rust-lang / rust-lang/rust

Rules around call resolution on `fn_traits` are confusing

Open
#120,022 2 comments 0 reactions 0 assignees View on GitHub

Nobody has claimed this yet.

C-discussion F-unboxed_closures requires-nightly T-compiler
Dominant language
Rust
Stars
119k
Forks
16.1k
PR merge metrics
PR metrics pending

Description

I tried this code:

#![feature(fn_traits, unboxed_closures)]

pub struct Foo<F>(F); // a simple newtype over closure object, nothing more

impl<F: FnOnce(A) -> B, A, B> FnOnce<(A,)> for Foo<F> {
    type Output = B;

    extern "rust-call" fn call_once(self, (a,): (A,)) -> B {
        (self.0)(a)
    }
}

impl<F: FnMut(A) -> B, A, B> FnMut<(A,)> for Foo<F> {
    extern "rust-call" fn call_mut(&mut self, (a,): (A,)) -> B {
        (&mut self.0)(a)
    }
}

impl<F: Fn(A) -> B, A, B> Fn<(A,)> for Foo<F> {
    extern "rust-call" fn call(&self, (a,): (A,)) -> B {
        (&self.0)(a)
    }
}

fn main() {
    let mut s = String::new();
    
    // This works
    {
        let mut closure = |()| s.push_str("");
        (move |x| closure(x))(());
    }
    
    // This doesn't!
    {
        let closure = |()| s.push_str("");
        (Foo(closure))(());
    }
}

(playground)

I expected to see this happen: FnMut gets picked up as the next candidate fitting for closure call, code compiles succesfully.

Instead, this happened: the closest candidate in method resolution should be Self, if anything, but, evidently, &Self is preferred instead. It would be justifiable for closures specifically if the code could be compiled. It doesn't seem to align with anything known so far about either closures or method call expressions. Removing Fn impl makes the code compile successfully, but it shouldn't be considered at all due to unsatisfied F: Fn bound.

Meta

rustc version: 1.76.0 nightly

Main tracking issue: #29625

Contributor guide

Open the contributing guide

First steps

  1. Read the whole issue, then the project's contributing guide.
  2. Comment on the issue to say you are picking it up — it saves two people doing the same work.
  3. Fork the repository and make your change on a branch.
  4. Open a pull request that references the issue number.

Research direction

Start by reproducing the behavior in the linked Rust Playground with the nightly compiler and compare the working closure call with the Foo<F> call. Read the rules discussed in tracking issue #29625 and determine how Fn, FnMut, and FnOnce candidates are ordered during call resolution. Done means the resolution rules and intended compiler behavior are clearly decided and documented or implemented.

Written by the indexing model from the issue text.

Assessment

Tech stack
rust
Domain
compilers
Issue type
Bug
Difficulty
5/5
Estimated time
Over a week
Activity status
Stale
Clarity
Needs clarification
Newbie friendliness
25/100

Get new issues in your inbox

A short digest of beginner-friendly GitHub issues.