moduleattrdeprecated

moduleattrdeprecated is a metadata facility used in modular programming environments to indicate that a module-level attribute is deprecated and will be removed in a future release. The mechanism attaches a deprecation note to a module attribute, such as variables, functions, or constants exposed by a module. When applied, tooling and documentation may emit warnings when the attribute is referenced, guiding developers toward supported alternatives. The goal is to enable progressive migration without breaking existing code.

Implementation and syntax vary by language, but common patterns include a dedicated annotation, pragma, or metadata tag attached to the declaration. For example, a language might use moduleattrdeprecated to mark an attribute and suggest a replacement, such as new_attr. In code that consumes the module, references to the deprecated attribute typically trigger a warning or a lint error; in some ecosystems, runtime checks may log deprecation notices as well.

Rationale and impact: moduleattrdeprecated supports evolutionary API design by signaling API owners and users about upcoming removals while preserving backward compatibility for a transition period. It also centralizes deprecation messaging in module metadata and documentation, rather than scattering notices across release notes.

Usage considerations: Deprecations should include a clear rationale and a targeted migration path, including the recommended alternatives and a timeline for removal. Tooling may offer filtering by deprecated attributes, auto-suggestion of replacements, and documentation generation that highlights deprecated module attributes.

See also: deprecation, module system, API evolution, migration guides.