A programmer's field guide to assertions

7 days ago

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Assertions in code verify conditions at specific points, interrupting normal flow if false.
Common responses to tripped assertions include exceptions, panics, or program termination.
Assertions can be conditional based on build configuration: Debug (development only) or Production (all builds).
Assertions complement other robust software techniques like testing and type invariants.
The post shares practical examples of assertion use, including monotonic map construction and database query scanning.
Effective assertion use requires confidence in the asserted conditions and avoiding assertions about external systems.
Organizational adoption of assertions involves addressing cultural and technical objections.
Common objections include performance overhead, code readability, and risk of production failures.
Assertions should be paired with coarse-grained recovery mechanisms in online systems.
The post concludes with encouragement to explore assertions in open-source projects for deeper understanding.

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