The most used unstable features in Rust

[brson]

Here’s a list of the most used unstable Rust features on the 6794 crates on crates.io. Here’s the raw data if you want to do your own thing.

    398 test
    239 plugin
    140 rustc_private
    135 plugin_registrar
    123 core
     87 collections
     73 custom_derive
     72 box_syntax
     68 quote
     59 alloc
     58 phase
     55 libc
     54 std_misc
     47 unboxed_closures
     41 macro_rules
     41 io
     40 const_fn
     35 asm
     33 slice_patterns
     33 custom_attribute
     32 convert
     30 heap_api
     29 question_mark
     29 globs
     29 core_intrinsics
     28 unsafe_destructor
     22 proc_macro
     22 old_io
     21 box_patterns
     20 unique
     20 slicing_syntax
     19 unicode
     19 associated_type_defaults
     18 associated_consts
     17 step_by
     16 no_std
     15 zero_one
     15 path
     13 filling_drop
     12 trace_macros
     12 stmt_expr_attributes
     12 proc_macro_lib
     12 optin_builtin_traits
     12 oom
     12 fnbox
     11 unsafe_no_drop_flag
     11 specialization
     11 path_ext
     11 fs
     11 alloc_system
     10 type_ascription
     10 if_let
     10 hash
     10 env
     10 collections_bound
      9 raw
      8 rand
      8 os
      8 concat_idents
      7 type_macros
      7 lang_items
      7 iter_arith
      7 fn_traits
      7 coerce_unsized
      7 allocator
      6 unsize
      6 simd
      6 reflect_marker
      6 prelude_import
      6 placement_in_syntax
      6 old_path
      6 hashmap_hasher
      6 drain
      6 btree_range
      6 associated_types
      5 vec_push_all
      5 str_char
      5 start
      5 shared
      5 scoped
      5 repr_simd
      5 non_ascii_idents
      5 macro_reexport
      5 inclusive_range_syntax
      5 default_type_params
      5 core_slice_ext
      5 conservative_impl_trait
      5 cfg_target_feature
      5 append
      4 tuple_indexing
      4 staged_api
      4 simd_ffi
      4 platform_intrinsics
      4 op_assign_traits
      4 nonzero
      4 mpsc_select
      4 link_llvm_intrinsics
      4 linkage
      4 ip_addr
      4 int_uint
      4 get_type_id
      4 fs_walk
      4 exit_status
      4 dropck_parametricity
      4 catch_panic
      4 box_raw
      4 augmented_assignments
      4 {}
      3 try_from
      3 tcp
      3 str_escape
      3 slice_bytes
      3 rustc_macro
      3 rt
      3 result_expect
      3 read_exact
      3 rc_weak
      3 pub_restricted
      3 ptr_as_ref
      3 process
      3 placement_new_protocol
      3 pattern
      3 path_relative_from
      3 old_orphan_check
      3 num_bits_bytes
      3 net
      3 naked_functions
      3 main
      3 intrinsics
      3 into_cow
      3 fs_time
      3 fixed_size_array
      3 duration
      3 core_prelude
      3 core_float
      3 braced_empty_structs
      3 arc_counts
      3 ...
      3
      2 unmarked_api
      2 time2
      2 thread_local
      2 tempdir
      2 std_panic
      2 static_mutex
      2 slice_concat_ext
      2 set_recovery
      2 scheme
      2 rustdoc
      2 rustc_attrs
      2 recover
      2 process_exec
      2 on_unimplemented
      2 lookup_host
      2 link_args
      2 iter_order
      2 iter_cmp
      2 ip
      2 integer_atomics
      2 float_extras
      2 enumset
      2 drop_types_in_const
      2 compile
      2 collections_range
      2 clone_from_slice
      2 bit_vec_append_split_off
      2 binary_heap_extras
      1 wrapping
      1 while_let
      1 wait_timeout
      1 vecmap
      1 unwind_attributes
      1 untagged_unions
      1 unboxed_closure_sugar
      1 types]
      1 thread_sleep
      1 structural_match
      1 step_trait
      1 static_in_const
      1 split_off
      1 slice_splits
      1 sip_hash_13
      1 scoped_tls
      1 rustc_macro_lib
      1 rustc_builtins
      1 read_and_zero
      1 rc_unique
      1 rc_counts
      1 range_inclusive
      1 panic_propagate
      1 page_size
      1 negate_unsigned
      1 map_values_mut
      1 map_in_place
      1 map_entry_recover_keys
      1 managed_boxes
      1 log_syntax
      1 list
      1 linked_list_extras
      1 iter_idx
      1 iter_arith_traits
      1 io_take_into_inner
      1 inclusive_range
      1 import_shadowing
      1 hasher_write
      1 hash_default
      1 fused
      1 fs_ext
      1 fs_canonicalize
      1 forktable
      1 float_from_str_radix
      1 drop_in_place
      1 dotdot_in_tuple_patterns
      1 dir_entry_ext
      1 dir_builder
      1 deque_extras
      1 deprecated
      1 cstr_to_str
      1 cstr_memory
      1 copy_from_slice
      1 collections_drain
      1 cfg_target_vendor
      1 cell_extras
      1 btree_append
      1 advanced_slice_patterns

