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document guarantee about evaluation of associated consts and const bl…
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RalfJung committed May 10, 2024
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25 changes: 21 additions & 4 deletions src/expressions/block-expr.md
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Expand Up @@ -123,13 +123,13 @@ loop {
> _ConstBlockExpression_ :\
>    `const` _BlockExpression_
A *const block* is a variant of a block expression which evaluates at compile-time instead of at runtime.
A *const block* is a variant of a block expression whose body evaluates at compile-time instead of at runtime.

Const blocks allows you to define a constant value without having to define new [constant items], and thus they are also sometimes referred as *inline consts*.
It also supports type inference so there is no need to specify the type, unlike [constant items].

Const blocks have the ability to reference generic parameters in scope, unlike [free][free item] constant items.
They are desugared to associated constant items with generic parameters in scope.
They are desugared to constant items with generic parameters in scope (similar to associated constants, but without a trait or type they are associated with).
For example, this code:

```rust
Expand All @@ -152,8 +152,25 @@ fn foo<T>() -> usize {
}
```

This also means that const blocks are treated similarly to associated constants.
For example, they are not guaranteed to be evaluated when the enclosing function is unused.
If the const block expression is executed at runtime, then the constant is guaranteed to be evaluated, even if its return value is ignored:

```rust
fn foo<T>() -> usize {
// If this code ever gets executed, then the assertion has definitely
// been evaluated at compile-time.
const { assert!(std::mem::size_of::<T>() > 0); }
// Here we can have unsafe code relying on the type being non-zero-sized.
/* ... */
}
```

If the const block expression is not executed at runtime, it may or may not be evaluated:
```rust,compile_fail
if false {
// The panic may or may not occur when the program is built.
const { panic!(); }
}
```

## `unsafe` blocks

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3 changes: 3 additions & 0 deletions src/expressions/path-expr.md
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Expand Up @@ -23,10 +23,13 @@ let push_integer = Vec::<i32>::push;
let slice_reverse = <[i32]>::reverse;
```

Evaluation of associated constants is handled the same way as [`const` blocks].

[_PathInExpression_]: ../paths.md#paths-in-expressions
[_QualifiedPathInExpression_]: ../paths.md#qualified-paths
[place expressions]: ../expressions.md#place-expressions-and-value-expressions
[value expressions]: ../expressions.md#place-expressions-and-value-expressions
[path]: ../paths.md
[`static mut`]: ../items/static-items.md#mutable-statics
[`unsafe` block]: block-expr.md#unsafe-blocks
[`const` blocks]: block-expr.md#const-blocks

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