Add -experimental flag

proposals/0000-std-experimental.rst

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+Add -experimental flag
+======================
+
+.. author:: Moritz Angermann, Julian Ospald
+.. date-accepted::
+.. ticket-url::
+.. implemented::
+.. highlight:: haskell
+.. header:: This proposal is `discussed at this pull request <https://github.com/ghc-proposals/ghc-proposals/pull/617>`_.
+.. sectnum::
+.. contents::
+
+Introduce a new compiler flag ``-experimental`` which guards experimental
+features. We distinguish between experimental and non-experimental features by
+their respective breaking change processes. Experimental features may introduce
+breaking changes without prior warning at any time. Non-experimental (stable)
+features on the other hand would need to follow a change evolution/deprecation
+process and could only under exceptional circumstances introduce breaking
+changes.
+
+Motivation
+----------
+As GHC continues to evolve, there's a need to introduce new features that may
+not be fully stabilized or might undergo significant changes in future releases.
+These experimental features can potentially introduce breaking changes without
+warning between different compiler versions. By introducing the
+``-experimental`` flag, developers can opt-in to use these features, fully
+aware of the potential risks. This ensures that features available without this
+flag are stable and will only have breaking changes with a proper deprecation
+cycle.
+
+What is _currently_ considered experimental can at best be found out by proxy
+via a `GHC User Guide's search for EXPERIMENTAL <https://downloads.haskell.org/ghc/latest/docs/users_guide/search.html?q=EXPERIMENTAL&check_keywords=yes&area=default>`_.
+
+
+Proposed Change Specification
+-----------------------------
+- Introduce a new compiler flag ``-experimental``.
+- Introduce a new compiler flag ``-no-experimental`` (default).
+- Features not behind the ``-experimental`` flag will have to adhere to a
+  deprecation cycle before introducing breaking changes.
+
+``-experimental`` is a superset, therefore ``-experimental`` could
+depend on code without ``-experimental``. The inverse does not hold.
+
+Semantically the last ``-[no-]experimental`` flag passed to GHC will win.
+
+Examples
+--------
+Consider a hypothetical experimental feature ``X``. Without the
+``-experimental`` flag, trying to use ``X`` would result in a compiler error.
+However, with the flag, the feature can be used, but with the understanding that
+it might change in future releases. ::
+
+  -- Without -experimental
+  ghc Main.hs  -- This will throw an error if Feature X is used
+
+  -- With -experimental
+  ghc -experimental Main.hs  -- This will compile successfully with Feature X
+
+  -- With -no-experimental
+  ghc -experimental -no-experimental Main.hs -- This will throw an error if Feature X is used
+
+  ghc -no-experimental Main.hs -package foo   -- This will throw an error if Feature X is used anywhere in Main.hs or the package foo.
+
+Effect and Interactions
+-----------------------
+The introduction of this flag provides a clear distinction between stable and
+experimental features. It ensures that developers are aware of the potential
+risks of using experimental features while providing a sandbox for testing out
+new GHC capabilities.
+
+Costs and Drawbacks
+-------------------
+- There might be an initial learning curve for developers to understand the
+  distinction between experimental and stable features.
+- Maintaining two sets of features (stable and experimental) might increase the
+  complexity of the compiler codebase.
+
+The authors believe the benefit of clearly separating experimental and those
+that adhere to a more rigourous change evolution easily offsets the costs for
+both end users and feature developers. For developers of experimental feature
+this also means they reserve the right to break them without warning in
+backwards incompatible ways at any moment in time leading to significantly
+lighter processes for experimental features.
+
+Prior Work
+----------
+The ``-experimental`` feature is similar to solutions for experimental
+features and implementation in other languages, and GHC would not have a
+bespoke solution here, but share a common approach with many other compilers.
+Do note that the provided approaches mix editions, channels, and feature gates.
+The goal is to illustrate that the concept of separating experimental features
+explicitly behind opt-in gates.
+
+- **Rust**: Rust has so called channels, which delineate stability by stable,
+  beta, and nightly. To opt-in locally to nightly features you'd use the
+  ``+nightly`` toolchain modifier. Effectively using a different Rust compiler
+  provided by ``rustup``.
+- **Java**: Java has the ``--enable-preview`` flag since Java 9, which allows
+  opt-in to experimental features.
+- **Gnu Compiler Collection**: GCC provides flags to opt-in to experimental
+  features through the ``-std=...`` flag. For example, it has flags like
+  ``-std=c++1z`` for experimental C++ features before they were standardized in
+  C++17.
+
+Backward Compatibility
+----------------------
+The introduction of this flag is expected to have minimal impact on existing
+code. The initial set of features behind the ``-experimental`` flag will be
+the empty set. Follow up proposals will be required to move existing features
+behind the ``-experimental`` flag. New features should by default be behind
+the ``-experimental`` flag, unless the respective authors consider them stable
+and not subject to sudden change.
+
+Conditional Compilation
+--------------------------
+For maintainers there will be a ``__GHC_EXPERIMENTAL__`` macro to use with ``CPP``
+to allow for conditional compilation if ``-experimental`` is active. This can
+be used with the usual version macros to tailor to specific GHC versions as needed.
+
+Garbage Collection
+------------------
+A follow up proposal will need to address the lifecycle of features behind the
+``-experimental`` flag.  How features (not just extensions as in `#601`_),
+will either be removed or migrate from ``-experimental`` into the stable
+compiler.
+
+Relationship to ``Haskell98``, ``Haskell2010``, ``GHC2021``, and ``-fglasgow-exts``
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+GHC today provides the option to *opt-in* to a collection of Extensions
+considered stable. It does *not* permit the exclusion of experimental features.
+The proposed ``-experimental`` provides the assurances on the other end of
+the spectrum. It provides a binary option to those who want to stay out of
+highly experimental features, still allowing them to augment existing
+collections within the limits of *stable* extensions.
+
+Alternatives
+------------
+1. **Feature Flags for Each Experimental Feature**: Instead of a single flag for
+   all experimental features, individual flags for each feature could be
+   introduced. However, this could lead to a proliferation of flags and increase
+   complexity.
+2. **Separate GHC Builds**: Provide separate GHC builds for experimental
+   features. This ensures a clear separation but might be cumbersome for
+   developers to manage multiple GHC installations.
+
+Unresolved Questions
+--------------------
+
+.. _`#601`: https://github.com/ghc-proposals/ghc-proposals/pull/601
+
+1. What is the process for moving a feature from experimental to stable? Or from
+   stable to experimental? This is being addressed in `#601`_.
+
+
+Risks
+-----
+
+If ``-experimental`` ends up becoming the default because library authors
+and other end up depending on experimental features, the value of having
+``-experimental`` diminishes greatly.  It is therefore prudent to follow
+up with `#601`_, to provide a clear path for experimental features transitioning
+into the stable compiler.
+
+Implementation Plan
+-------------------
+The authors will try to provide a PoC for an implementation.
+
+Endorsements
+-------------
+- Erik de Castro Lopo (@erikd)
+- Kevin Hammond
+- Jens Petersen (@juhp)
+- Hécate (@kleidukos)
+- Arnaud Bailly (@abailly)
+- Matthias Benkort (@KtorZ)