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| 1 | +# `rustc_driver` and `rustc_interface` |
| 2 | + |
| 3 | +The [`rustc_driver`] is essentially `rustc`'s `main` function. |
| 4 | +It acts as the glue for running the various phases of the compiler in the correct order, |
| 5 | +using the interface defined in the [`rustc_interface`] crate. |
| 6 | + |
| 7 | +Generally the [`rustc_interface`] crate provides external users with an (unstable) API |
| 8 | +for running code at particular times during the compilation process, allowing |
| 9 | +third parties to effectively use `rustc`'s internals as a library for |
| 10 | +analyzing a crate or for ad hoc emulating of the compiler (i.e. `rustdoc` |
| 11 | +compiling code and serving output). |
| 12 | + |
| 13 | +More specifically the [`rustc_interface::run_compiler`][i_rc] function is the |
| 14 | +main entrypoint for using [`nightly-rustc`] as a library. |
| 15 | +Initially [`run_compiler`][i_rc] takes a configuration variable for the compiler |
| 16 | +and a `closure` taking a yet unresolved [`Compiler`]. |
| 17 | +Operationally [`run_compiler`][i_rc] creates a `Compiler` from the configuration and passes |
| 18 | +it to the `closure`. Inside the `closure` you can use the `Compiler` to drive |
| 19 | +queries to compile a crate and get the results. |
| 20 | +Providing results about the internal state of the compiler what the [`rustc_driver`] does too. |
| 21 | +You can see a minimal example of how to use [`rustc_interface`] [here][example]. |
| 22 | + |
| 23 | +You can see what queries are currently available in the [`Compiler`] rustdocs. |
| 24 | +You can see an example of how to use the queries by looking at the `rustc_driver` implementation, |
| 25 | +specifically [`rustc_driver::run_compiler`][rd_rc] |
| 26 | +(not to be confused with [`rustc_interface::run_compiler`][i_rc]). |
| 27 | +Generally [`rustc_driver::run_compiler`][i_rc] takes a bunch of command-line args |
| 28 | +and some other configurations and drives the compilation to completion. |
| 29 | + |
| 30 | +Finally [`rustc_driver::run_compiler`][rd_rc] also takes a [`Callbacks`][cb], |
| 31 | +which is a `trait` that allows for custom compiler configuration, |
| 32 | +as well as allowing custom code to run after different phases of the compilation. |
| 33 | + |
| 34 | +> **Warning:** By its very nature, the internal compiler APIs are always going |
| 35 | +> to be unstable. That said, we do try not to break things unnecessarily. |
| 36 | +
|
| 37 | + |
| 38 | +[`Compiler`]: https://doc.rust-lang.org/nightly/nightly-rustc/rustc_interface/interface/struct.Compiler.html |
| 39 | +[`rustc_driver`]: https://doc.rust-lang.org/nightly/nightly-rustc/rustc_driver/ |
| 40 | +[`rustc_interface`]: https://doc.rust-lang.org/nightly/nightly-rustc/rustc_interface/index.html |
| 41 | +[`Session`]: https://doc.rust-lang.org/nightly/nightly-rustc/rustc_session/struct.Session.html |
| 42 | +[`SourceMap`]: https://doc.rust-lang.org/nightly/nightly-rustc/rustc_span/source_map/struct.SourceMap.html |
| 43 | +[`TyCtxt`]: https://doc.rust-lang.org/nightly/nightly-rustc/rustc_middle/ty/struct.TyCtxt.html |
| 44 | +[Appendix A]: appendix/stupid-stats.html |
| 45 | +[cb]: https://doc.rust-lang.org/nightly/nightly-rustc/rustc_driver/trait.Callbacks.html |
| 46 | +[example]: https://github.com/rust-lang/rustc-dev-guide/blob/master/examples/rustc-driver-example.rs |
| 47 | +[i_rc]: https://doc.rust-lang.org/nightly/nightly-rustc/rustc_interface/interface/fn.run_compiler.html |
| 48 | +[rd_rc]: https://doc.rust-lang.org/nightly/nightly-rustc/rustc_driver_impl/fn.run_compiler.html |
| 49 | +[stupid-stats]: https://github.com/nrc/stupid-stats |
| 50 | +[`nightly-rustc`]: https://doc.rust-lang.org/nightly/nightly-rustc/ |
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