Document feature gate checking

src/SUMMARY.md

@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@
     - [`#[test]` implementation](./test-implementation.md)
     - [Panic implementation](./panic-implementation.md)
     - [AST validation](./ast-validation.md)
-    - [Feature gate checking](./feature-gate-ck.md)
+    - [Feature gate checking](./feature-gate-check.md)
     - [Lang Items](./lang-items.md)
 - [The HIR (High-level IR)](./hir.md)
     - [Lowering AST to HIR](./hir/lowering.md)

src/feature-gate-check.md

@@ -0,0 +1,140 @@
+# Feature Gate Checking
+
+Feature gates prevent usage of unstable language and library features without a
+nightly-only `#![feature(...)]` opt-in. This chapter documents the implementation
+of feature gating: where gates are defined, how they are enabled, and how usage
+is verified.
+
+<!-- data-check: Feb 2026 -->
+
+## Feature Definitions
+
+All feature gate definitions are located in the `rustc_feature` crate:
+
+- **Unstable features** are declared in [`rustc_feature/src/unstable.rs`] via
+  the `declare_features!` macro. This associates features with issue numbers and
+  tracking metadata.
+- **Accepted features** (stabilized) are listed in [`rustc_feature/src/accepted.rs`].
+- **Removed features** (explicitly disallowed) are listed in [`rustc_feature/src/removed.rs`].
+- **Gated built-in attributes and cfgs** are declared in [`rustc_feature/src/builtin_attrs.rs`].
+
+The [`rustc_feature::Features`] type represents the **active feature set** for a
+crate. Helpers like `enabled`, `incomplete`, and `internal` are used during
+compilation to check status.
+
+## Collecting Features
+
+Before AST validation or expansion, `rustc` collects crate-level
+`#![feature(...)]` attributes to build the active `Features` set.
+
+- The collection happens in [`rustc_expand/src/config.rs`] in [`features`].
+- Each `#![feature]` entry is classified against the `unstable`, `accepted`, and
+  `removed` tables:
+  - **Removed** features cause an immediate error.
+  - **Accepted** features are recorded but do not require nightly. On
+    stable/beta, `maybe_stage_features` in
+    [`rustc_ast_passes/src/feature_gate.rs`] emits the non-nightly
+    diagnostic and lists stable features, which is where the "already
+    stabilized" messaging comes from.
+  - **Unstable** features are recorded as enabled.
+  - Unknown features are treated as **library features** and validated later.
+- With `-Z allow-features=...`, any **unstable** or **unknown** feature
+  not in the allowlist is rejected.
+- [`RUSTC_BOOTSTRAP`] feeds into `UnstableFeatures::from_environment`. This
+  variable controls whether the compiler is treated as "nightly", allowing
+  feature gates to be bypassed during bootstrapping or explicitly disabled (`-1`).
+
+## Parser Gating
+
+Some syntax is detected and gated during parsing. The parser records spans for
+later checking to keep diagnostics consistent and deferred until after parsing.
+
+- [`rustc_session/src/parse.rs`] defines [`GatedSpans`] and the `gate` method.
+- The parser uses it in [`rustc_parse/src/parser/*`] when it encounters
+  syntax that requires a gate (e.g., `async for`, `yield`, experimental patterns).
+
+## Checking Pass
+
+The central logic lives in [`rustc_ast_passes/src/feature_gate.rs`], primarily
+in `check_crate` and its AST visitor.
+
+### `check_crate`
+
+`check_crate` performs high-level validation:
+
+- `maybe_stage_features`: Rejects `#![feature]` on stable/beta.
+- `check_incompatible_features`: Ensures incompatible feature combinations
+  (declared in `rustc_feature::INCOMPATIBLE_FEATURES`) are not used together.
+- `check_new_solver_banned_features`: Bans features incompatible with
+  compiler mode for the next trait solver.
+- **Parser-gated spans**: Processes the `GatedSpans` recorded during parsing
+  (see [Checking `GatedSpans`](#checking-gatedspans)).
+
+### Checking `GatedSpans`
+
+`check_crate` iterates over `sess.psess.gated_spans`:
+
+- The `gate_all!` macro emits diagnostics for each gated span if the feature is
+  not enabled.
+- Some gates have extra logic (e.g., `yield` can be allowed by `coroutines` or
