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Expand ptr::fn_addr_eq() documentation.
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* Describe more clearly what is (not) guaranteed, and de-emphasize the
  implementation details.
* Explain what you *can* reliably use it for.
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kpreid committed Oct 9, 2024
1 parent 9ca739e commit 0ce4f76
Showing 1 changed file with 32 additions and 6 deletions.
38 changes: 32 additions & 6 deletions core/src/ptr/mod.rs
Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
Expand Up @@ -2164,13 +2164,36 @@ pub fn addr_eq<T: ?Sized, U: ?Sized>(p: *const T, q: *const U) -> bool {

/// Compares the *addresses* of the two function pointers for equality.
///
/// Function pointers comparisons can have surprising results since
/// they are never guaranteed to be unique and could vary between different
/// code generation units. Furthermore, different functions could have the
/// same address after being merged together.
/// This is the same as `f == g`, but using this function makes clear that the potentially
/// surprising semantics of function pointer comparison are involved.
/// There are very few guarantees about how functions are compiled and they have no intrinsic
/// “identity”; in particular, this comparison:
///
/// * May return `true` unexpectedly, in cases where functions are equivalent.
/// For example, the following program is likely (but not guaranteed) to print `(true, true)`
/// when compiled with optimization:
///
/// ```
/// # #![feature(ptr_fn_addr_eq)]
/// let f: fn(i32) -> i32 = |x| x;
/// let g: fn(i32) -> i32 = |x| x + 0; // different closure, different body
/// let h: fn(u32) -> u32 = |x| x + 0; // different signature too
/// dbg!(std::ptr::fn_addr_eq(f, g), std::ptr::fn_addr_eq(f, h));
/// ```
///
/// * May return `false` in any case.
/// This is particularly likely with generic functions but may happen with any function.
/// (From an implementation perspective, this is possible because functions may sometimes be
/// processed more than once by the compiler, resulting in duplicate machine code.)
///
/// Despite these false positives and false negatives, this comparison can still be useful.
/// Specifically, if
///
/// * `T` is the same type as `U`, `T` is a [subtype] of `U`, or `U` is a [subtype] of `T`, and
/// * `ptr::fn_addr_eq(f, g)` returns true,
///
/// then calling `f` and calling `g` will be equivalent.
///
/// This is the same as `f == g` but using this function makes clear
/// that you are aware of these potentially surprising semantics.
///
/// # Examples
///
Expand All @@ -2182,6 +2205,9 @@ pub fn addr_eq<T: ?Sized, U: ?Sized>(p: *const T, q: *const U) -> bool {
/// fn b() { println!("b"); }
/// assert!(!ptr::fn_addr_eq(a as fn(), b as fn()));
/// ```
///
/// [subtype]: https://doc.rust-lang.org/reference/subtyping.html
#[unstable(feature = "ptr_fn_addr_eq", issue = "129322")]
#[inline(always)]
#[must_use = "function pointer comparison produces a value"]
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