devnote-dev / devnote-dev/cling
Semantics of `post_run` hooks
- Dominant language
- Crystal
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- 33
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Description
The current flow of a command's execution runs through the `pre_run` hook -> `run` main method -> `post_run` hook. However, if `pre_run` or `run` are interrupted or stopped, `post_run` is never called.
https://github.com/devnote-dev/cling/blob/0dcfb17786eeeb129e095d87d7ea0b1a96beb46b/src/cling/executor.cr#L61-L66
This means that `post_run` is effectively limited to `pre_run` and `run` working successfully. So in cases where cleanup needs to be performed before an application exits, your only option is to handle it in `pre_run`, `run` or the `on_error` hook method. That leaves 2 possible options for `post_run`: to call this method after `pre_run`/`run` but not directly require them to exit successfully, or to remove it entirely.
Despite my large advocacy for Cling and its structure, I have never used `post_run` for any existing CLI applications. It was mostly inspired from Cobra's [`PostRun` methods](https://github.com/spf13/cobra/blob/4fb0a66a3436bd34b03b858c729404e99cd3124f/command.go#L137-L143) which operates on a similar premise: `postRun` [is deferred](https://github.com/spf13/cobra/blob/4fb0a66a3436bd34b03b858c729404e99cd3124f/command.go#L931) and will always run regardless of the state of the `PreRun` and `Run` methods. Assuming none of the methods fail, [`PostRunE`/`PostRun` is called](https://github.com/spf13/cobra/blob/4fb0a66a3436bd34b03b858c729404e99cd3124f/command.go#L991-L997) just before execution ends.
Cling does not differentiate between erroneous and non-erroneous execution methods like Cobra does with "E" suffixed methods because exceptions can be raised at any point of the program making everything erroneous. That means `post_run` could effectively be changed to always be called as the final part of execution, with any exceptions from it or previous hook methods still being funneled to the `on_error` hook method.
While this sounds like a clear-cut solution, there are some undefined semantics as to what precedence `post_run` has in regards to exception handling (or rather, ignoring) which up until this point, has been preceded by the `on_error` hook method. Would this enforce a stricter exception handling structure? What affects would this impose on existing applications? And most importantly, is it worth it?
Contributor guide
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Research direction
Start at src/cling/executor.cr lines 61-66 and review the pre_run, run, post_run, and on_error flow. Compare the linked Cobra execution semantics, then resolve whether post_run is always called and how its exceptions interact with on_error. Done requires agreed semantics and a defined implementation scope.
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Assessment
- Tech stack
- crystal
- Domain
- cli
- Issue type
- Feature
- Difficulty
- 5/5
- Estimated time
- Over a week
- Activity status
- Stale
- Clarity
- Needs clarification
- Newbie friendliness
- 25/100