Rust provides diagnostic attributes for compiler messages

Rust 1.78, simply launched as the most recent model of the favored, memory-safe programming language, provides backing for a #[diagnostic] attribute namespace to affect compiler messages.

These messages are handled as hints that the compiler is just not required to make use of, the Rust workforce stated. Also it isn’t an error to offer a diagnostic that the compiler doesn’t acknowledge. The function is designed to permit supply code to offer diagnostics even when they don’t seem to be supported by all compilers.

Announced May 2, Rust 1.78 may be put in by way of rustup:

$ rustup replace secure

Another function in Rust 1.78 pertains to asserting unsafe preconditions. The Rust commonplace library has a lot of assertions for preconditions of unsafe features, however traditionally they’ve been enabled solely in #[cfg(debug_assertions)] builds of the library to keep away from affecting launch efficiency. Since the library often is compiled and distributed in launch mode, most Rust builders weren’t executing these checks.

With Rust 1.78, the situation for these assertions is delayed till code technology, so they are going to be checked relying on the consumer’s setting for debug assertions, enabled by default in debug and check builds. This change will assist catch undefined conduct in code, the Rust workforce stated. However, the small print of how a lot is checked typically aren’t secure.

Deterministic realignment is also featured in Rust 1.78. The commonplace library has features that change alignment of pointers and slices, however they beforehand had caveats that made them tough to depend on in apply. These caveats principally existed as a hedge in opposition to const analysis, however they have been solely secure for non-const use. Now, they’re promised to have constant runtime conduct in accordance with precise inputs.

Rust 1.78 additionally stabilizes a lot of APIs, raises its minimal requirement to Windows 10 for targets reminiscent of x_86-pc-windows-msvc, and upgrades its bundled LLVM to LLVM 18.

Rust 1.78 follows the March 21 launch of Rust 1.77, which featured assist for C-string literals. Two subsequent level releases additionally have been made, Rust 1.77.1, which disabled new Cargo conduct on Windows for targets utilizing MSVC (Microsoft C and C++), and Rust 1.77.2, which included a vulnerability repair.