Follow-up Analysis: The Cost of Algebraic Data Types for Error Handling
By
todsacerdoti
Front-window bakery material. Catches the eye, delivers the goods.
Summary
This article is a follow-up to a previous piece on strongly typed error codes, addressing the common argument that using algebraic data types for errors is essentially free because error information is only filled in when errors occur, which happens rarely on the 'cold path.' The article examines this claim about error handling efficiency in programming.
Key quotes
· 3 pulledError information is only filled in when an error occurs
And errors happen rarely, on the cold path
Therefore, filling in the diagnostic information is essentially free, a zero cost abstraction
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