On: Interesting Swift Features

[micampe]

Ok, let me replace my “can’t” with “is a lot less likely to”.

I checked: neither // nor /// can be used as operators (syntax error: they both just start a comment). All your other examples work, but I would say those mean the author is intentionally trying to trick me. Or he’s writing a clever DSL, but that line is very fine and treacherous.

[Someone → micampe]

Thanks for the checking. And I agree: that line is thin.

Some other food for thought:

  a = b-- // !z
  x = y--// ! z

The first does

  a = b - 1

and has a comment, the second calls suffix --// on y, then infix ! On the result and z.

A variation:

  x+ - 3
  x + -3

I think it is fair to say that Swift introduces a new variant of whitespace sensitivity.

Also, the docs do not seem to discuss line breaks inside statements. If they are legal, you can do:

  x+
  -3

vs

  x+{space}
  - 3

I think I would find it fun to stress test this language.