidor") -> None
+
+   .. versionadded:: 6.2
+
 .. confval:: python_use_unqualified_type_names
 
    If true, suppress the module name of the python reference if it can be

sphinx/domains/python.py

@@ -130,6 +130,8 @@ def type_to_xref(target: str, env: BuildEnvironment | None = None,
 
 def _parse_annotation(annotation: str, env: BuildEnvironment | None) -> list[Node]:
     """Parse type annotation."""
+    short_literals = env.config.python_display_short_literal_types
+
     def unparse(node: ast.AST) -> list[Node]:
         if isinstance(node, ast.Attribute):
             return [nodes.Text(f"{unparse(node.value)[0]}.{node.attr}")]
@@ -182,6 +184,8 @@ def unparse(node: ast.AST) -> list[Node]:
         if isinstance(node, ast.Subscript):
             if getattr(node.value, 'id', '') in {'Optional', 'Union'}:
                 return _unparse_pep_604_annotation(node)
+            if short_literals and getattr(node.value, 'id', '') == 'Literal':
+                return _unparse_pep_604_annotation(node)
             result = unparse(node.value)
             result.append(addnodes.desc_sig_punctuation('', '['))
             result.extend(unparse(node.slice))
@@ -1511,6 +1515,7 @@ def setup(app: Sphinx) -> dict[str, Any]:
 
     app.add_domain(PythonDomain)
     app.add_config_value('python_use_unqualified_type_names', False, 'env')
+    app.add_config_value('python_display_short_literal_types', False, 'env')
     app.connect('object-description-transform', filter_meta_fields)
     app.connect('missing-reference', builtin_resolver, priority=900)
 

tests/test_domain_py.py

@@ -1470,3 +1470,71 @@ def test_module_content_line_number(app):
     source, line = docutils.utils.get_source_line(xrefs[0])
     assert 'index.rst' in source
     assert line == 3
+
+
+@pytest.mark.sphinx(freshenv=True, confoverrides={'python_display_short_literal_types': True})
+def test_short_literal_types(app):
+    text = """\
+.. py:function:: literal_ints(x: Literal[1, 2, 3] = 1) -> None
+.. py:function:: literal_union(x: Union[Literal["a"], Literal["b"], Literal["c"]]) -> None
+"""
+    doctree = restructuredtext.parse(app, text)
+    _a= 1
+    assert_node(doctree, (
+        addnodes.index,
+        [desc, (
+            [desc_signature, (
+                [desc_name, 'literal_ints'],
+                [desc_parameterlist, (
+                    [desc_parameter, (
+                        [desc_sig_name, 'x'],
+                        [desc_sig_punctuation, ':'],
+                        desc_sig_space,
+                        [desc_sig_name, (
+                            [desc_sig_literal_number, '1'],
+                            desc_sig_space,
+                            [desc_sig_punctuation, '|'],
+                            desc_sig_space,
+                            [desc_sig_literal_number, '2'],
+                            desc_sig_space,
+                            [desc_sig_punctuation, '|'],
+                            desc_sig_space,
+                            [desc_sig_literal_number, '3'],
+                        )],
+                        desc_sig_space,
+                        [desc_sig_operator, '='],
+                        desc_sig_space,
+                        [nodes.inline, '1'],
+                    )],
+                )],
+                [desc_returns, pending_xref, 'None'],
+            )],
+            [desc_content, ()],
+        )],
+        addnodes.index,
+        [desc, (
+            [desc_signature, (
+                [desc_name, 'literal_union'],
+                [desc_parameterlist, (
+                    [desc_parameter, (
+                        [desc_sig_name, 'x'],
+                        [desc_sig_punctuation, ':'],
+                        desc_sig_space,
+                        [desc_sig_name, (
+                            [desc_sig_literal_string, "'a'"],
+                            desc_sig_space,
+                            [desc_sig_punctuation, '|'],
+                            desc_sig_space,
+                            [desc_sig_literal_string, "'b'"],
+                            desc_sig_space,
+                            [desc_sig_punctuation, '|'],
+                            desc_sig_space,
+                            [desc_sig_literal_string, "'c'"],
+                        )],
+                    )],
+                )],
+                [desc_returns, pending_xref, 'None'],
+            )],
+            [desc_content, ()],
+        )],
+    ))