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Date: Thu, 13 Feb 2025 15:16:59 +0100
To: Jakob Givoni <jakob@givoni.dk>
Cc: volker@tideways-gmbh.com, internals@lists.php.net
Subject: Re: [PHP-DEV] Re: RFC: Marking return values as important
 (#[\NoDiscard])
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From: tim@bastelstu.be (=?UTF-8?Q?Tim_D=C3=BCsterhus?=)

Hi

Am 2025-02-13 09:16, schrieb Jakob Givoni:
> Attributes were added as a structured replacement for docblock props 
> and I
> don't like it when they affect how a program actually runs (as long as
> you're not using reflection).

Excluding the `#[\Attribute]` attribute, PHP currently has 5 native 
attributes and they all affect how the program runs. The initial 
accepted Attribute RFC even lists several “behavior-affecting” 
attributes in the “Use Cases” section: 
https://wiki.php.net/rfc/attributes_v2#use_cases. It is probably fair to 
say that use-cases like `#[\NoDiscard]` do not go against the vision 
intended by the Attribute RFC.

You could think of it as the PHP engine using Reflection internally to 
do something differently.

> 3. Naming of the attribute: I think the most precise name (if I 
> understand
> the purpose correctly) is: #[ReturnValueMayContainCriticalInformation]

Yes. Or perhaps `#[\ReturnValueImportant]` as used by the RFC title to 
keep it a little more succinct.

> If we scale it back to mean "Look, this function may not behave the way
> you'd expect it to, - the return value may actually contain some
> information you might be interested in, so you better check it man", 
> then I
> think it could be a small but useful addition.

Let me refer to the “Recommended Usage” section of the RFC: 
https://wiki.php.net/rfc/marking_return_value_as_important#recommended_usage

My rule of thumb would be that if you have trouble writing a good custom 
explanation in the attribute, then it's likely not a good fit.

Best regards
Tim Düsterhus