os/exec: documentation implies that Cmd can be reused after Start, but it can't

[spenczar]

Go version

1.25

Output of go env in your module/workspace:

n/a

What did you do?

Read the go doc on os/exec.Cmd https://pkg.go.dev/os/exec#Cmd

What did you see happen?

I read the line

A Cmd cannot be reused after calling its Cmd.Run, Cmd.Output or Cmd.CombinedOutput methods.

What did you expect to see?

I expected that this means it can be resued after calling other methods like Start, but no - the truth is that Start is the method that blocks reuse.

[gabyhelp]

Related Issues

• os/exec: Cmd can only be executed once, but that isn't documented #10305 (closed)
• os/exec: Unclear documentation #6839 (closed)
• os/exec: documentation unclear on whether `(*Cmd).Wait` must be called #52580 (closed)
• os/exec: CommandContext documentation doesn't say that context is ignored until Wait #16222 (closed)

_{(Emoji vote if this was helpful or unhelpful; more detailed feedback welcome in this discussion.)}

[gopherbot]

Change https://go.dev/cl/719860 mentions this issue: os/exec: include Cmd.Start in the list of methods that run Cmd