Fix false positive unused-private-member for accessing attributes in

a class using ``cls``

ChangeLog

@@ -63,6 +63,10 @@ Release date: TBA
 
   Closes #4907
 
+* Fix false positive ``unused-private-member`` for accessing attributes in a class using ``cls``
+
+  Closes #4849
+
 
 What's New in Pylint 2.10.3?
 ============================

doc/whatsnew/2.11.rst

@@ -69,3 +69,7 @@ Other Changes
 * Fix false positive ``superfluous-parens`` for tuples created with inner tuples
 
   Closes #4907
+
+* Fix false positive ``unused-private-member`` for accessing attributes in a class using ``cls``
+
+  Closes #4849

pylint/checkers/classes.py

@@ -1000,11 +1000,11 @@ def _check_unused_private_attributes(self, node: nodes.ClassDef) -> None:
                 if attribute.attrname != assign_attr.attrname:
                     continue
 
-                if assign_attr.expr.name == "cls" and attribute.expr.name in [
+                if assign_attr.expr.name in [
                     "cls",
-                    "self",
-                ]:
-                    # If assigned to cls.attrib, can be accessed by cls/self
+                    node.name,
+                ] and attribute.expr.name in ["cls", "self", node.name]:
+                    # If assigned to cls or class name, can be accessed by cls/self/class name
                     break
 
                 if (

tests/functional/u/unused/unused_private_member.py

@@ -242,6 +242,23 @@ def __init__(self):
             FalsePositive4681.__instance = False  # This should be fine
             FalsePositive4681.__should_cause_error = False  # [unused-private-member]
 
+# Accessing attributes of the class using `cls` should not result in a false positive
+# as long as it is used within the class
+class FalsePositive4681b:
+    __instance = None
+
+    @classmethod  # Use class method here
+    def instance(cls):
+        if cls.__instance is None:
+            cls()
+        return cls.__instance
+
+    def __init__(self):
+        try:
+            FalsePositive4681b.__instance = 42  # This should be fine
+        except Exception:  # pylint: disable=broad-except
+            print("Error")
+            FalsePositive4681b.__instance = False  # This should be fine
 
 class Pony:
     """https://github.com/PyCQA/pylint/issues/4837"""

tests/functional/u/unused/unused_private_member.txt

@@ -14,5 +14,5 @@ unused-private-member:212:8:Crash4755Context.__init__:Unused private member `Cra
 unused-private-member:229:4:FalsePositive4681:Unused private member `FalsePositive4681.__should_cause_error`:HIGH
 unused-private-member:239:12:FalsePositive4681.__init__:Unused private member `FalsePositive4681.__should_cause_error`:HIGH
 unused-private-member:243:12:FalsePositive4681.__init__:Unused private member `FalsePositive4681.__should_cause_error`:HIGH
-unused-private-member:254:4:Pony.__init_defaults:Unused private member `Pony.__init_defaults(self)`:HIGH
-unused-private-member:259:4:Pony.__get_fur_color:Unused private member `Pony.__get_fur_color(self)`:HIGH
+unused-private-member:271:4:Pony.__init_defaults:Unused private member `Pony.__init_defaults(self)`:HIGH
+unused-private-member:276:4:Pony.__get_fur_color:Unused private member `Pony.__get_fur_color(self)`:HIGH