rust-lang / rust-lang/rust-clippy
`let_unit_value` and `no_effect` trigger for static assertions
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Description
Summary
When using a const to assert certain conditions at compile time, clippy currently first asks to omit the let binding, and after doing so says that the statement has no effect.
Lint Name
let_unit_value, no_effect
Reproducer
I tried this code [playground]:
#![allow(dead_code)]
struct Check<const N: usize>;
impl<const N: usize> Check<N> {
const STATIC_ASSERT: () = {
assert!(N > 0);
};
fn let_unit_value() -> Self {
let _ = Self::STATIC_ASSERT;
Self
}
fn no_effect() -> Self {
Self::STATIC_ASSERT;
Self
}
}
I saw this happen:
warning: this let-binding has unit value
--> src/lib.rs:11:9
|
11 | let _ = Self::STATIC_ASSERT;
| ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ help: omit the `let` binding: `Self::STATIC_ASSERT;`
|
= help: for further information visit https://rust-lang.github.io/rust-clippy/master/index.html#let_unit_value
= note: `#[warn(clippy::let_unit_value)]` on by default
warning: statement with no effect
--> src/lib.rs:16:9
|
16 | Self::STATIC_ASSERT;
| ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
|
= help: for further information visit https://rust-lang.github.io/rust-clippy/master/index.html#no_effect
= note: `#[warn(clippy::no_effect)]` on by default
I expected to see this happen:
No warnings for either case, since 'using' the constant leads to the compiler evaluating it, which can be seen as a side effect.
Version
rustc 1.79.0-nightly (aa067fb98 2024-04-10)
binary: rustc
commit-hash: aa067fb984d36462548bb785da221bfaf38253f0
commit-date: 2024-04-10
host: x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu
release: 1.79.0-nightly
LLVM version: 18.1.3
Additional Labels
No response
Contributor guide
First steps
- Read the whole issue, then the project's contributing guide.
- Comment on the issue to say you are picking it up — it saves two people doing the same work.
- Fork the repository and make your change on a branch.
- Open a pull request that references the issue number.
Research direction
Run the provided Rust reproducer with Clippy to confirm both warnings. Start by locating the implementations and tests for the let_unit_value and no_effect lints, then determine how compile-time evaluation affects their side-effect checks. Done means the static assertion examples no longer trigger either warning while ordinary ineffective statements remain covered.
Written by the indexing model from the issue text.
Assessment
- Tech stack
- rust
- Domain
- devtools
- Issue type
- Bug
- Difficulty
- 4/5
- Estimated time
- 3-5 days
- Activity status
- Stale
- Clarity
- Mostly clear
- Newbie friendliness
- 45/100