core/slice/
raw.rs

1//! Free functions to create `&[T]` and `&mut [T]`.
2
3use crate::ops::Range;
4use crate::{array, ptr, ub_checks};
5
6/// Forms a slice from a pointer and a length.
7///
8/// The `len` argument is the number of **elements**, not the number of bytes.
9///
10/// # Safety
11///
12/// Behavior is undefined if any of the following conditions are violated:
13///
14/// * `data` must be non-null, [valid] for reads for `len * size_of::<T>()` many bytes,
15///   and it must be properly aligned. This means in particular:
16///
17///     * The entire memory range of this slice must be contained within a single allocation!
18///       Slices can never span across multiple allocations. See [below](#incorrect-usage)
19///       for an example incorrectly not taking this into account.
20///     * `data` must be non-null and aligned even for zero-length slices or slices of ZSTs. One
21///       reason for this is that enum layout optimizations may rely on references
22///       (including slices of any length) being aligned and non-null to distinguish
23///       them from other data. You can obtain a pointer that is usable as `data`
24///       for zero-length slices using [`NonNull::dangling()`].
25///
26/// * `data` must point to `len` consecutive properly initialized values of type `T`.
27///
28/// * The memory referenced by the returned slice must not be mutated for the duration
29///   of lifetime `'a`, except inside an `UnsafeCell`.
30///
31/// * The total size `len * size_of::<T>()` of the slice must be no larger than `isize::MAX`,
32///   and adding that size to `data` must not "wrap around" the address space.
33///   See the safety documentation of [`pointer::offset`].
34///
35/// # Caveat
36///
37/// The lifetime for the returned slice is inferred from its usage. To
38/// prevent accidental misuse, it's suggested to tie the lifetime to whichever
39/// source lifetime is safe in the context, such as by providing a helper
40/// function taking the lifetime of a host value for the slice, or by explicit
41/// annotation.
42///
43/// # Examples
44///
45/// ```
46/// use std::slice;
47///
48/// // manifest a slice for a single element
49/// let x = 42;
50/// let ptr = &x as *const _;
51/// let slice = unsafe { slice::from_raw_parts(ptr, 1) };
52/// assert_eq!(slice[0], 42);
53/// ```
54///
55/// ### Incorrect usage
56///
57/// The following `join_slices` function is **unsound** ⚠️
58///
59/// ```rust,no_run
60/// use std::slice;
61///
62/// fn join_slices<'a, T>(fst: &'a [T], snd: &'a [T]) -> &'a [T] {
63///     let fst_end = fst.as_ptr().wrapping_add(fst.len());
64///     let snd_start = snd.as_ptr();
65///     assert_eq!(fst_end, snd_start, "Slices must be contiguous!");
66///     unsafe {
67///         // The assertion above ensures `fst` and `snd` are contiguous, but they might
68///         // still be contained within _different allocations_, in which case
69///         // creating this slice is undefined behavior.
70///         slice::from_raw_parts(fst.as_ptr(), fst.len() + snd.len())
71///     }
72/// }
73///
74/// fn main() {
75///     // `a` and `b` are different allocations...
76///     let a = 42;
77///     let b = 27;
78///     // ... which may nevertheless be laid out contiguously in memory: | a | b |
79///     let _ = join_slices(slice::from_ref(&a), slice::from_ref(&b)); // UB
80/// }
81/// ```
82///
83/// ### FFI: Handling null pointers
84///
85/// In languages such as C++, pointers to empty collections are not guaranteed to be non-null.
86/// When accepting such pointers, they have to be checked for null-ness to avoid undefined
87/// behavior.
88///
89/// ```
90/// use std::slice;
91///
92/// /// Sum the elements of an FFI slice.
93/// ///
94/// /// # Safety
95/// ///
96/// /// If ptr is not NULL, it must be correctly aligned and
97/// /// point to `len` initialized items of type `f32`.
98/// unsafe extern "C" fn sum_slice(ptr: *const f32, len: usize) -> f32 {
99///     let data = if ptr.is_null() {
100///         // `len` is assumed to be 0.
101///         &[]
102///     } else {
103///         // SAFETY: see function docstring.
104///         unsafe { slice::from_raw_parts(ptr, len) }
105///     };
106///     data.into_iter().sum()
107/// }
108///
109/// // This could be the result of C++'s std::vector::data():
110/// let ptr = std::ptr::null();
111/// // And this could be std::vector::size():
112/// let len = 0;
113/// assert_eq!(unsafe { sum_slice(ptr, len) }, 0.0);
114/// ```
115///
116/// [valid]: ptr#safety
117/// [`NonNull::dangling()`]: ptr::NonNull::dangling
118#[inline]
119#[stable(feature = "rust1", since = "1.0.0")]
120#[rustc_const_stable(feature = "const_slice_from_raw_parts", since = "1.64.0")]
121#[must_use]
122#[rustc_diagnostic_item = "slice_from_raw_parts"]
123#[track_caller]
124pub const unsafe fn from_raw_parts<'a, T>(data: *const T, len: usize) -> &'a [T] {
125    // SAFETY: the caller must uphold the safety contract for `from_raw_parts`.
