def unique_variable(name, variables, compat='broadcast_equals'):
    # type: (Any, List[Variable], str) -> Variable
    """Return the unique variable from a list of variables or raise MergeError.

    Parameters
    ----------
    name : hashable
        Name for this variable.
    variables : list of xarray.Variable
        List of Variable objects, all of which go by the same name in different
        inputs.
    compat : {'identical', 'equals', 'broadcast_equals', 'no_conflicts'}, optional
        Type of equality check to use.

    Returns
    -------
    Variable to use in the result.

    Raises
    ------
    MergeError: if any of the variables are not equal.
    """  # noqa
    out = variables[0]
    if len(variables) > 1:
        combine_method = None

        if compat == 'minimal':
            compat = 'broadcast_equals'

        if compat == 'broadcast_equals':
            dim_lengths = broadcast_dimension_size(variables)
            out = out.set_dims(dim_lengths)

        if compat == 'no_conflicts':
            combine_method = 'fillna'

        for var in variables[1:]:
            if not getattr(out, compat)(var):
                raise MergeError('conflicting values for variable %r on '
                                 'objects to be combined:\n'
                                 'first value: %r\nsecond value: %r'
                                 % (name, out, var))
            if combine_method:
                # TODO: add preservation of attrs into fillna
                out = getattr(out, combine_method)(var)
                out.attrs = var.attrs

    return out
Return the unique variable from a list of variables or raise MergeError.

    Parameters
    ----------
    name : hashable
        Name for this variable.
    variables : list of xarray.Variable
        List of Variable objects, all of which go by the same name in different
        inputs.
    compat : {'identical', 'equals', 'broadcast_equals', 'no_conflicts'}, optional
        Type of equality check to use.

    Returns
    -------
    Variable to use in the result.

    Raises
    ------
    MergeError: if any of the variables are not equal.