Assert in initializers experiment

[lrhn]

We are experimenting with allowing asserts in initializer lists.
See the design document.

For this experiment, we need (behind the flag --assert-initializer):

• the VM to implement the assertions (Committed: 99439a3)
• the analyzer to parse the assertions (but not necessarily analyze them yet). (The analyzer should parse asserts in initializer lists. #27142)
• the formatter to parse the assertions. (Formatter should handle asserts in initializer list. dart_style#522)

That should be sufficient for the people behind issue #24841 to test out the implementation and see if it covers their needs.

[a14n]

Could the design document be made public?

[lrhn]

My docs-fu is too weak, so I converted the design document it to a gist.

[a14n]

thanks

[bwilkerson]

The doc defines the assert statement as being assert(expression), but the analyzer accepts an optional second argument. Is the omission an oversight, or should asserts in constructor initializers not allow a message?

[lrhn]

We are going to add the second "argument" to assert, so keep it for now.

[dgrove]

@lrhn can you please provide an update?

[dgrove]

@lrhn can you provide an update?

[jmesserly]

FYI DDC issue #27809