126    unsafe {
127        ub_checks::assert_unsafe_precondition!(
128            check_language_ub,
129            "slice::from_raw_parts requires the pointer to be aligned and non-null, and the total size of the slice not to exceed `isize::MAX`",
130            (
131                data: *mut () = data as *mut (),
132                size: usize = size_of::<T>(),
133                align: usize = align_of::<T>(),
134                len: usize = len,
135            ) =>
136            ub_checks::maybe_is_aligned_and_not_null(data, align, false)
137                && ub_checks::is_valid_allocation_size(size, len)
138        );
139        &*ptr::slice_from_raw_parts(data, len)
140    }
141}
142
143/// Performs the same functionality as [`from_raw_parts`], except that a
144/// mutable slice is returned.
145///
146/// # Safety
147///
148/// Behavior is undefined if any of the following conditions are violated:
149///
150/// * `data` must be non-null, [valid] for both reads and writes for `len * size_of::<T>()` many bytes,
151///   and it must be properly aligned. This means in particular:
152///
153///     * The entire memory range of this slice must be contained within a single allocation!
154///       Slices can never span across multiple allocations.
155///     * `data` must be non-null and aligned even for zero-length slices or slices of ZSTs. One
156///       reason for this is that enum layout optimizations may rely on references
157///       (including slices of any length) being aligned and non-null to distinguish
158///       them from other data. You can obtain a pointer that is usable as `data`
159///       for zero-length slices using [`NonNull::dangling()`].
160///
161/// * `data` must point to `len` consecutive properly initialized values of type `T`.
162///
163/// * The memory referenced by the returned slice must not be accessed through any other pointer
164///   (not derived from the return value) for the duration of lifetime `'a`.
165///   Both read and write accesses are forbidden.
166///
167/// * The total size `len * size_of::<T>()` of the slice must be no larger than `isize::MAX`,
168///   and adding that size to `data` must not "wrap around" the address space.
169///   See the safety documentation of [`pointer::offset`].
170///
171/// [valid]: ptr#safety
172/// [`NonNull::dangling()`]: ptr::NonNull::dangling
173#[inline]
174#[stable(feature = "rust1", since = "1.0.0")]
175#[rustc_const_stable(feature = "const_slice_from_raw_parts_mut", since = "1.83.0")]
176#[must_use]
177#[rustc_diagnostic_item = "slice_from_raw_parts_mut"]
178#[track_caller]
179pub const unsafe fn from_raw_parts_mut<'a, T>(data: *mut T, len: usize) -> &'a mut [T] {
180    // SAFETY: the caller must uphold the safety contract for `from_raw_parts_mut`.
181    unsafe {
182        ub_checks::assert_unsafe_precondition!(
183            check_language_ub,
184            "slice::from_raw_parts_mut requires the pointer to be aligned and non-null, and the total size of the slice not to exceed `isize::MAX`",
185            (
186                data: *mut () = data as *mut (),
187                size: usize = size_of::<T>(),
188                align: usize = align_of::<T>(),
189                len: usize = len,
190            ) =>
191            ub_checks::maybe_is_aligned_and_not_null(data, align, false)
192                && ub_checks::is_valid_allocation_size(size, len)
193        );
194        &mut *ptr::slice_from_raw_parts_mut(data, len)
195    }
196}
197
198/// Converts a reference to T into a slice of length 1 (without copying).
199#[stable(feature = "from_ref", since = "1.28.0")]
200#[rustc_const_stable(feature = "const_slice_from_ref_shared", since = "1.63.0")]
201#[rustc_diagnostic_item = "slice_from_ref"]
202#[must_use]
203pub const fn from_ref<T>(s: &T) -> &[T] {
204    array::from_ref(s)
205}
206
207/// Converts a reference to T into a slice of length 1 (without copying).
208#[stable(feature = "from_ref", since = "1.28.0")]
209#[rustc_const_stable(feature = "const_slice_from_ref", since = "1.83.0")]
210#[must_use]
211pub const fn from_mut<T>(s: &mut T) -> &mut [T] {
212    array::from_mut(s)
213}
214
215/// Forms a slice from a pointer range.
216///
217/// This function is useful for interacting with foreign interfaces which
218/// use two pointers to refer to a range of elements in memory, as is
219/// common in C++.
220///
221/// # Safety
222///
223/// Behavior is undefined if any of the following conditions are violated:
224///
225/// * The `start` pointer of the range must be a non-null, [valid] and properly aligned pointer
226///   to the first element of a slice.
