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Hyrum's Law in Golang

(abenezer.org)
115 points thunderbong | 1 comments | | HN request time: 0.375s | source
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hambes ◴[] No.42202204[source]
Solution to the specifically mentioned problem: Don't use string-based errors, use sentinel errors [1].

More generally: Don't produce code where consumers of your API are the least bit inclined to rely on non-technical strings. Instead use first-level language constructs like predefined error values, types or even constants that contain the non-technical string so that API consumers can compare the return value againnst the constant instead of hard-coding the contained string themselves.

Hyrum's Law is definitely a thing, but its effects can be mitigated.

[1]: https://thomas-guettler.de/go/wrapping-and-sentinel-errors

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1. ◴[] No.42202464[source]