update

_releases/2024-10-09-1.14.0-released.md

@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ improving the language! ❤️
 As part of the [project to improve multi-threading support](/2024/02/09/84codes-manas-mt) with the help of [84codes],
 this release includes several improvements and refactors related to concurrency and the event loop. So far, these have been mostly internal changes with minor relevance from a user's point of view. We expect more significant changes in the next release.
 
-A preview of the upcoming execution context ([RFC](https://github.com/crystal-lang/rfcs/pull/2)) is available as a standalone shard: [`ysbaddaden/execution_context`](https://github.com/ysbaddaden/execution_context). It's available for testing by eager developers. This library is expected to be part of the compiler once we are certain it's ready.
+A preview of the upcoming execution context ([RFC 2](https://github.com/crystal-lang/rfcs/pull/2)) is available as a standalone shard: [`ysbaddaden/execution_context`](https://github.com/ysbaddaden/execution_context). It's available for testing by eager developers. This library is expected to be part of the compiler once we are certain it's ready.
 
 ## Changes
 
@@ -31,62 +31,103 @@ For more details, visit the [full changelog](https://github.com/crystal-lang/cry
 
 ### Breaking
 
-`Slice#[start, count]` accepts a negative index for `start`, like similar methods already do.
-This would break existing code that depends on the current behaviou that a negative start index raises `IndexError` ([#14778], thanks @ysbaddaden).
+⚠️ `Slice#[start, count]` now accepts a negative index for `start`, like similar methods already do.
+This would break existing code that depends on the current behaviour that a negative start index raises `IndexError` ([#14778]).
+
 [#14778]: https://github.com/crystal-lang/crystal/pull/14778
 
-Finalizers for `Socket` and `IO::FileDescriptor` do no longer flush.
+⚠️ Finalizers for `Socket` and `IO::FileDescriptor` do no longer flush.
 Flushing is too heavy for a finalizer, as it might involve the event loop and even memory allocations which must be strictly avoided in a finalizer.
-Be sure to always flush before letting a stream go out of scope, ideally with an explicit `#close` ([#14882], thanks @straight-shoota).
+Be sure to always flush before letting a stream go out of scope, ideally with an explicit `#close` ([#14882]).
+
 [#14882]: https://github.com/crystal-lang/crystal/pull/14882
 
-`XML::Error.errors` had been deprecated since [1.7.0](/releases/2023-01-09-1.7.0-released.md), but continued to work.
+⚠️ `XML::Error.errors` had been deprecated since [1.7.0](/releases/2023-01-09-1.7.0-released.md), but continued to work.
 This unconditioned availability causes a serious memory leak, which cannot be fixed without disabling `XML::Error.errors`.
-In order to make this obvious, calling the method causes a compile time error now. ([#14936], thanks @straight-shoota)
+In order to make this obvious, calling the method causes a compile time error now. ([#14936]).
+
 [#14936]: https://github.com/crystal-lang/crystal/pull/14936
 
-`Hash::Entry` has been removed from public API docs. It was never intended to be a public type. ([#14881], thanks @Blacksmoke16)
+⚠️ `Hash::Entry` has been removed from public API docs. It was never intended to be a public type. ([#14881]).
+
+*Thanks [@ysbaddaden], [@straight-shoota] and [@Blacksmoke16]*
+
 [#14881]: https://github.com/crystal-lang/crystal/pull/14881
 
 ### Language features
 
-Allow `^` in constant numeric expressions ([#14951], thanks @HertzDevil).
+Allow `^` in constant numeric expressions ([#14951]). This operator was oddly missing even though `|` and `&` were already supported.
+
+*Thanks [@HertzDevil]*
 
 [#14951]: https://github.com/crystal-lang/crystal/pull/14951
 
-`HashLiteral` and `NamedTupleLiteral` respond to `#has_key?`, just like their regular counterparts `Hash` and `NamedTuple` ([#14890], thanks @kamil-gwozdz)
+`HashLiteral` and `NamedTupleLiteral` respond to `#has_key?`, just like their regular counterparts `Hash` and `NamedTuple` ([#14890]).
+
+*Thanks [@kamil-gwozdz]*
 
 ### Standard library
 
-- Support ARM64 Windows ([#14911], thanks @HertzDevil)
+The `WaitGroup` concurrency primitive gains some convenience methods,
+`WaitGroup.wait` and `WaitGroup#spawn` ([#14837]).
 
