Agree and document the meaning of ReferenceFlags::Read and Write

[overlookmotel]

This question came up previously in #3326, and has reared its head again in #5158.

++x currently gets flagged as Write only.

This doesn't make sense to me as it is equivalent to x += 1 which is Read | Write.

The tests indicate this is intentional, but the reason why is not documented anywhere.

@Dunqing's guess was "I believe this variable can be safely removed by the Minifier/Compressor."

But as I pointed out, ++x can have side effects if x is an object with a valueOf method:

let x = {
    valueOf() { console.log("side effect!"); }
};

++x; // Logs "side effect!"

So that suggests that ++x cannot be removed by minifier in all cases.

Whatever the rationale is, can we please hash it out and document it?

[magic-akari]

I have a simple idea.
To determine if an expression should be flagged as Read or Write, replace that expression with x.value:

const x =  {
    get value() {
        console.log('read');
    },
    set value(v) {
        console.log('write');
    }
}

For example, with const a = b = 1, we want to know the situation of b, so
const a = x.value = 1, and it finally prints 'write', so b gets flagged asWrite only.

[overlookmotel]

I like that - it's easy to understand.

So by that definition of "read" and "write", ++x is Read | Write because this logs "read" and "write":

let x =  {
    get value() { console.log('read'); },
    set value(v) { console.log('write'); },
};
++x.value;

But... I am still wondering what the purpose of the read and write flags is? What are they meant to be used for? That might affect what is the right mental model to have.

[Boshen]

https://tc39.es/ecma262/#sec-prefix-increment-operator-runtime-semantics-evaluation

This is the semantics of read and write.

[overlookmotel]

So do I understand right that the flags we currently have on ++x (Write only) are wrong? Should be Read | Write?

Either way, am reopening this issue as the "action" I was requesting is that we document it.

[Boshen]

@overlookmotel overlookmotel reopened this 1 hour ago

You may need to update the issue title and description.

[overlookmotel]

Have changed the issue title. To (hopefully) conclude this, have I understood correctly from spec above that x in ++x should be Read | Write?

[Boshen]

Have changed the issue title. To (hopefully) conclude this, have I understood correctly from spec above that x in ++x should be Read | Write?

yes

[overlookmotel]

Thank you. I'll add some docs, and open an issue to fix flags on ++x.