[jethrogb]

Annotated with information from feature_gate.rs (source):

count feature name                    status    versn issue#
  398 test                            -             - -
  239 plugin                          active    1.0.0 29597
  140 rustc_private                   -             - -
  135 plugin_registrar                active    1.0.0 29597
  123 core                            -             - -
   87 collections                     -             - -
   73 custom_derive                   active    1.0.0 29644
   72 box_syntax                      active    1.0.0 27779
   68 quote                           active    1.0.0 29601
   59 alloc                           -             - -
   58 phase                           -             - -
   55 libc                            -             - -
   54 std_misc                        -             - -
   47 unboxed_closures                active    1.0.0 29625
   41 macro_rules                     accepted  1.0.0 -
   41 io                              -             - -
   40 const_fn                        active    1.2.0 24111
   35 asm                             active    1.0.0 29722
   33 slice_patterns                  active    1.0.0 23121
   33 custom_attribute                active    1.0.0 29642
   32 convert                         -             - -
   30 heap_api                        -             - -
   29 question_mark                   accepted 1.13.0 31436
   29 globs                           accepted  1.0.0 -
   29 core_intrinsics                 -             - -
   28 unsafe_destructor               -             - -
   22 proc_macro                      active   1.13.0 35900
   22 old_io                          -             - -
   21 box_patterns                    active    1.0.0 29641
   20 unique                          -             - -
   20 slicing_syntax                  accepted  1.0.0 -
   19 unicode                         -             - -
   19 associated_type_defaults        active    1.2.0 29661
   18 associated_consts               active    1.0.0 29646
   17 step_by                         -             - -
   16 no_std                          accepted  1.6.0 -
   15 zero_one                        -             - -
   15 path                            -             - -
   13 filling_drop                    -             - -
   12 trace_macros                    active    1.0.0 29598
   12 stmt_expr_attributes            active    1.6.0 15701
   12 proc_macro_lib                  -             - -
   12 optin_builtin_traits            active    1.0.0 13231
   12 oom                             -             - -
   12 fnbox                           -             - -
   11 unsafe_no_drop_flag             removed   1.0.0 -
   11 specialization                  active    1.7.0 31844
   11 path_ext                        -             - -
   11 fs                              -             - -
   11 alloc_system                    -             - -
   10 type_ascription                 active    1.6.0 23416
   10 if_let                          accepted  1.0.0 -
   10 hash                            -             - -
   10 env                             -             - -
   10 collections_bound               -             - -
    9 raw                             -             - -
    8 rand                            -             - -
    8 os                              -             - -
    8 concat_idents                   active    1.0.0 29599
    7 type_macros                     accepted 1.13.0 27245
    7 lang_items                      active    1.0.0 -
    7 iter_arith                      -             - -
    7 fn_traits                       -             - -
    7 coerce_unsized                  -             - -
    7 allocator                       active    1.0.0 27389
    6 unsize                          -             - -
    6 simd                            active    1.0.0 27731
    6 reflect_marker                  -             - -
    6 prelude_import                  active    1.2.0 -
    6 placement_in_syntax             active    1.0.0 27779
    6 old_path                        -             - -
    6 hashmap_hasher                  -             - -
    6 drain                           -             - -
    6 btree_range                     -             - -
    6 associated_types                accepted  1.0.0 -
    5 vec_push_all                    -             - -
    5 str_char                        -             - -
    5 start                           active    1.0.0 29633
    5 shared                          -             - -
    5 scoped                          -             - -
    5 repr_simd                       active    1.4.0 27731
    5 non_ascii_idents                active    1.0.0 28979
    5 macro_reexport                  active    1.0.0 29638
    5 inclusive_range_syntax          active    1.7.0 28237
    5 default_type_params             accepted  1.0.0 -
    5 core_slice_ext                  -             - -
    5 conservative_impl_trait         active   1.12.0 34511
    5 cfg_target_feature              active    1.4.0 29717
    5 append                          -             - -
    4 tuple_indexing                  accepted  1.0.0 -
    4 staged_api                      active    1.0.0 -
    4 simd_ffi                        active    1.0.0 27731
    4 platform_intrinsics             active    1.4.0 27731
    4 op_assign_traits                -             - -
    4 nonzero                         -             - -
    4 mpsc_select                     -             - -
    4 link_llvm_intrinsics            active    1.0.0 29602
    4 linkage                         active    1.0.0 29603
    4 ip_addr                         -             - -
    4 int_uint                        -             - -
    4 get_type_id                     -             - -
    4 fs_walk                         -             - -
    4 exit_status                     -             - -
    4 dropck_parametricity            active    1.3.0 28498
    4 catch_panic                     -             - -
    4 box_raw                         -             - -
    4 augmented_assignments           accepted  1.8.0 28235
    3 try_from                        -             - -
    3 tcp                             -             - -
