Flix: Gracefully Handling Print Debugging
2025-09-25
Flix's designers faced a dilemma: how to enable efficient compiler optimizations while allowing developers to easily use print debugging? Directly using `println` breaks the type and effect system, causing compilation errors. The article explores two solutions: the first uses `unchecked_cast` to bypass effect system checks but results in code being optimized away; the second introduces a `Debug` effect, permitting debugging prints without modifying function signatures, and disabling the `Debug` effect in production. The final solution balances compiler optimization and developer experience.
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effect system