+```crystal
+require "wait_group"
+WaitGroup.wait do |wg|
+  10.times do
+    wg.spawn do
+      sleep 5.seconds
+    end
+  end
+end
+```
 
-[#14911]: https://github.com/crystal-lang/crystal/pull/14911
+*Thanks [@jgaskins]*
+
+[#14837]: https://github.com/crystal-lang/crystal/pull/14837
 
+There are two new methods for working with slices: `Slice#same?`checks
+if two slices point to the same memory ([#14728]).
+And `Pointer::Appender#to_slice` ([#14874]) makes it easy to create a slice
+containing the items from an appender.
 
-- *(collection)* Add `Slice#same?` ([#14728], thanks @straight-shoota)
 [#14728]: https://github.com/crystal-lang/crystal/pull/14728
-- *(runtime)* Add `Pointer::Appender#to_slice` ([#14874], thanks @straight-shoota)
 [#14874]: https://github.com/crystal-lang/crystal/pull/14874
 
-- *(concurrency)* Add `WaitGroup.wait` and `WaitGroup#spawn` ([#14837], thanks @jgaskins)
-[#14837]: https://github.com/crystal-lang/crystal/pull/14837
+*Thanks [@straight-shoota]*
+
+A minor fix turning an eager class getter into a lazy one avoids linking `libpcre`
+for programs that do not use `Regex` ([#14891]).
+
+*Thanks [@kojix2]*
 
-- *(codegen)* Fix avoid linking `libpcre` when unused ([#14891], thanks @kojix2)
 [#14891]: https://github.com/crystal-lang/crystal/pull/14891
 
 ### Windows
 
-- *(concurrency)* Open non-blocking regular files as overlapped on Windows ([#14921], thanks @HertzDevil)
-- *(concurrency)* Support non-blocking `File#read` and `#write` on Windows ([#14940], thanks @HertzDevil)
-- *(concurrency)* Support non-blocking `File#read_at` on Windows ([#14958], thanks @HertzDevil)
-- *(concurrency)* Support non-blocking `Process.run` standard streams on Windows ([#14941], thanks @HertzDevil)
-- *(concurrency)* Support `IO::FileDescriptor#flock_*` on non-blocking files on Windows ([#14943], thanks @HertzDevil)
-- *(concurrency)* Emulate non-blocking `STDIN` console on Windows ([#14947], thanks @HertzDevil)
-- *(concurrency)* Async DNS resolution on Windows ([#14979], thanks @HertzDevil)
-- *(system)* Implement `System::User` on Windows ([#14933], thanks @HertzDevil)
-- *(system)* Implement `System::Group` on Windows ([#14945], thanks @HertzDevil)
+Windows support is making good progress.
 
