Re: [PATCH v2 1/3] git-compat-util: introduce BUG_IF_NOT() macro

From: Taylor Blau <me@ttaylorr.com>
Date: Mar 17, 2025, 22:36 UTC
Message-ID: <Z9ij72MASlTLT6+8@nand.local>
In-Reply-To: <xmqqjz8n70dt.fsf@gitster.g>

On Mon, Mar 17, 2025 at 03:33:50PM -0700, Junio C Hamano wrote:

Show 20 quoted lines

> "Elijah Newren via GitGitGadget" <gitgitgadget@gmail.com> writes:
>
> > From: Elijah Newren <newren@gmail.com>
> >
> > Create a BUG_IF_NOT() macro which is similar to assert(), but will not be
> > compiled out when NDEBUG is defined, and is thus safe to use even if its
> > argument has side-effects.
>
> If this is meant to be "similar to" assert, let's not call it
> BUG_IF_NOT().  The point of BUG() is that the developer can mark the
> problem with something more than just a conditional, and it feels
> funny to call a facility that lacks that central feature with a name
> with BUG in it.
>
> ASSERT(), safer_assert(), safe_assert(), sane_assert()?
>
> The last one is in line with safe_istest() that is used on
> sane_ctype[] and sane_qsort(), with the intention to allow
> developers to write right code more easily than using the plain
> vanilla C.

For my $.02, I prefer ASSERT() to the other options. It's clear, but indicates that it's a macro and thus not the same as assert(3). But I don't have a strong opinion here.

Thanks, Taylor