llvm / llvm/llvm-project

-Wunused-variable incorrectly triggering on self-init

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#202,326 2 comments 0 reactions 0 assignees View on GitHub
clang:diagnostics false-positive
Dominant language
LLVM
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Description

Consider the following example:

```c
struct [[gnu::warn_unused]] S {
};

void func() {
struct S s1 = s1;
}
```

Language | Clang | GCC
---| --- | ---
C | No diagnostic | No diagnostic
C++ | Diagnostic | No diagnostic

https://godbolt.org/z/nafGTonor

I believe Clang's diagnostic in C++ is a false positive; mentioning the variable in its own initialization should silence the diagnostic because the variable is being used.

Contributor guide

Open the contributing guide

Research direction

Start by reproducing the self-initialization example from the issue, using the linked Godbolt comparison to check Clang and GCC in both C and C++. Trace the -Wunused-variable diagnostic for the C++ case and identify the relevant compiler tests or diagnostic path. Done means the self-reference no longer produces a false positive while the warning remains correct for genuinely unused variables.

Written by the indexing model from the issue text.

Assessment

Tech stack
c, cpp
Domain
compilers
Issue type
Bug
Difficulty
4/5
Estimated time
3-5 days
Activity status
Quiet
Clarity
Mostly clear
Newbie friendliness
45/100

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