From: Stefan Sperling <stsp@stsp.name>
Subject: Re: mark got_privsep_exec_child as __dead
To: Theo Buehler <theo@theobuehler.org>
Cc: Thomas Adam <thomas@xteddy.org>, Omar Polo <op@omarpolo.com>, gameoftrees@openbsd.org
Date: Sat, 18 Dec 2021 18:38:54 +0100

On Sat, Dec 18, 2021 at 12:44:56AM +0100, Theo Buehler wrote:
> > So __dead and __attribute__ ((__noreturn__)) are different from
> > a void return type, in the sense that they inform the compiler
> > that the program will stop its execution at the end of the function?
> > 
> > What is the advantage over just calling exit()?
> > 
> 
> It's a hint for the compiler. I think it allows some optimizations like
> eliminating dead code.  It will also prevent some warnings. As a silly
> example, compiling the program below will generate a warning:

Thanks, the concept starts making sense to me.

Too bad the existing __dead marker on exit(2) is insufficient.
I guess compiler developers will have their reasons for this.