An Empty Statement Is Refused

Status: refused by design

;; is not FunctionalScript. const a = 1;; is valid JavaScript, and fjs compile refuses it by design: the demo below shows what it prints.

JavaScript reads a stray ; as an empty statement that does nothing. FunctionalScript has one terminator per statement, so ;; is an error rather than a statement, and a stray ; cannot hide a statement that was meant to be there (module structure).

The row st.empty of refused constructs registers the refusal, and module structure gives its reason.

Examples

const a = 1;;
export default a;

The demo on this page compiles sample.mjs, the module above, with this build's fjs compile, and shows the line it prints and the token it refuses. Below that it shows what JavaScript answers for the same module: 1.

What to Write Instead

Remove the extra ;, as alternative.f.js does:

const a = 1;
export default a;

It answers 1.

A Better Message

Today fjs compile prints unexpected token at the refused token. The demo proposes what it should print instead: the reason at the same token, what JavaScript does there, and the allowed spelling, the line alternative.f.js writes, as help. The page compiles the alternative too, so the suggestion is one the compiler accepts.

Reference

Demo

Not allowed in FunctionalScript

This is valid JavaScript, and fjs compile refuses it, by design: it is not a FunctionalScript module.

What fjs compile sample.mjs output.js prints:

sample.mjs:1:13 - error: unexpected token
1 | const a = 1;;
  |             ^

What it should print instead, pointing to what FunctionalScript allows (proposed):

sample.mjs:1:13 - error: an empty statement is not FunctionalScript: a statement ends with one `;`
1 | const a = 1;;
  |             ^ JavaScript reads an empty statement here
  = help: remove the extra `;`:
          const a = 1;
  = note: refused by design, see spec/modules/empty-statements/README.md

JavaScript source, sample.mjs:

const a = 1;;
export default a;

What JavaScript answers for the same module, its default export:

1

What to write instead

The FunctionalScript spelling, alternative.f.js:

/**
 * The FunctionalScript spelling of [`sample.mjs`](./sample.mjs): the statement with its one terminator
 * ([`README.md`](./README.md)).
 *
 * @module
 */

const a = 1;
export default a;

What fjs compile alternative.f.js output.js writes:

export default 1;

What it answers, its default export:

1

Emergent Testing

Idle. Press Run to start the suite.

  • ./proof.f.mjs