227///
228/// * The `end` pointer must be a [valid] and properly aligned pointer to *one past*
229///   the last element, such that the offset from the end to the start pointer is
230///   the length of the slice.
231///
232/// * The entire memory range of this slice must be contained within a single allocation!
233///   Slices can never span across multiple allocations.
234///
235/// * The range must contain `N` consecutive properly initialized values of type `T`.
236///
237/// * The memory referenced by the returned slice must not be mutated for the duration
238///   of lifetime `'a`, except inside an `UnsafeCell`.
239///
240/// * The total length of the range must be no larger than `isize::MAX`,
241///   and adding that size to `start` must not "wrap around" the address space.
242///   See the safety documentation of [`pointer::offset`].
243///
244/// Note that a range created from [`slice::as_ptr_range`] fulfills these requirements.
245///
246/// # Panics
247///
248/// This function panics if `T` is a Zero-Sized Type (“ZST”).
249///
250/// # Caveat
251///
252/// The lifetime for the returned slice is inferred from its usage. To
253/// prevent accidental misuse, it's suggested to tie the lifetime to whichever
254/// source lifetime is safe in the context, such as by providing a helper
255/// function taking the lifetime of a host value for the slice, or by explicit
256/// annotation.
257///
258/// # Examples
259///
260/// ```
261/// #![feature(slice_from_ptr_range)]
262///
263/// use core::slice;
264///
265/// let x = [1, 2, 3];
266/// let range = x.as_ptr_range();
267///
268/// unsafe {
269///     assert_eq!(slice::from_ptr_range(range), &x);
270/// }
271/// ```
272///
273/// [valid]: ptr#safety
274#[unstable(feature = "slice_from_ptr_range", issue = "89792")]
275#[rustc_const_unstable(feature = "const_slice_from_ptr_range", issue = "89792")]
276#[track_caller]
277pub const unsafe fn from_ptr_range<'a, T>(range: Range<*const T>) -> &'a [T] {
278    // SAFETY: the caller must uphold the safety contract for `from_ptr_range`.
279    unsafe { from_raw_parts(range.start, range.end.offset_from_unsigned(range.start)) }
280}
281
282/// Forms a mutable slice from a pointer range.
283///
284/// This is the same functionality as [`from_ptr_range`], except that a
285/// mutable slice is returned.
286///
287/// This function is useful for interacting with foreign interfaces which
288/// use two pointers to refer to a range of elements in memory, as is
289/// common in C++.
290///
291/// # Safety
292///
293/// Behavior is undefined if any of the following conditions are violated:
294///
295/// * The `start` pointer of the range must be a non-null, [valid] and properly aligned pointer
296///   to the first element of a slice.
297///
298/// * The `end` pointer must be a [valid] and properly aligned pointer to *one past*
299///   the last element, such that the offset from the end to the start pointer is
300///   the length of the slice.
301///
302/// * The entire memory range of this slice must be contained within a single allocation!
303///   Slices can never span across multiple allocations.
304///
305/// * The range must contain `N` consecutive properly initialized values of type `T`.
306///
307/// * The memory referenced by the returned slice must not be accessed through any other pointer
308///   (not derived from the return value) for the duration of lifetime `'a`.
309///   Both read and write accesses are forbidden.
310///
311/// * The total length of the range must be no larger than `isize::MAX`,
312///   and adding that size to `start` must not "wrap around" the address space.
313///   See the safety documentation of [`pointer::offset`].
314///
315/// Note that a range created from [`slice::as_mut_ptr_range`] fulfills these requirements.
316///
317/// # Panics
318///
319/// This function panics if `T` is a Zero-Sized Type (“ZST”).
320///
321/// # Caveat
322///
323/// The lifetime for the returned slice is inferred from its usage. To
324/// prevent accidental misuse, it's suggested to tie the lifetime to whichever
325/// source lifetime is safe in the context, such as by providing a helper
326/// function taking the lifetime of a host value for the slice, or by explicit
327/// annotation.
328///
329/// # Examples
330///
331/// ```
332/// #![feature(slice_from_ptr_range)]
333///
334/// use core::slice;
335///
336/// let mut x = [1, 2, 3];
337/// let range = x.as_mut_ptr_range();
338///
339/// unsafe {
340///     assert_eq!(slice::from_mut_ptr_range(range), &mut [1, 2, 3]);
341/// }
342/// ```
343///
344/// [valid]: ptr#safety
345#[unstable(feature = "slice_from_ptr_range", issue = "89792")]
346#[rustc_const_unstable(feature = "const_slice_from_mut_ptr_range", issue = "89792")]
347pub const unsafe fn from_mut_ptr_range<'a, T>(range: Range<*mut T>) -> &'a mut [T] {
348    // SAFETY: the caller must uphold the safety contract for `from_mut_ptr_range`.
349    unsafe { from_raw_parts_mut(range.start, range.end.offset_from_unsigned(range.start)) }
350}