    3 str_escape                      -             - -
    3 slice_bytes                     -             - -
    3 rustc_macro                     -             - -
    3 rt                              -             - -
    3 result_expect                   -             - -
    3 read_exact                      -             - -
    3 rc_weak                         -             - -
    3 pub_restricted                  active    1.9.0 32409
    3 ptr_as_ref                      -             - -
    3 process                         -             - -
    3 placement_new_protocol          -             - -
    3 pattern                         -             - -
    3 path_relative_from              -             - -
    3 old_orphan_check                -             - -
    3 num_bits_bytes                  -             - -
    3 net                             -             - -
    3 naked_functions                 active    1.9.0 32408
    3 main                            active    1.0.0 29634
    3 intrinsics                      active    1.0.0 -
    3 into_cow                        -             - -
    3 fs_time                         -             - -
    3 fixed_size_array                -             - -
    3 duration                        -             - -
    3 core_prelude                    -             - -
    3 core_float                      -             - -
    3 braced_empty_structs            accepted  1.8.0 29720
    3 arc_counts                      -             - -
    2 unmarked_api                    active    1.0.0 -
    2 time2                           -             - -
    2 thread_local                    active    1.0.0 29594
    2 tempdir                         -             - -
    2 std_panic                       -             - -
    2 static_mutex                    -             - -
    2 slice_concat_ext                -             - -
    2 set_recovery                    -             - -
    2 scheme                          -             - -
    2 rustdoc                         -             - -
    2 rustc_attrs                     active    1.0.0 29642
    2 recover                         -             - -
    2 process_exec                    -             - -
    2 on_unimplemented                active    1.0.0 29628
    2 lookup_host                     -             - -
    2 link_args                       active    1.0.0 29596
    2 iter_order                      -             - -
    2 iter_cmp                        -             - -
    2 ip                              -             - -
    2 integer_atomics                 -             - -
    2 float_extras                    -             - -
    2 enumset                         -             - -
    2 drop_types_in_const             active    1.9.0 33156
    2 compile                         -             - -
    2 collections_range               -             - -
    2 clone_from_slice                -             - -
    2 bit_vec_append_split_off        -             - -
    2 binary_heap_extras              -             - -
    1 wrapping                        -             - -
    1 while_let                       accepted  1.0.0 -
    1 wait_timeout                    -             - -
    1 vecmap                          -             - -
    1 unwind_attributes               active    1.4.0 -
    1 untagged_unions                 active   1.13.0 32836
    1 unboxed_closure_sugar           -             - -
    1 types]                          -             - -
    1 thread_sleep                    -             - -
    1 structural_match                active    1.8.0 31434
    1 step_trait                      -             - -
    1 static_in_const                 active   1.13.0 35897
    1 split_off                       -             - -
    1 slice_splits                    -             - -
    1 sip_hash_13                     -             - -
    1 scoped_tls                      -             - -
    1 rustc_macro_lib                 -             - -
    1 rustc_builtins                  -             - -
    1 read_and_zero                   -             - -
    1 rc_unique                       -             - -
    1 rc_counts                       -             - -
    1 range_inclusive                 -             - -
    1 panic_propagate                 -             - -
    1 page_size                       -             - -
    1 negate_unsigned                 removed   1.0.0 29645
    1 map_values_mut                  -             - -
    1 map_in_place                    -             - -
    1 map_entry_recover_keys          -             - -
    1 managed_boxes                   removed   1.0.0 -
    1 log_syntax                      active    1.0.0 29598
    1 list                            -             - -
    1 linked_list_extras              -             - -
    1 iter_idx                        -             - -
    1 iter_arith_traits               -             - -
    1 io_take_into_inner              -             - -
    1 inclusive_range                 -             - -
    1 import_shadowing                removed   1.0.0 -
    1 hasher_write                    -             - -
    1 hash_default                    -             - -
    1 fused                           -             - -
    1 fs_ext                          -             - -
    1 fs_canonicalize                 -             - -
    1 forktable                       -             - -
    1 float_from_str_radix            -             - -
    1 drop_in_place                   -             - -
    1 dotdot_in_tuple_patterns        accepted 1.14.0 33627
    1 dir_entry_ext                   -             - -
    1 dir_builder                     -             - -
    1 deque_extras                    -             - -
    1 deprecated                      accepted  1.9.0 29935
    1 cstr_to_str                     -             - -
    1 cstr_memory                     -             - -
    1 copy_from_slice                 -             - -
    1 collections_drain               -             - -
    1 cfg_target_vendor               active    1.5.0 29718
    1 cell_extras                     -             - -
    1 btree_append                    -             - -
    1 advanced_slice_patterns         active    1.0.0 23121

