You're right but only in software that isn't a database. In a database, when the program panic!()s, you're SOL. These extra branches panic. If sqlite were to r

You're right but only in software that isn't a database. In a database, when the program panic!()s, you're SOL. These extra branches panic. If sqlite were to read one byte over the end of an array, it's unlikely to lose your data. Rust would guarantee that to lose data.