Feature gates

This chapter is intended to provide basic help for adding, removing, and modifying feature gates.

Note that this is specific to language feature gates; library feature gates use a different mechanism.

Adding a feature gate

See "Stability in code" in the "Implementing new features" section for instructions.

Removing a feature gate

To remove a feature gate, follow these steps:

1. Remove the feature gate declaration in rustc_feature/src/unstable.rs. It will look like this:

   /// description of feature
   (unstable, $feature_name, "$version", Some($tracking_issue_number))

2. Add a modified version of the feature gate declaration that you just removed to rustc_feature/src/removed.rs:

   /// description of feature
   (removed, $old_feature_name, "$version", Some($tracking_issue_number),
    Some("$why_it_was_removed"))

Renaming a feature gate

To rename a feature gate, follow these steps (the first two are the same steps to follow when removing a feature gate):

1. Remove the old feature gate declaration in rustc_feature/src/unstable.rs. It will look like this:

   /// description of feature
   (unstable, $old_feature_name, "$version", Some($tracking_issue_number))

2. Add a modified version of the old feature gate declaration that you just removed to rustc_feature/src/removed.rs:

   /// description of feature
   /// Renamed to `$new_feature_name`
   (removed, $old_feature_name, "$version", Some($tracking_issue_number),
    Some("renamed to `$new_feature_name`"))

3. Add a feature gate declaration with the new name to rustc_feature/src/unstable.rs. It should look very similar to the old declaration:

   /// description of feature
   (unstable, $new_feature_name, "$version", Some($tracking_issue_number))

Stabilizing a feature

See "Updating the feature-gate listing" in the "Stabilizing Features" chapter for instructions. There are additional steps you will need to take beyond just updating the declaration!