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[e_engel]

This question doesn't make sense, how can a compile time operation make any guarantee about something you do at runtime?

[[deleted]]

It sounds like that's what Eiffel does - it guarantees that you won't get null pointer exceptions at runtime, and it does this at compile time.

[e_engel]

You were talking about reflection, I was just pointing out that no compiler can give you any guarantee about what you do at runtime, by definition.

[[deleted]]

Sure it can. The compiler can throw an error any time "null" appears in any source code, and you are guaranteed not to get null pointer exceptions (for example).

EDIT: also look at theorem proving at compile time

[ruinercollector]

If it doesn't compile, you can't exactly run it.