Add use-list-literal and use-dict-literal

This adds two checks for when empty lists and dicts are created
using a function call instead of their literals.
This closes pylint-dev#4365

ChangeLog

@@ -37,6 +37,13 @@ Release date: TBA
 
   Closes #3878
 
+* Added ``use-list-literal``: Emitted when ``list()`` is called with no arguments instead of using ``[]``
+
+  Closes #4365
+
+* Added ``use-dict-literal``: Emitted when ``dict()`` is called with no arguments instead of using ``{}``
+
+  Closes #4365
 
 
 What's New in Pylint 2.9.6?

doc/whatsnew/2.10.rst

@@ -16,6 +16,14 @@ New checkers
 
   Closes #3826
 
+* Added ``use-list-literal``: Emitted when ``list()`` is called with no arguments instead of using ``[]``
+
+  Closes #4365
+
+* Added ``use-dict-literal``: Emitted when ``dict()`` is called with no arguments instead of using ``{}``
+
+  Closes #4365
+
 
 Other Changes
 =============

pylint/checkers/refactoring/refactoring_checker.py

@@ -413,6 +413,18 @@ class RefactoringChecker(checkers.BaseTokenChecker):
             "value by index lookup. "
             "The value can be accessed directly instead.",
         ),
+        "R1734": (
+            "Consider using [] instead of list()",
+            "use-list-literal",
+            "Emitted when using list() to create an empty list instead of the literal []. "
+            "The literal is faster as it avoids an additional function call.",
+        ),
+        "R1735": (
+            "Consider using {} instead of dict()",
+            "use-dict-literal",
+            "Emitted when using dict() to create an empty dictionary instead of the literal {}. "
+            "The literal is faster as it avoids an additional function call.",
+        ),
     }
     options = (
         (
@@ -964,6 +976,8 @@ def _check_consider_using_generator(self, node):
         "super-with-arguments",
         "consider-using-generator",
         "consider-using-with",
+        "use-list-literal",
+        "use-dict-literal",
     )
     def visit_call(self, node):
         self._check_raising_stopiteration_in_generator_next_call(node)
@@ -972,6 +986,7 @@ def visit_call(self, node):
         self._check_super_with_arguments(node)
         self._check_consider_using_generator(node)
         self._check_consider_using_with(node)
+        self._check_use_list_or_dict_literal(node)
 
     @staticmethod
     def _has_exit_in_scope(scope):
@@ -1454,6 +1469,20 @@ def _check_consider_using_with(self, node: astroid.Call):
         if could_be_used_in_with and not _will_be_released_automatically(node):
             self.add_message("consider-using-with", node=node)
 
+    def _check_use_list_or_dict_literal(self, node: astroid.Call) -> None:
+        """Check if empty list or dict is created by using the literal [] or {}"""
+        try:
+            for inferred in node.func.infer():
+                if inferred is astroid.Uninferable:
+                    continue
+                if isinstance(inferred, astroid.ClassDef) and node.args == []:
+                    if inferred.name == "list":
+                        self.add_message("use-list-literal", node=node)
+                    if inferred.name == "dict":
+                        self.add_message("use-dict-literal", node=node)
+        except astroid.InferenceError:
+            pass
+
     def _check_consider_using_join(self, aug_assign):
         """
         We start with the augmented assignment and work our way upwards.

tests/functional/u/use/use_dict_literal.py

@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+# pylint: disable=missing-docstring, invalid-name
+
+x = dict()  # [use-dict-literal]
+x = dict(zip(["a", "b", "c"], [1, 2, 3]))
+x = {}
+x = {"a": 1, "b": 2, "c": 3}

tests/functional/u/use/use_dict_literal.txt

@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+use-dict-literal:3:4::"Consider using {} instead of dict()"

tests/functional/u/use/use_list_literal.py

@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+# pylint: disable=missing-docstring, invalid-name
+
+x = list()  # [use-list-literal]
+x = list("string")
+x = list(range(3))
+x = []
+x = ["string"]
+x = [1, 2, 3]
+x = [range(3)]

tests/functional/u/use/use_list_literal.txt

@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+use-list-literal:3:4::"Consider using [] instead of list()"