lua script error checking

Question

Is it possible to check if a lua script contains errors without executing it? I have fallowing code:

    if(luaL_loadbuffer(L, data, size, name))
    {
             


        

Answer 1

In general it is not possible, as Lua is a dynamic language, and most of errors happen in runtime.

If you want to check for syntax errors, use luac -p option. I use it as a part of my pre-commit hook, for example.

Other common errors are triggering by misusing the global variables. You may analyze output of luac -l to catch these cases. See here: http://lua-users.org/wiki/DetectingUndefinedVariables.

If you want something more advanced, there are several more-or-less functional static analysis tools for Lua code. Start with LuaInspect.

In any case, you are advised to write unit tests instead of just relying on static code checks. Less pain, more gain.