alt Hacker NewsDoesn't it make it more likely unused variables stay in the codebase? You want to experiment, the code doesn't compile, you add this (probably by automatic tool), the code now compiles. You're happy with your experiment. As the compiler doesn't complain you commit and junk stays in the code.
Isn't it just bad design that makes both experimenting harder and for unused variables to stay in the code in the final version?
It is indeed quite controversial aspect of Zig's design. I would rather prefer it be a warning. Argument "warnings are always ignored" just doesn't hold because anything can be ignored if there is a way to suppress it.