+The interpreter runs on Windows ([#14964]). There is still a limitation:
+networking does not work due to [#12495].
+
+And Crystal runs on ARM64 Windows, i.e. the `aarch64-windows-msvc` target.
+Both standard library and the compiler should work. It's not 100% polished, but
+looking pretty well. Read [#14911] for details on how to test it out.
+
+Starting with this release, DNS requests resolve asynchronously on Windows ([#14979]).
+It's actually the first platform to support that.
+
+There are also a number of improvements regarding non-blocking IO:
+
+- Support non-blocking `File#read` and `#write` ([#14940]), `File#read_at` ([#14958]), `Process.run` standard streams ([#14941]), `IO::FileDescriptor#flock_*` ([#14943]).
+- Emulate non-blocking `STDIN` console ([#14947]).
+- Open non-blocking regular files as overlapped ([#14921]).
+
+And we add implementations of `System::User` ([#14933]) and `System::Group` on Windows ([#14945]).
+
+*Thanks [@HertzDevil]*
+
+[#14911]: https://github.com/crystal-lang/crystal/pull/14911
 [#14921]: https://github.com/crystal-lang/crystal/pull/14921
 [#14940]: https://github.com/crystal-lang/crystal/pull/14940
 [#14958]: https://github.com/crystal-lang/crystal/pull/14958
@@ -96,60 +137,109 @@ Allow `^` in constant numeric expressions ([#14951], thanks @HertzDevil).
 [#14979]: https://github.com/crystal-lang/crystal/pull/14979
 [#14933]: https://github.com/crystal-lang/crystal/pull/14933
 [#14945]: https://github.com/crystal-lang/crystal/pull/14945
-
-- *(interpreter)* Enable the interpreter on Windows ([#14964], thanks @HertzDevil)
 [#14964]: https://github.com/crystal-lang/crystal/pull/14964
+[#12495]: https://github.com/crystal-lang/crystal/issues/12495
 
 ### `URI::Params`
 
-- *(serialization)* Add `URI.from_json_object_key?` and `URI#to_json_object_key` ([#14834], thanks @nobodywasishere)
-- *(serialization)* Add `URI::Params::Serializable` ([#14684], thanks @Blacksmoke16)
+`URI::Params::Serializable` is a new serialization API which works similar to
+the JSON and YAML variants, but for the URI query parameters format ([#14684]).
+
+```crystal
+require "uri/params/serializable"
+
+record Applicant,
+  first_name : String
+  last_name : String
+  qualities : Array(String) do
+  include URI::Params::Serializable
+end
+
+applicant = Applicant.from_www_form "first_name=John&last_name=Doe&qualities=kind&qualities=smart"
+applicant # => Applicant(@first_name="John", @last_name="Doe", @qualities=["kind", "smart"])
+applicant.to_www_form # => "first_name=John&last_name=Doe&qualities=kind&qualities=smart"
+```
+
+*Thanks [@Blacksmoke16]*
+
+In a related matter, `URI` is now applicable as a key in JSON objects via `URI.from_json_object_key?` and `URI#to_json_object_key` ([#14834]).
+
+*Thanks [@nobodywasishere]*
+
 [#14834]: https://github.com/crystal-lang/crystal/pull/14834
 [#14684]: https://github.com/crystal-lang/crystal/pull/14684
 
 ### Compiler tools
 
-- *(cli)* Adds initial support for external commands ([#14953], thanks @bcardiff)
+The compiler binary can now execute external programs as subcommands.
+This allows us to split the compiler binary into separate executables which helps
+improve iteration speed ([#14953]).
+
+*Thanks [@bcardiff]*
+
 [#14953]: https://github.com/crystal-lang/crystal/pull/14953
 
-- *(docs-generator)* Add nodoc filter to doc type methods ([#14910], thanks @spuun)
+We fixed a bug where the doc generator referenced and linked undocumented types ([#14910]).
+
+*Thanks [@spuun]*
 
 [#14910]: https://github.com/crystal-lang/crystal/pull/14910
 
 ### Performance
 
+- *(codegen)* Reduce calls to `Crystal::Type#remove_indirection` in module dispatch ([#14992]).
 
-- *(codegen)* Reduce calls to `Crystal::Type#remove_indirection` in module dispatch ([#14992], thanks @HertzDevil)
+*Thanks [@HertzDevil]*
 
 [#14992]: https://github.com/crystal-lang/crystal/pull/14992
 
-- Avoid unwinding the stack on hot path in method call lookups ([#15002], thanks @ggiraldez)
-- *(codegen)* Compiler: enable parallel codegen with MT ([#14748], thanks @ysbaddaden)
+- Avoid unwinding the stack on hot path in method call lookups ([#15002]).
+
+*Thanks [@ggiraldez]*
+
+- *(codegen)* Compiler: enable parallel codegen with MT ([#14748]).
+
+*Thanks [@ysbaddaden]*
 
