Odin’s lack of automatic cleanup is a feature, not a bug. It forces you to think about resource lifetimes at every step, leading to more predictable and often more efficient software. The rqt-close pattern—whether you name it that or simply call CloseHandle directly—is the cornerstone of robust system programming in Odin.
| Platform | Resource Type | Close Function | |----------|---------------|----------------| | Windows | HANDLE | CloseHandle | | Linux / macOS | file descriptor | close (syscall or libc) | | WebAssembly (WASI) | fd | fd_close |
init_program :: proc() my_handle := CreateFile(...) runtime.add_cleanup(cleanup_my_resource, &my_handle) odin rqt-close
close_resource :: proc(resource: ^Raw_Resource) when ODIN_OS == "windows" sys.windows.CloseHandle(resource.handle) else when ODIN_OS == "linux" sys.linux.close(resource.fd) resource.valid = false
when ODIN_OS == "windows" close_fn :: proc(h: rawptr) windows.CloseHandle(transmute(windows.HANDLE)h) else when ODIN_OS == "linux" || ODIN_OS == "darwin" close_fn :: proc(fd: rawptr) sys.linux.close(transmute(int)fd) Odin’s lack of automatic cleanup is a feature, not a bug
rqt-close is not a magic keyword or a hidden runtime feature. It is a discipline . By writing an explicit close for every opened file, created handle, or allocated system object, you retain full control over your program’s interaction with the operating system.
In the landscape of modern programming languages, automatic garbage collection and RAII (Resource Acquisition Is Initialization) have become the norm. The Odin programming language, however, takes a distinct path. It embraces simplicity, data-orientation, and explicit control. One of the key functions that exemplifies this philosophy is rqt-close (often accessed via the core:sys/windows or similar platform-specific bindings, or as part of a custom runtime). | Platform | Resource Type | Close Function
Example:
In Odin, every open deserves a close, every create a destroy. Your future self (and your operating system) will thank you.
This does not replace manual closing but provides a fallback for global resources. Because rqt-close is not a standard library function, writing cross-platform code requires abstraction. Consider:
import "core:runtime" cleanup_my_resource :: proc(data: rawptr) handle := cast(^windows.HANDLE)data CloseHandle(handle^)