Questions tagged [eval]

eval is a function available in a number of programming languages (including php, ruby, python, bash, javascript, among others), which allows programmers to execute arbitrary code written in the same language, from a string variable within a code.

Documentation

• eval in Ruby
• eval in Bash
• eval in JavaScript

Disadvantages

Use of the eval function is generally considered to be bad practice, for a number of reasons:

• Most importantly, it can cause severe security issues in any code that uses eval. Because eval will run any code in its host language, a hacker may use an eval statement to run his own code, and thus compromise the system. To minimize the effect, a programmer shall have to verify syntax of the statement that have to be evalulated.

• Secondly, it is slow. Most languages, even interpreted ones such as php and javascript, have built-in optimisers and just-in-time compilers to speed up execution. However code run via an eval statement cannot be optimised, as the interpreter cannot know the exact code that will be run until it is too late to run any optimisations.

• Finally, in almost all cases, use of eval is unnecessary, as the desired effect can almost always be achieved without needing to use it.