diff --git a/src/SUMMARY.md b/src/SUMMARY.md index 3189b9364..e74ef5e4e 100644 --- a/src/SUMMARY.md +++ b/src/SUMMARY.md @@ -142,6 +142,7 @@ - [`LintStore`](./diagnostics/lintstore.md) - [Diagnostic Codes](./diagnostics/diagnostic-codes.md) - [Diagnostic Items](./diagnostics/diagnostic-items.md) + - [`ErrorGuaranteed`](./diagnostics/error-guaranteed.md) # MIR to Binaries diff --git a/src/diagnostics/error-guaranteed.md b/src/diagnostics/error-guaranteed.md new file mode 100644 index 000000000..5a9b7f335 --- /dev/null +++ b/src/diagnostics/error-guaranteed.md @@ -0,0 +1,37 @@ +# `ErrorGuaranteed` + +The previous sections have been about the error message that a user of the +compiler sees. But emitting an error can also have a second important side +effect within the compiler source code: it generates an +[`ErrorGuaranteed`][errorguar]. + +`ErrorGuaranteed` is a zero-sized type that is unconstructable outside of the +[`rustc_errors`][rerrors] crate. It is generated whenever an error is reported +to the user, so that if your compiler code ever encounters a value of type +`ErrorGuaranteed`, the compilation is _statically guaranteed to fail_. This is +useful for avoiding unsoundness bugs because you can statically check that an +error code path leads to a failure. + +There are some important considerations about the usage of `ErrorGuaranteed`: + +* It does _not_ convey information about the _kind_ of error. For example, the + error may be due (indirectly) to a `delay_span_bug` or other compiler error. + Thus, you should not rely on + `ErrorGuaranteed` when deciding whether to emit an error, or what kind of error + to emit. + +* `ErrorGuaranteed` should not be used to indicate that a compilation _will + emit_ an error in the future. It should be used to indicate that an error + _has already been_ emitted -- that is, the [`emit()`][emit] function has + already been called. For example, if we detect that a future part of the + compiler will error, we _cannot_ use `ErrorGuaranteed` unless we first emit + an error ourselves. + +Thankfully, in most cases, it should be statically impossible to abuse +`ErrorGuaranteed`. + + +[errorguar]: https://doc.rust-lang.org/nightly/nightly-rustc/rustc_errors/struct.ErrorGuaranteed.html +[rerrors]: https://doc.rust-lang.org/nightly/nightly-rustc/rustc_errors/index.html +[dsp]: https://doc.rust-lang.org/nightly/nightly-rustc/rustc_errors/struct.Handler.html#method.delay_span_bug +[emit]: https://doc.rust-lang.org/nightly/nightly-rustc/rustc_errors/diagnostic_builder/struct.DiagnosticBuilder.html#method.emit