+  `gen_blocks`).
+- Legacy gates (e.g., `box_patterns`, `try_blocks`) may use a separate path that
+  emits future-incompatibility warnings instead of hard errors.
+
+### AST Visitor
+
+A `PostExpansionVisitor` walks the expanded AST to check constructs that are
+easier to validate after expansion.
+
+- The visitor uses helper macros (`gate!`, `gate_alt!`, `gate_multi!`) to check:
+  1. Is the feature enabled?
+  2. Does `span.allows_unstable` permit it (for internal compiler macros)?
+- Examples include `trait_alias`, `decl_macro`, `extern types`, and various
+  `impl Trait` forms.
+
+## Attributes and `cfg`
+
+Beyond syntax, rustc also gates attributes and `cfg` options.
+
+### Built-in attributes
+
+- [`rustc_ast_passes::check_attribute`] inspects attributes against
+  `BUILTIN_ATTRIBUTE_MAP`.
+- If the attribute is `AttributeGate::Gated` and the feature isn’t enabled,
+  `feature_err` is emitted.
+
+### `cfg` options
+
+- [`rustc_attr_parsing/src/attributes/cfg.rs`] defines `gate_cfg` and uses
+  [`rustc_feature::find_gated_cfg`] to reject gated `cfg`s.
+- `gate_cfg` respects `Span::allows_unstable`, allowing internal compiler
+  macros to bypass `cfg` gates when marked with `#[allow_internal_unstable]`.
+- The gated cfg list is defined in [`rustc_feature/src/builtin_attrs.rs`].
+
+## Diagnostics
+
+Diagnostic helpers are located in [`rustc_session/src/parse.rs`].
+
+- `feature_err` and `feature_warn` emit standardized diagnostics, attaching the
+  tracking issue number where possible.
+- `Span::allows_unstable` in [`rustc_span/src/lib.rs`] checks if a span originates
+  from a macro marked with `#[allow_internal_unstable]`. This allows internal
+  macros to use unstable features on stable channels while enforcing gates for
+  user code.
+
+[`rustc_feature/src/unstable.rs`]: https://github.com/rust-lang/rust/blob/HEAD/compiler/rustc_feature/src/unstable.rs
+[`rustc_feature/src/removed.rs`]: https://github.com/rust-lang/rust/blob/HEAD/compiler/rustc_feature/src/removed.rs
+[`rustc_feature/src/accepted.rs`]: https://github.com/rust-lang/rust/blob/HEAD/compiler/rustc_feature/src/accepted.rs
+[`rustc_feature/src/builtin_attrs.rs`]: https://github.com/rust-lang/rust/blob/HEAD/compiler/rustc_feature/src/builtin_attrs.rs
+[`rustc_feature::Features`]: https://doc.rust-lang.org/nightly/nightly-rustc/rustc_feature/struct.Features.html
+[`rustc_expand/src/config.rs`]: https://github.com/rust-lang/rust/blob/HEAD/compiler/rustc_expand/src/config.rs
+[`features`]: https://doc.rust-lang.org/nightly/nightly-rustc/rustc_expand/config/fn.features.html
+[`RUSTC_BOOTSTRAP`]: https://doc.rust-lang.org/beta/unstable-book/compiler-environment-variables/RUSTC_BOOTSTRAP.html
+[`rustc_session/src/parse.rs`]: https://github.com/rust-lang/rust/blob/HEAD/compiler/rustc_session/src/parse.rs
+[`GatedSpans`]: https://doc.rust-lang.org/nightly/nightly-rustc/rustc_session/parse/struct.GatedSpans.html
+[`rustc_ast_passes/src/feature_gate.rs`]: https://github.com/rust-lang/rust/blob/HEAD/compiler/rustc_ast_passes/src/feature_gate.rs
+[`rustc_parse/src/parser/*`]: https://doc.rust-lang.org/nightly/nightly-rustc/rustc_parse/parser/index.html
+[`rustc_ast_passes::check_attribute`]: https://doc.rust-lang.org/nightly/nightly-rustc/rustc_ast_passes/feature_gate/fn.check_attribute.html
+[`rustc_attr_parsing/src/attributes/cfg.rs`]: https://github.com/rust-lang/rust/blob/HEAD/compiler/rustc_attr_parsing/src/attributes/cfg.rs
+[`rustc_feature::find_gated_cfg`]: https://doc.rust-lang.org/nightly/nightly-rustc/rustc_feature/fn.find_gated_cfg.html
+[`rustc_span/src/lib.rs`]: https://github.com/rust-lang/rust/blob/HEAD/compiler/rustc_span/src/lib.rs

src/syntax-intro.md

@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ And parsing requires macro expansion, which in turn may require parsing the outp
 
 [AST]: https://doc.rust-lang.org/nightly/nightly-rustc/rustc_parse/index.html
 [macro expansion]: ./macro-expansion.md
-[feature-gate checking]: ./feature-gate-ck.md
+[feature-gate checking]: ./feature-gate-check.md
 [lexing, parsing]: ./the-parser.md
 [name resolution]: ./name-resolution.md
 [validation]: ./ast-validation.md