bazelbuild / bazelbuild/bazel

Support multiple toolchains in subrules

Open
#29,370 5 comments 0 reactions 0 assignees View on GitHub
P4 team-Rules-API type: feature request
Dominant language
Java
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Merged PRs (30d)
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Description

### Description of the feature request:

Subrules currently only support a single toolchain at a time, which limits their utility.

I understand that under automatic exec groups (which `subrule`s require for toolchain support) support for multiple toolchains in ordinary rules relies on [declaring explicit exec groups](https://github.com/bazelbuild/bazel/issues/19981#issuecomment-1895166984), so I suppose the request really is an ask for exec group declaration support in `subrule`s.

### Which category does this issue belong to?

Rules API

### What underlying problem are you trying to solve with this feature?

We have a set of helpers with which custom "sync" test rules (diff generated files against source files, with a `bazel run`-able update subcommand). This uses a copy-file and copy-to-directory toolchain (both from `@aspect_bazel_lib`), meaning it cannot be rewritten into a `subrule`.

### Which operating system are you running Bazel on?

Linux

### What is the output of `bazel info release`?

release 8.6.0

### If `bazel info release` returns `development version` or `(@non-git)`, tell us how you built Bazel.

_No response_

### What's the output of `git remote get-url origin; git rev-parse HEAD` ?

```text

```

### Have you found anything relevant by searching the web?

_No response_

### Any other information, logs, or outputs that you want to share?

_No response_

Contributor guide

Open the contributing guide

Research direction

Start by reading the subrule and automatic exec group behavior in the Rules API, then review the explicit exec group discussion linked from issue #19981. Use the copy-file and copy-to-directory toolchains from @aspect_bazel_lib as the motivating case. Done means subrules can declare and use multiple toolchains through explicit exec groups.

Written by the indexing model from the issue text.

Assessment

Tech stack
build-system
Domain
build-system
Issue type
Feature
Difficulty
5/5
Estimated time
Over a week
Activity status
Quiet
Clarity
Mostly clear
Newbie friendliness
38/100

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