parser,checker,ast: support @[must_use] tag for fns/methods, and an experimental -check-result option (#22983)

doc/docs.md

@@ -5896,6 +5896,18 @@ fn C.DefWindowProc(hwnd int, msg int, lparam int, wparam int)
 @[callconv: 'fastcall']
 type FastFn = fn (int) bool
 
+// Calls to the following function, will have to use its return value somehow.
+// Ignoring it, will emit warnings.
+@[must_use]
+fn f() int {
+	return 42
+}
+
+fn g() {
+	// just calling `f()` here, will produce a warning
+	println(f()) // this is fine, because the return value was used as an argument
+}
+
 // Windows only (and obsolete; instead of it, use `-subsystem windows` when compiling)
 // Without this attribute all graphical apps will have the following behavior on Windows:
 // If run from a console or terminal; keep the terminal open so all (e)println statements can be viewed.

vlib/v/ast/ast.v

@@ -583,6 +583,7 @@ pub:
 	is_exported           bool        // true for `@[export: 'exact_C_name']`
 	is_keep_alive         bool        // passed memory must not be freed (by GC) before function returns
 	is_unsafe             bool        // true, when @[unsafe] is used on a fn
+	is_must_use           bool        // true, when @[must_use] is used on a fn. Calls to such functions, that ignore the return value, will cause warnings.
 	is_markused           bool        // true, when an explicit `@[markused]` tag was put on a fn; `-skip-unused` will not remove that fn
 	is_file_translated    bool        // true, when the file it resides in is `@[translated]`
 	receiver              StructField // TODO: this is not a struct field
@@ -674,6 +675,7 @@ pub:
 	is_deprecated         bool // `@[deprecated] fn abc(){}`
 	is_noreturn           bool // `@[noreturn] fn abc(){}`
 	is_unsafe             bool // `@[unsafe] fn abc(){}`
+	is_must_use           bool // `@[must_use] fn abc(){}`
 	is_placeholder        bool
 	is_main               bool // `fn main(){}`
 	is_test               bool // `fn test_abc(){}`

vlib/v/checker/fn.v

@@ -769,7 +769,6 @@ fn (mut c Checker) call_expr(mut node ast.CallExpr) ast.Type {
 				node.or_block.pos)
 		}
 	}
-
 	return typ
 }
 
@@ -987,6 +986,11 @@ fn (mut c Checker) fn_call(mut node ast.CallExpr, mut continue_check &bool) ast.
 	mut func := ast.Fn{}
 	mut found := false
 	mut found_in_args := false
+	defer {
+		if found {
+			c.check_must_use_call_result(node, func, 'function')
+		}
+	}
 	// anon fn direct call
 	if node.left is ast.AnonFn {
 		// it was set to anon for checker errors, clear for gen
@@ -1332,6 +1336,7 @@ fn (mut c Checker) fn_call(mut node ast.CallExpr, mut continue_check &bool) ast.
 		c.error('unknown function: ${node.get_name()}', node.pos)
 		return ast.void_type
 	}
+
 	node.is_file_translated = func.is_file_translated
 	node.is_noreturn = func.is_noreturn
 	node.is_expand_simple_interpolation = func.is_expand_simple_interpolation
@@ -2238,6 +2243,11 @@ fn (mut c Checker) method_call(mut node ast.CallExpr, mut continue_check &bool)
 	mut method := ast.Fn{}
 	mut has_method := false
 	mut is_method_from_embed := false
+	defer {
+		if has_method && node.is_method {
+			c.check_must_use_call_result(node, method, 'method')
+		}
+	}
 	if m := c.table.find_method(left_sym, method_name) {
 		method = m
 		has_method = true
@@ -3953,3 +3963,20 @@ fn (mut c Checker) resolve_return_type(node ast.CallExpr) ast.Type {
 	}
 	return node.return_type
 }
+
+fn (mut c Checker) check_must_use_call_result(node &ast.CallExpr, f &ast.Fn, label string) {
+	if node.is_return_used {
+		return
+	}
+	if f.return_type == ast.void_type {
+		return
+	}
+	if f.is_must_use {
+		c.warn('return value must be used, ${label} `${f.name}` was tagged with `@[must_use]`',
+			node.pos)
+		return
+	}
+	if c.pref.is_check_return {
+		c.note('return value must be used', node.pos)
+	}
+}

vlib/v/checker/tests/must_use.out

@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+vlib/v/checker/tests/must_use.vv:22:2: warning: return value must be used, function `f` was tagged with `@[must_use]`
+   20 | 
+   21 | fn main() {
+   22 |     f()
+      |     ~~~
+   23 |     g()
+   24 |     h()
+vlib/v/checker/tests/must_use.vv:29:4: warning: return value must be used, method `m` was tagged with `@[must_use]`
+   27 |     println(h())
+   28 |     a := Abc(5)
+   29 |     a.m()
+      |       ~~~
+   30 |     println(a.m())
+   31 | }

