Why doesn't std.file.exists follow symbolic links?

[Jack Applegame]

On Friday, 2 July 2021 at 15:04:33 UTC, jfondren wrote:
> On Friday, 2 July 2021 at 14:11:22 UTC, Jack Applegame wrote:
>> This is a completely different topic. The above code is just a 
>> demonstration that `std.file.exists` does not follow symbolic 
>> links, and not the real code.
>>
> ...
>>
>> This is also a completely different topic.
>
> The unifying topic is "there is a correct way to work with the
> filesystem, and exists() isn't it, so who cares if languages 
> vary on
> the implementation of a wrong way to work with the filesystem?"

I disagree. In many simple cases, this option is quite acceptable:

```d
void main() {
     try {
         ...
         auto data = readData(file_name);
         ...
     } catch(Exception e) {
         // Fatal error
     }
}

auto readData(string file_name) {
     ...
     if(exists(file_name)) {
         ...
         read_file(file_name);
         ...
     } else {
         ...
         create_file(file_name);
         ...
     }
     ...
}

```

> A naive user of any implementation of exists() is going to have 
> a lot
> more to worry about. A non-naive user of it will be aware of 
> how it is
> implemented.

I am a "naive user" of `exists()` in production and have not 
encountered any problems with it.

Why do people think that any program should be written as if it 
will work on the International Space Station?