Re: [PATCH] git-compat-util.h: introduce CALLOC(x)

From: Jeff King <peff@peff.net>
Date: Dec 6, 2022, 01:47 UTC
Message-ID: <Y46fHhD3xionHgPE@coredump.intra.peff.net>
In-Reply-To: <221206.868rjle7za.gmgdl@evledraar.gmail.com>

On Tue, Dec 06, 2022 at 12:12:32AM +0100, Ævar Arnfjörð Bjarmason wrote:

> But if we *are* doing that then surely we should provide the full set of
> functions. I.e. ALLOC() and ALLOC_ARRAY(), CALLOC() and CALLOC_ARRAY(),
> and REALLOC() and REALLOC_ARRAY()?

FWIW, I would be happy to see all of those (minus REALLOC(), as there is not really any point in growing or shrinking something with a fixed size).

The biggest argument against them that I can see is that:

  struct foo *x = malloc(sizeof(*x));

is idiomatic C that newcomers to the project will easily understand, and:

  struct foo *x;
  ALLOC(x);

is not. But it feels like we already crossed that bridge with ALLOC_ARRAY(), etc.

-Peff