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Clarify guarantees for Vec and String allocation #65801

@SimonSapin

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@SimonSapin
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Similar to what #58183 did for Box, I think we should document a guarantee that Vec<T> and String are allocated through the standard library’s global allocator.

Namely:

  • It is valid (under some conditions) to pass a pointer allocated with std::alloc::Global (or corresponding free functions in std::alloc) to Vec::from_raw_parts.

  • It is valid (under some conditions) to deallocate or reallocate with std::alloc::Global (or corresponding free functions in std::alloc) a pointer from Vec::into_raw_parts (or from ManuallyDrop + Vec::as_mut_ptr).

Conditions include using the appropriate std::alloc::Layout, properly transferring ownership, etc.

Perhaps the documented guarantees should also extend to using NonNull<T>::dangling for zero-size allocations. (And similarly for Box.)

@rust-lang/libs, any throughts?

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added
C-enhancementCategory: An issue proposing an enhancement or a PR with one.
A-allocatorsArea: Custom and system allocators
T-libs-apiRelevant to the library API team, which will review and decide on the PR/issue.
on Oct 25, 2019
alexcrichton

alexcrichton commented on Oct 28, 2019

@alexcrichton
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I personally think that this is a useful enough guarantee while also being flexible enough for us in the standard library that this should be fine to document.

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    A-allocatorsArea: Custom and system allocatorsA-collectionsArea: `std::collections`C-enhancementCategory: An issue proposing an enhancement or a PR with one.T-libs-apiRelevant to the library API team, which will review and decide on the PR/issue.

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          Clarify guarantees for `Vec` and `String` allocation · Issue #65801 · rust-lang/rust