vlib/v/checker/tests/must_use.vv

@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+type Abc = int
+
+@[must_use]
+fn (a Abc) m() int {
+	return 7
+}
+
+@[must_use]
+fn f() int {
+	return 42
+}
+
+fn g() int {
+	return 123
+}
+
+fn h() (int, int) {
+	return 123, 456
+}
+
+fn main() {
+	f()
+	g()
+	h()
+	println(f())
+	println(g())
+	println(h())
+	a := Abc(5)
+	a.m()
+	println(a.m())
+}

vlib/v/help/build/build.txt

@@ -54,8 +54,9 @@ NB: the build flags are shared with the run command too:
     Define the provided flag.
     If `value` is not provided, it is assumed to be set to `true`.
     `value` can be any pure literal like `32` (i64),`34.98` (f64), `false` (bool),
-    `v` (char) or `"V rocks"` (string). In V code you can use `value := $d('<flag>', <default value>)`
-    to retrieve the value assigned to `<flag>`.
+    `v` (char) or `"V rocks"` (string).
+    In V code you can use `value := $d('<flag>', <default value>)` to retrieve the
+    value assigned to `<flag>`.
     If no flag identifier (or value) is assigned, `$d()` will return the passed `<default value>`.
 
   -g
@@ -245,10 +246,16 @@ NB: the build flags are shared with the run command too:
     NB: in the future, this will be turned ON by default,
     and will become an error, after vlib modules are cleaned up.
 
+  -check-return
+    Note about all calls, that ignore the return value of
+    the corresponding fn/method.
+    NB: this is still experimental, the rules for it will
+    change, it may be dropped completely, or it may become the default.
+
 For C-specific build flags, use `v help build-c`.
 For JS-specific build flags, use `v help build-js`.
 For Native-specific build flags, use `v help build-native`.
 For WebAssembly-specific build flags, use `v help build-wasm`.
 
 See also:
-   `v help run` for documentation regarding `v run`.
+   `v help run` for documentation regarding `v run`.

vlib/v/parser/fn.v

@@ -194,6 +194,7 @@ fn (mut p Parser) fn_decl() ast.FnDecl {
 	mut is_keep_alive := false
 	mut is_exported := false
 	mut is_unsafe := false
+	mut is_must_use := false
 	mut is_trusted := false
 	mut is_noreturn := false
 	mut is_ctor_new := false
@@ -228,6 +229,9 @@ fn (mut p Parser) fn_decl() ast.FnDecl {
 			'unsafe' {
 				is_unsafe = true
 			}
+			'must_use' {
+				is_must_use = true
+			}
 			'trusted' {
 				is_trusted = true
 			}
@@ -544,6 +548,7 @@ run them via `v file.v` instead',
 			is_deprecated: is_deprecated
 			is_noreturn:   is_noreturn
 			is_unsafe:     is_unsafe
+			is_must_use:   is_must_use
 			is_main:       is_main
 			is_test:       is_test
 			is_keep_alive: is_keep_alive
@@ -597,6 +602,7 @@ run them via `v file.v` instead',
 			is_noreturn:           is_noreturn
 			is_ctor_new:           is_ctor_new
 			is_unsafe:             is_unsafe
+			is_must_use:           is_must_use
 			is_main:               is_main
 			is_test:               is_test
 			is_keep_alive:         is_keep_alive
@@ -676,6 +682,7 @@ run them via `v file.v` instead',
 		is_test:            is_test
 		is_keep_alive:      is_keep_alive
 		is_unsafe:          is_unsafe
+		is_must_use:        is_must_use
 		is_markused:        is_markused
 		is_file_translated: p.is_translated
 		//

vlib/v/pref/pref.v

@@ -126,6 +126,7 @@ pub mut:
 	is_callstack       bool     // turn on callstack registers on each call when v.debug is imported
 	is_trace           bool     // turn on possibility to trace fn call where v.debug is imported
 	is_coverage        bool     // turn on code coverage stats
+	is_check_return    bool     // -check-return, will make V produce notices about *all* call expressions with unused results. NOTE: experimental!
 	eval_argument      string   // `println(2+2)` on `v -e "println(2+2)"`. Note that this source code, will be evaluated in vsh mode, so 'v -e 'println(ls(".")!)' is valid.
 	test_runner        string   // can be 'simple' (fastest, but much less detailed), 'tap', 'normal'
 	profile_file       string   // the profile results will be stored inside profile_file
@@ -956,6 +957,9 @@ pub fn parse_args_and_show_errors(known_external_commands []string, args []strin
 			'-check-unused-fn-args' {
 				res.show_unused_params = true
 			}
+			'-check-return' {
+				res.is_check_return = true
+			}
 			'-use-coroutines' {
 				res.use_coroutines = true
 				$if macos || linux {