globalsNone

globalsNone is a term used in some software development tools to denote that a module or code unit defines no global variables. It functions as a constraint in static analysis, linting, and security auditing aimed at reducing global state, improving modularity, and enhancing testability.

In practice, globalsNone is typically implemented as a check or label within a tooling ecosystem. The analyzer scans a module for top-level assignments or declarations that create global state. If none are found, the module is marked as globalsNone; if globals are detected, the check fails or reports a violation. This concept can be language-agnostic, though it is commonly applied in languages with explicit module or file scoping such as Python, JavaScript, or others where top-level state can be accessed broadly.

The rationale behind enforcing globalsNone includes increased determinism, easier unit testing, and safer parallel execution since functions rely only on their parameters and local state. It also encourages explicit data flow and dependency management. However, the constraint can be restrictive in cases where global constants or configuration values are legitimately needed, or where certain frameworks rely on module-level state for performance or interoperability. In such cases, teams may relax the rule or adopt exceptions while preserving the broader goal of minimizing unintended global interactions.

Examples of evaluating globalsNone typically involve analyzing whether any top-level assignments or imports introduce persistent state outside function boundaries. See also: global variables, module scope, static analysis, and code purity concepts.