Why is the definition of bootstrap raster less source code added to avoid compilation

.make-grid-columns() {
  // Common styles for all sizes of grid columns, widths 1-12
  .col(@index) { // initial
    @item: ~".col-xs-@{index}, .col-sm-@{index}, .col-md-@{index}, .col-lg-@{index}";
    .col((@index + 1), @item);
  }
  .col(@index, @list) when (@index =< @grid-columns) { // general; "=<" isn"t a typo
    @item: ~".col-xs-@{index}, .col-sm-@{index}, .col-md-@{index}, .col-lg-@{index}";
    .col((@index + 1), ~"@{list}, @{item}");
  }
  .col(@index, @list) when (@index > @grid-columns) { // terminal
    @{list} {
      position: relative;
      // Prevent columns from collapsing when empty
      min-height: 1px;
      // Inner gutter via padding
      padding-left:  ceil((@grid-gutter-width / 2));
      padding-right: floor((@grid-gutter-width / 2));
    }
  }
  .col(1); // kickstart it
}
The function of

this code is to add a common style to all grids and to replace the loop

by recursion.

Why should the item variable in this be added to avoid compilation?
does not compile css and does not have the function to put the value of index into it

Oct.23,2021

I also don't understand
image.png
is the value passed in by @ item during recursion a compiled value?

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