Softens unused import diagnostic to "may be unused" instead of "is un…

pyrefly/lib/lsp/non_wasm/server.rs

@@ -5370,7 +5370,7 @@ impl Server {
                     range: lsp_range,
                     severity: Some(DiagnosticSeverity::HINT),
                     source: Some("Pyrefly".to_owned()),
-                    message: format!("Import `{}` is unused", unused.name.as_str()).into(),
+                    message: format!("Import `{}` may be unused", unused.name.as_str()).into(),
                     code: Some(NumberOrString::String("unused-import".to_owned())),
                     code_description: None,
                     related_information: None,

pyrefly/lib/test/lsp/diagnostic.rs

@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ fn get_unused_import_diagnostics(state: &State, handle: &Handle) -> String {
             if i > 0 {
                 report.push_str(", ");
             }
-            report.push_str(&format!("Import `{}` is unused", unused.name.as_str()));
+            report.push_str(&format!("Import `{}` may be unused", unused.name.as_str()));
         }
         report
     } else {
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ def foo() -> str:
     let (handles, state) = mk_multi_file_state(&[("main", code)], Require::Exports, true);
     let handle = handles.get("main").unwrap();
     let report = get_unused_import_diagnostics(&state, handle);
-    assert_eq!(report, "Import `os` is unused");
+    assert_eq!(report, "Import `os` may be unused");
 }
 
 #[test]
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ def foo() -> str:
     let (handles, state) = mk_multi_file_state(&[("main", code)], Require::Exports, true);
     let handle = handles.get("main").unwrap();
     let report = get_unused_import_diagnostics(&state, handle);
-    assert_eq!(report, "Import `os` is unused");
+    assert_eq!(report, "Import `os` may be unused");
 }
 
 #[test]
@@ -132,7 +132,7 @@ def process(items: List[str]):
     let (handles, state) = mk_multi_file_state(&[("main", code)], Require::Exports, true);
     let handle = handles.get("main").unwrap();
     let report = get_unused_import_diagnostics(&state, handle);
-    assert_eq!(report, "Import `Dict` is unused");
+    assert_eq!(report, "Import `Dict` may be unused");
 }
 
 #[test]
@@ -384,7 +384,7 @@ import os as operating_system
     let (handles, state) = mk_multi_file_state(&[("main", code)], Require::Exports, true);
     let handle = handles.get("main").unwrap();
     let report = get_unused_import_diagnostics(&state, handle);
-    assert_eq!(report, "Import `operating_system` is unused");
+    assert_eq!(report, "Import `operating_system` may be unused");
 }
 
 #[test]
@@ -396,5 +396,5 @@ from math import tau as my_tau
     let (handles, state) = mk_multi_file_state(&[("main", code)], Require::Exports, true);
     let handle = handles.get("main").unwrap();
     let report = get_unused_import_diagnostics(&state, handle);
-    assert_eq!(report, "Import `my_tau` is unused");
+    assert_eq!(report, "Import `my_tau` may be unused");
 }

pyrefly/lib/test/lsp/lsp_interaction/diagnostic.rs

@@ -879,7 +879,7 @@ fn test_unused_import_diagnostic() {
             "items": [
                 {
                     "code": "unused-import",
-                    "message": "Import `os` is unused",
+                    "message": "Import `os` may be unused",
                     "range": {
                         "start": {"line": 6, "character": 7},
                         "end": {"line": 6, "character": 9}
@@ -928,7 +928,7 @@ fn test_unused_from_import_diagnostic() {
             "items": [
                 {
                     "code": "unused-import",
-                    "message": "Import `Dict` is unused",
+                    "message": "Import `Dict` may be unused",
                     "range": {
                         "start": {"line": 6, "character": 19},
                         "end": {"line": 6, "character": 23}
@@ -1613,7 +1613,7 @@ fn test_untyped_import_diagnostic_does_not_show_non_recommended_packages() {
             "items": [
                 {
                     "code": "unused-import",
-                    "message": "Import `boto3` is unused",
+                    "message": "Import `boto3` may be unused",
                     "range": {
                         "start": {"line": 5, "character": 7},
                         "end": {"line": 5, "character": 12}
@@ -1730,7 +1730,7 @@ fn test_untyped_import_diagnostic_shows_error_for_recommended_packages() {
                 },
                 {
                     "code": "unused-import",
-                    "message": "Import `django` is unused",
+                    "message": "Import `django` may be unused",
                     "range": {
                         "start": {"line": 5, "character": 7},
                         "end": {"line": 5, "character": 13}

website/docs/IDE-features.mdx

@@ -437,6 +437,9 @@ Type errors and warnings from Pyrefly’s checker appear in the diagnostics pane
   preload="metadata"
 />
 
+Pyrefly also greys out unused imports and unused local variables directly in the editor. These are IDE-only hints and do not appear in the CLI.
+Because Pyrefly does not model import side effects, an import used only for its side effects, for example a plugin that registers accessors or methods on an existing class, such as `pyjanitor` extending `pandas.DataFrame`, may be greyed even though it is required at runtime. Thus the hint is "may be unused" rather than "is unused."
+
 ---
 
 ### [Semantic tokens](https://microsoft.github.io/language-server-protocol/specifications/lsp/3.17/specification/#textDocument_semanticTokens)