Re: Using Lua for config files

[Steve Litt <slitt@...>]

On Wed, 18 Dec 2013 19:43:47 -0500
Rena <hyperhacker@gmail.com> wrote:

> It's very tempting to write config files that are just Lua scripts
> that construct tables/strings and call some pre-defined functions.
> The only problem with this is that a faulty or malicious config file
> can do a lot more than a config file should be able to do.

I see other problems, the biggest of which is that, to me, Lua config
files represent a huge compromise of encapsulation. The purpose of a
config file is to enable customization of the program, but in most
cases it's not to make the program completely maleable to the user, nor
to introduce opportunities for weird, hard to find bugs.

I can see Lua as config in games, where you might want to introduce a
whole new behavior after the fact. But not in the average program,
where you're setting files, directories, names, and choices between
finite alternatives.

Thanks,

SteveT

Steve Litt                *  http://www.troubleshooters.com/
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