Re: What happened to (defun x)?

[martin rudalics]

> I might have missed the discussion: pre-22 we had considered having
> (defun nxml-define-char-name-set)
> be a byte-compiler silencer in the same manner as
> (defvar preview-version)
> is a byte-compiler silencer.  The obvious advantage over
> "declare-function" is that one does not need to remember another idiom
> and name.
>
> Is there a particular advantage for a separate declare-function that I
> just am not able to see?

It's a question of strong vs weak type-checking.  The advantage of
strong type-checking is to catch errors sooner - in the special case
because a particular file fails to define a declared function.  Its
disadvantage is that you can no more move a defun to another file
without finding and changing all files that have a declaration for it.