X-Git-Url: https://git.ralfj.de/web.git/blobdiff_plain/038a6867ad3b756a5d4f33a19e99e392511582ae..1d21c8aa1cd08d2d0db34ad62045f754f189e4c9:/ralf/_posts/2018-07-19-const.md diff --git a/ralf/_posts/2018-07-19-const.md b/ralf/_posts/2018-07-19-const.md index d523935..f511b9f 100644 --- a/ralf/_posts/2018-07-19-const.md +++ b/ralf/_posts/2018-07-19-const.md @@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ Expect something like a structured brain dump, so there are some unanswered ques ## Some Background -CTFE is the mechanism used by the compiler, primarily, to evaluate items like `const x : T = ...;`. +CTFE is the mechanism used by the compiler, primarily, to evaluate items like `const x: T = ...;`. The `...` here is going to be Rust code that must be "run" at compile-time, because it can be used as a constant in the code -- for example, it can be used for array lengths. Notice that CTFE is *not* the same as constant propagation: Constant propagation is an optimization pass done by LLVM that will opportunistically change code like `3 + 4` into `7` to avoid run-time work. @@ -23,8 +23,8 @@ You can statically see, just from the syntax of the code, whether CTFE applies t CTFE is only used in places like the value of a `const` or the length of an array. {% highlight rust %} fn demo() { - const X : u32 = 3 + 4; // CTFE - let x : u32 = 4 + 3; // no CTFE (but maybe constant propagation) + const X: u32 = 3 + 4; // CTFE + let x: u32 = 4 + 3; // no CTFE (but maybe constant propagation) } {% endhighlight %} We say that the `3 + 4` above is in *const context* and hence subject to CTFE, but the `4 + 3` is not. @@ -228,6 +228,8 @@ I am not sure which effect that should or will have for promotion. ## Conclusion I have discussed the notions of CTFE determinism and CTFE correctness (which are properties of a CTFE engine like miri), as well as const safety (property of a piece of code) and const soundness (property of a type system). +In particular, I propose that *when type-checking safe code in const context, we guarantee that this code is const-safe*, i.e., that it will not hit a CTFE error (though panics are allowed, just like they are in "run-time" Rust code). + There are still plenty of open questions, in particular around the interaction of [`const fn` and traits](https://github.com/rust-lang/rust/issues/24111#issuecomment-311029471), but I hope this terminology is useful when having those discussions. Let the type systems guide us :)