strict.lua

--[[--
 Checks uses of undeclared global variables.

 All global variables must be 'declared' through a regular
 assignment (even assigning `nil` will do) in a top-level
 chunk before being used anywhere or assigned to inside a function.

 To use this module, just require it near the start of your program.

 From Lua distribution (`etc/strict.lua`).

 @module std.strict
]]

local getinfo, error, rawset, rawget = debug.getinfo, error, rawset, rawget

local mt = getmetatable (_G)
if mt == nil then
  mt = {}
  setmetatable (_G, mt)
end


-- The set of globally declared variables.
mt.__declared = {}


--- What kind of variable declaration is this?
-- @treturn string "C", "Lua" or "main"
local function what ()
  local d = getinfo (3, "S")
  return d and d.what or "C"
end


--- Detect assignment to undeclared global.
-- @function __newindex
-- @tparam table t `_G`
-- @string n name of the variable being declared
-- @param v initial value of the variable
mt.__newindex = function (t, n, v)
  if not mt.__declared[n] then
    local w = what ()
    if w ~= "main" and w ~= "C" then
      error ("assignment to undeclared variable '" .. n .. "'", 2)
    end
    mt.__declared[n] = true
  end
  rawset (t, n, v)
end


--- Detect dereference of undeclared global.
-- @function __index
-- @tparam table t `_G`
-- @string n name of the variable being dereferenced
mt.__index = function (t, n)
  if not mt.__declared[n] and what () ~= "C" then
    error ("variable '" .. n .. "' is not declared", 2)
  end
  return rawget (t, n)
end