Hardening Mode for the Compiler

9 months ago

Joint proposal from AaronBallman, shafik, Endill, and cor3ntin to improve C and C++ program safety and security.
Current mechanisms for safety and security in Clang are scattered and poorly documented, making them hard to use.
Proposal to unify existing mechanisms into an easy-to-use hardened mode for users.
User expectations need to shift: breaking changes in compiler releases for safety are a feature, not a bug.
GCC's -fhardened mode is referenced as prior art, but Clang may differ in implementation.
Goals include enabling various flags (-f, -m, -D, -W) and macros automatically, requiring modern language standards, and passing linker flags.
Multiple approaches proposed: config file, new driver mode, orthogonal flags, or a single flag for hardening.
Community feedback sought on high-level direction before proceeding with detailed proposals.

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