Re: [Caml-list] Detecting missed checks for error indications in ML code

[Yawar Amin <yawar.amin@gmail.com>]

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On Sun, Jan 24, 2021 at 11:22 AM Markus Elfring <Markus.Elfring@web.de>
wrote:

> ...
> Are you used to programming concerns according to software weaknesses
> like “CWE-252: Unchecked Return Value”?
> https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/252.html


I would say this is a solved problem. Or at least, it can be if you program
in that way, using the result type to indicate errors. Even better, using
polymorphic variants to encode the different types of errors. But you are
already aware of this approach, since you linked to Vladimir Keleshev's
article on it.

Actually, this was a solved problem even before the result type was
introduced into OCaml, because we already had exceptions. And exceptions
were invented exactly for the purpose of ensuring that errors can never go
unnoticed. In other words, an exception ensures that either you handle it,
or the program crashes.

Of course, someone could just do a try...catch and ignore exceptions. But
at that point, no one can help them.

Regards,

Yawar

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