ReferenceError thrown on assigning to undeclared global in script file (as if in strict mode/module)

[harig]

After 8cd59bf qjs throws ReferenceError for an undeclared global assignment in a script file.

Consider a js file with this code
a=1;console.log(typeof a);
This used to output "number" earlier but now without --script argument before the file path, an error is thrown.
ReferenceError: a is not defined
It seems the file is considered to be a module and strict mode is enforced if --script is not specified.

Shouldn't this work as it did before (raising the error only if strict mode is specified) ?

[saghul]

Yes, that would be a side effect of #610

Honestly, I think thr current approach is better than before, as in, use modules by default unless we can detect otherwise.

@bnoordhuis I wonder if it would make sense to make the test "heavier" by checking twice, once as a script, once as a module and if both succeed, use module, otherwise pick the correct one. WDYT?

[bnoordhuis]

That won't work. a=1;console.log(typeof a); is not obviously a classic script or a module, it parses fine either way. It's only when you run it that the difference becomes visible, and even then, it'd still run okay as a module if globalThis.a exists.

Editorial: that's why I wrote in the commit log that the premise of auto-detection is wrong - no matter what choices you make, it's always going to be wrong some of the time.

[saghul]

Ah, right. Shall we close this then?

[bnoordhuis]

Yes. Working as intended / as well as possible.