@@ -88,6 +88,7 @@ considered incompatible.
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* [ Minor: generalizing a function to use generics (supporting original type)] ( #fn-generalize-compatible )
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* [ Major: generalizing a function to use generics with type mismatch] ( #fn-generalize-mismatch )
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* [ Minor: making an ` unsafe ` function safe] ( #fn-unsafe-safe )
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+ * [ Major: adding a potentially shadowing method] ( #fn-add-potentially-shadowing-method )
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* Attributes
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* [ Major: switching from ` no_std ` support to requiring ` std ` ] ( #attr-no-std-to-std )
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* [ Major: adding ` non_exhaustive ` to an existing enum, variant, or struct with no private fields] ( #attr-adding-non-exhaustive )
@@ -1883,6 +1884,136 @@ Making a previously `unsafe` associated function or method on structs / enums
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safe is also a minor change, while the same is not true for associated
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function on traits (see [ any change to trait item signatures] ( #trait-item-signature ) ).
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+ ### Major: add a potentially shadowing method {#fn-add-potentially-shadowing-method}
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+
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+ If you have a type which implements ` Deref<Target=T> ` , you must not add methods
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+ which may "shadow" methods in ` T ` . This can lead to unexpected changes in
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+ program behavior.
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+
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+ ``` rust,ignore,run-fail
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+ // MAJOR CHANGE
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+
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+ ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
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+ // Before
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+ #[derive(Clone, Copy)]
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+ pub struct MySmartPtr<T>(pub T);
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+
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+ impl<T> core::ops::Deref for MySmartPtr<T> {
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+ type Target = T;
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+ fn deref(&self) -> &Self::Target {
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+ &self.0
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+ }
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+ }
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+
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+ ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
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+ // After
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+ #[derive(Clone, Copy)]
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+ pub struct MySmartPtr<T>(pub T);
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+
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+ impl<T> core::ops::Deref for MySmartPtr<T> {
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+ type Target = T;
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+ fn deref(&self) -> &Self::Target {
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+ &self.0
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+ }
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+ }
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+
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+ impl<T> MySmartPtr<T> {
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+ pub fn method(self) -> usize {
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+ 2
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+ }
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+ }
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+
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+ ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
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+ // Example usage that will break.
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+ use updated_crate::MySmartPtr;
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+
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+ struct SomeStruct;
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+
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+ impl SomeStruct {
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+ fn method(&self) -> usize {
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+ 1
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+ }
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+ }
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+
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+ fn main() {
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+ let mut ptr = MySmartPtr(SomeStruct);
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+ assert_eq!(ptr.method(), 1);
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+ }
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+ ```
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+
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+ Note that the shadowing and shadowed methods receive ` self `
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+ slightly differently: ` self ` and ` &self ` .
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+ That's because Rust [ searches for methods] first by value, then by ` & ` , then
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+ by ` &mut T ` . Rust stops the search when it encounters a valid method, and
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+ so methods later in this order may be shadowed by methods encountered earlier.
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+
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+ This is only a compatibility risk if the ` Deref ` target is
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+ beyond your control. If your type implements ` Deref ` to another type where
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+ you can fix the available methods, you can ensure no shadowing
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+ occurs. An example is that ` PathBuf ` implements
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+ ` Deref<Target=Path> ` .
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+
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+ For types which do implement ` Deref ` with an arbitrary target,
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+ it's bad practice to add methods: add associated functions instead. This is
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+ the pattern used by Rust's standard library smart pointer types, such as
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+ ` Box ` , ` Rc ` and ` Arc ` .
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+
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+ Similar shadowing risks occur for a type implementing
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+ ` Receiver<Target=T> ` . If you have a type which implements either
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+ ` Receiver<Target=T> ` or ` Deref<Target=T> ` it may be used as a method receiver
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+ by ` T ` 's methods. If your type then adds a method, you may shadow methods in
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+ ` T ` . For instance:
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+
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+ ``` rust,ignore,skip
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+ // MAJOR CHANGE
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+
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+ ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
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+ // Before
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+ #![feature(arbitrary_self_types)]
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+ pub struct MySmartPtr<T>(pub T);
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+
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+ impl<T> core::ops::Receiver for MySmartPtr<T> {
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+ // or Deref
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+ type Target = T;
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+ }
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+
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+ ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
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+ // After
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+ #![feature(arbitrary_self_types)]
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+ pub struct MySmartPtr<T>(pub T);
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+
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+ impl<T> core::ops::Receiver for MySmartPtr<T> {
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+ // or Deref
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+ type Target = T;
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+ }
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+
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+ impl<T> MySmartPtr<T> {
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+ pub fn method(self) {}
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+ }
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+
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+ ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
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+ // Example usage that will break.
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+ #![feature(arbitrary_self_types)]
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+ use updated_crate::MySmartPtr;
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+
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+ struct SomeStruct;
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+
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+ impl SomeStruct {
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+ fn method(self: &MySmartPtr<Self>) {}
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+ }
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+
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+ fn main() {
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+ let ptr = MySmartPtr(SomeStruct);
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+ ptr.method(); // Error: multiple applicable items in scope
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+ }
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+ ```
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+
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+ When types like this are being used as method receivers, Rust endeavours to
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+ do additional searches and present errors in simple cases, e.g. shadowing of
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+ ` &self ` by ` self ` with inherent methods. This is better than invisible
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+ behavior changes - but either way it's a compatibility break. Avoid adding
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+ methods if you implement ` Deref ` or ` Receiver ` to an arbitrary target.
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+
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### Major: switching from ` no_std ` support to requiring ` std ` {#attr-no-std-to-std}
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If your library specifically supports a [ ` no_std ` ] environment, it is a
@@ -2317,3 +2448,4 @@ document what your commitments are.
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[ wildcard patterns ] : ../../reference/patterns.html#wildcard-pattern
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[ unused_unsafe ] : ../../rustc/lints/listing/warn-by-default.html#unused-unsafe
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[ msrv-is-minor ] : https://github.com/rust-lang/api-guidelines/discussions/231
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+ [ searches for methods ] : ../../reference/expressions/method-call-expr.html#method-call-expressions
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