Backend: Pipeline boolean and number include input types are not preserved downstream

Summary

When pipeline A includes pipeline B, which provides an input of either boolean or number type, and then pipeline B includes pipeline C with the same inputs, the type information is lost.

Steps to reproduce

See example project.

Example Project

.gitlab-ci.yml:

include:
  - local: '/B.yml'
    inputs:
      XXX: 1

B.yml:

spec:
  inputs:
    XXX:
      type: number
---

include:
  - local: '/C.yml'
    inputs:
      XXX: $[[ inputs.XXX ]]

C.yml:

spec:
  inputs:
    XXX:
      type: number
---

Test:
  image: ${CI_DEPENDENCY_PROXY_DIRECT_GROUP_IMAGE_PREFIX}/alpine
  stage: build
  rules:
    when: always
  script:
    - echo $[[ inputs.XXX ]]

What is the current bug behavior?

The GitLab fails to create the pipeline with the following message:

C.yml: XXX input: provided value is not a number

(or C.yml: XXX input: provided value is not a boolean)

What is the expected correct behavior?

The pipeline should be created normally.

Relevant logs and/or screenshots

Output of checks

Using gitlab.com with internally hosted runners.

Expand for gitlab runner version output

gitlab-runner-fb57775f5-tjlc8:/$ gitlab-runner --version
Version:      16.6.1
Git revision: f5da3c5a
Git branch:   16-6-stable
GO version:   go1.20.10
Built:        2023-11-24T21:11:36+0000
OS/Arch:      linux/amd64

Results of GitLab environment info

Expand for output related to GitLab environment info


(For installations with omnibus-gitlab package run and paste the output of: \\\`sudo gitlab-rake gitlab:env:info\\\`) (For installations from source run and paste the output of: \\\`sudo -u git -H bundle exec rake gitlab:env:info RAILS_ENV=production\\\`)

Results of GitLab application Check

Expand for output related to the GitLab application check


(For installations with omnibus-gitlab package run and paste the output of: \`sudo gitlab-rake gitlab:check SANITIZE=true\`) (For installations from source run and paste the output of: \`sudo -u git -H bundle exec rake gitlab:check RAILS_ENV=production SANITIZE=true\`) (we will only investigate if the tests are passing)