 [#15002]: https://github.com/crystal-lang/crystal/pull/15002
 [#14748]: https://github.com/crystal-lang/crystal/pull/14748
 
 ### Dependencies
 
-- *(crypto)* Update `LibCrypto` bindings for LibreSSL 3.5+ ([#14872], thanks @straight-shoota)
+- *(crypto)* Update `LibCrypto` bindings for LibreSSL 3.5+ ([#14872]).
+
+*Thanks [@straight-shoota]*
+
 [#14872]: https://github.com/crystal-lang/crystal/pull/14872
-- *(text)* Support Unicode 16.0.0 ([#14997], thanks @HertzDevil)
+
+- *(text)* Support Unicode 16.0.0 ([#14997]).
+
+*Thanks [@HertzDevil]*
+
 [#14997]: https://github.com/crystal-lang/crystal/pull/14997
-- *(interpreter:repl)* Update REPLy version ([#14950], thanks @HertzDevil)
+
+- *(interpreter:repl)* Update REPLy version ([#14950]).
+
+*Thanks [@HertzDevil]*
 
 [#14950]: https://github.com/crystal-lang/crystal/pull/14950
 
 ## Deprecations
 
--
-- *(runtime)* **[deprecation]** Deprecate `Pointer.new(Int)` ([#14875], thanks @straight-shoota)
+- `Pointer.new(Int)` ([#14875]) was deprecated in favour of `Process.new(UInt64)`.
+  Deprecation warnings for argument type that autocast to `UInt64` can be ignored
+  or disabled by explicitly casting to `UInt64`.
+
+*Thanks [@straight-shoota]*
 
 [#14875]: https://github.com/crystal-lang/crystal/pull/14875
-- **[deprecation]** Use `Time::Span` in `Benchmark.ips` ([#14805], thanks @HertzDevil)
-[#14805]: https://github.com/crystal-lang/crystal/pull/14805
 
-- **[deprecation]** Deprecate `::sleep(Number)` ([#14962], thanks @HertzDevil)
+- We updated a couple of APIs that used `Number` to represent a time span. `Benchmark.ips` ([#14805])
+  and `::sleep(Number)` ([#14962]) explicitly require `Time::Span`. You can convert bare numbers with `Number#seconds` to use the valid overload.
+
+*Thanks [@HertzDevil]*
 
+[#14805]: https://github.com/crystal-lang/crystal/pull/14805
 [#14962]: https://github.com/crystal-lang/crystal/pull/14962
 
 ---
@@ -164,13 +254,15 @@ Allow `^` in constant numeric expressions ([#14951], thanks @HertzDevil).
 > if you’d like to become a direct sponsor or find other ways to support Crystal.
 > We thank you in advance!
 
-[@ysbaddaden]: https://github.com/ysbaddaden
-[@jgaskins]: https://github.com/jgaskins
+[@bcardiff]: https://github.com/bcardiff
+[@Blacksmoke16]: https://github.com/Blacksmoke16
+[@ggiraldez]: https://github.com/ggiraldez
 [@HertzDevil]: https://github.com/HertzDevil
+[@jgaskins]: https://github.com/jgaskins
+[@kamil-gwozdz]: https://github.com/kamil-gwozdz
+[@kojix2]: https://github.com/kojix2
+[@nobodywasishere]: https://github.com/nobodywasishere
+[@spuun]: https://github.com/spuun
 [@straight-shoota]: https://github.com/straight-shoota
-[@Blacksmoke16]: https://github.com/Blacksmoke16
-[@hovsater]: https://github.com/hovsater
-[@summer-alice]: https://github.com/summer-alice
-[@meatball133]: https://github.com/meatball133
-[@Hadeweka]: https://github.com/@Hadeweka
+[@ysbaddaden]: https://github.com/ysbaddaden
 [84codes]: https://www.84codes.com/