rust-lang / rust-lang/rust

Not unsize-coercing leads to "the size for values of type `dyn Trait` cannot be known at compilation time"

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A-diagnostics T-compiler
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Rust
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Description

Code
trait Trait {}

struct Thing;
impl Trait for Thing {}

impl<T: Trait, E> Trait for Result<T, E> {}

impl<T: Trait + ?Sized> Trait for Box<T> {}

fn foo<T>(x: &T) -> impl Trait {
    if true {
        Ok(Box::new(foo(x)))
    } else {
        Ok(Box::new(Thing) as Box<dyn Trait>)
    }
}
Current output
error[E0277]: the size for values of type `dyn Trait` cannot be known at compilation time
  --> src/lib.rs:14:9
   |
14 |         Ok(Box::new(Thing) as Box<dyn Trait>)
   |         ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ doesn't have a size known at compile-time
   |
   = help: the trait `Sized` is not implemented for `dyn Trait`

For more information about this error, try `rustc --explain E0277`.
Desired output

Rationale and extra context

I have no idea what the compiler is trying to tell me here.

Other cases
trait Trait {}

struct Thing;
impl Trait for Thing {}

impl<T: Trait + ?Sized> Trait for Box<T> {}

fn foo<T>(x: &T) -> impl Trait {
    if true {
        Box::new(foo(x))
    } else {
        Box::new(Thing) as Box<dyn Trait>
    }
}

Output:

error[E0277]: the size for values of type `dyn Trait` cannot be known at compilation time
  --> src/lib.rs:12:9
   |
12 |         Box::new(Thing) as Box<dyn Trait>
   |         ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ doesn't have a size known at compile-time
   |
   = help: the trait `Sized` is not implemented for `dyn Trait`

error: concrete type differs from previous defining opaque type use
  --> src/lib.rs:8:21
   |
8  | fn foo<T>(x: &T) -> impl Trait {
   |                     ^^^^^^^^^^ expected `dyn Trait`, got `Box<impl Trait>`
   |
note: previous use here
  --> src/lib.rs:12:9
   |
12 |         Box::new(Thing) as Box<dyn Trait>
   |         ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

For more information about this error, try `rustc --explain E0277`.
Rust Version
Reproducible on playground with rust 1.87.0-nightly (2025-02-24 617aad8c2e8783f6df8e)
Anything else?

Minimized from code written by starwort on the rust community discord.

Error output using edition 2024.

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First steps

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  3. Fork the repository and make your change on a branch.
  4. Open a pull request that references the issue number.

Research direction

Reproduce the report with the supplied example on the referenced Rust 1.87.0-nightly version, using the src/lib.rs locations shown in the diagnostics. Read the compiler diagnostic tests and related handling for E0277 and opaque type errors; done means the example produces an explanation that identifies the unsize-coercion problem clearly without the misleading dyn Trait size message.

Written by the indexing model from the issue text.

Assessment

Tech stack
rust
Domain
compilers
Issue type
Bug
Difficulty
4/5
Estimated time
3-5 days
Activity status
Stale
Clarity
Mostly clear
Newbie friendliness
35/100

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