[jethrogb]

There are a few odd ones in the list:

      4 {}
      3 ...
      3

Are those real or artifacts of how you collected the data?

It’s interesting that so many highly-used features do not have information about them in feature_gate.rs. What is the difference between the ones in that file and the ones from the tidy script?

[petrochenkov]

It’s interesting that so many highly-used features do not have information about them in feature_gate.rs. What is the difference between the ones in that file and the ones from the tidy script?

feature_gate.rs doesn’t contain library features. The list certainly needs to be filtered using data from tidy script, I see a lot of features that are stabilized and/or don’t exist anymore.

[Amanieu]

It seems that this does not take “optional” features into account. For example, many crates (such as parking_lot) only use nightly features (asm, etc) if the nightly Cargo feature is enabled.

[kennytm]

Actually even worse, it seems to be just a literal fgrep '#![feature'.

As an example, the mbox crate uses 7 features in the nightly channel*, but the raw data only lists placement_in_syntax because there is a #![feature(placement_in_syntax)] in the doc comment.

I guess this also explains @jethrogb’s odd findings, maybe the script hint a literal #![feature(...)] in the comments.

(The 7 features are: specialization, unique, unsize, coerce_unsized, placement_new_protocol, placement_in_syntax, box_syntax)

[steveklabnik]

I found a related bug today:

https://github.com/rust-lang/rust/issues/25724

[luser]

Also somewhat related: I was trying to figure out what the minimum version of Rust required to build my project was (not an easy exercise). I picked some arbitrary older version and hit an error because something was feature-gated in that version. However, I couldn’t find that there’s any easy way to determine when a feature hit stable. It seems like that would be a nice thing to have–a list of features and the version in which they shipped as stable.

[futile]

This might help you: All the Rust features

[josh]

However, I couldn’t find that there’s any easy way to determine when a feature hit stable. It seems like that would be a nice thing to have–a list of features and the version in which they shipped as stable.

If we put enough of this information into rustc itself, we could have a rustc option that says “tell me the oldest rustc version this code will work with”. We could even let you declare the version you want to work with, and have rustc error out if you use a feature only found in a newer version. That would require someone doing some annotation of such features, though.

[luser]

If we put enough of this information into rustc itself, we could have a rustc option that says “tell me the oldest rustc version this code will work with”. We could even let you declare the version you want to work with, and have rustc error out if you use a feature only found in a newer version. That would require someone doing some annotation of such features, though.

For library features we already have this information! Presumably we’d need something similar for compiler features?

A user filed an issue on my sccache project because they were having trouble compiling it. First it turned out that their cargo was too old, but then when I tried to manually figure out what rustc version I required it was quite the process. In a perfect world yeah, I’d be able to say min-rust-version = 1.9 and have the compiler error if I use something from a newer release.

[system]

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