• BehindTheBarrier@programming.dev
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    edit-2
    9 months ago

    I'm just a noob when it comes to low level languages, having only been in C# and python. But I took a course on C++ and encountered something that didn't seem right. And I asked and got the "that's undefined behavior". And that didn't quite sit tight with me. We don't know what will happen? It'll probably crash? Or worse? How can one not know how a programming language will perform? I felt it was wrong.

    Now, it's quite some time since that happened, and I understand why it's undefined. But I still do not think it should be allowed by default. C and C++ both are "free to do as you want" languages, but I don't think a language should let you do something that's undefined especially if you aren't aware you're doing it. Everyone makes mistakes, even stupid ones. If we can make a place where undefined behavior simply won't happen, why not go there? If you need some special tricks, you can always drop the guard where you need it. I guess I'm just reiterating the article here though. But that's the point for me, if something can enforce "defined behavior" by default then I'd want that.