================ @@ -610,6 +610,345 @@ the following style significantly: The key part of the tip is to reduce the duplications from the text includes. +Ideas for converting to modules +------------------------------- + +For new libraries, we encourage them to use modules completely from day one if possible. +This will be pretty helpful to make the whole ecosystems to get ready. + +For many existing libraries, it may be a breaking change to refactor themselves +into modules completely. So that many existing libraries need to provide headers and module +interfaces for a while to not break existing users. +Here we provide some ideas to ease the transition process for existing libraries. +**Note that the this section is only about helping ideas instead of requirement from clang**. + +Let's start with the case that there is no dependency or no dependent libraries providing +modules for your library. + +ABI non-breaking styles +~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ + +export-using style +^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ + +.. code-block:: c++ + + module; + #include "header_1.h" + #include "header_2.h" + ... + #include "header_n.h" + export module your_library; + export namespace your_namespace { + using decl_1; + using decl_2; + ... + using decl_n; + } + +As the example shows, you need to include all the headers containing declarations needs +to be exported and `using` such declarations in an `export` block. Then, basically, +we're done. + +export extern-C++ style +^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ + +.. code-block:: c++ + + module; + #include "third_party/A/headers.h" + #include "third_party/B/headers.h" + ... + #include "third_party/Z/headers.h" + export module your_library; + #define IN_MODULE_INTERFACE + extern "C++" { + #include "header_1.h" + #include "header_2.h" + ... + #include "header_n.h" + } + +Then in your headers (from ``header_1.h`` to ``header_n.h``), you need to define the macro: + +.. code-block:: c++ + + #ifdef IN_MODULE_INTERFACE + #define EXPORT export + #else + #define EXPORT + #endif + +And you should put ``EXPORT`` to the beginning of the declarations you want to export. + +Also it is suggested to refactor your headers to include thirdparty headers conditionally: + +.. code-block:: c++ + + + #ifndef IN_MODULE_INTERFACE + #include "third_party/A/headers.h" + + #endif + + #include "header_x.h" + + ... + +This may be helpful to get better diagnostic messages if you forgot to update your module +interface unit file during maintaining. + +The reasoning for the practice is that the declarations in the language linkage are considered +to be attached to the global module. So the ABI of your library in the modular version +wouldn't change. + +While this style looks not as convenient as the export-using style, it is easier to convert +to other styles. + +ABI breaking style +~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ + +The term ``ABI breaking`` sounds terrifying generally. But you may want it here if you want +to force your users to introduce your library in a consistent way. E.g., they either include +your headers all the way or import your modules all the way. +The style prevents the users to include your headers and import your modules at the same time +in the same repo. + +The pattern for ABI breaking style is similar with export extern-C++ style. + +.. code-block:: c++ + + module; + #include "third_party/A/headers.h" + #include "third_party/B/headers.h" + ... + #include "third_party/Z/headers.h" + export module your_library; + #define IN_MODULE_INTERFACE + #include "header_1.h" + #include "header_2.h" + ... + #include "header_n.h" + + #if the number of .cpp files in your project are small + module :private; + #include "source_1.cpp" + #include "source_2.cpp" + ... + #include "source_n.cpp" + #else // the number of .cpp files in your project are a lot + // Using all the declarations from thirdparty libraries which are + // used in the .cpp files. + namespace third_party_namespace { + using third_party_decl_used_in_cpp_1; + using third_party_decl_used_in_cpp_2; + ... + using third_party_decl_used_in_cpp_n; + } + #endif + +(And add `EXPORT` and conditional include to the headers as suggested in the export +extern-C++ style section) + +Remember that the ABI get changed and we need to compile our source files into the +new ABI format. This is the job of the additional part of the interface unit: + +.. code-block:: c++ + + #if the number of .cpp files in your project are small + module :private; + #include "source_1.cpp" + #include "source_2.cpp" + ... + #include "source_n.cpp" + #else // the number of .cpp files in your project are a lot + // Using all the declarations from thirdparty libraries which are + // used in the .cpp files. + namespace third_party_namespace { + using third_party_decl_used_in_cpp_1; + using third_party_decl_used_in_cpp_2; + ... + using third_party_decl_used_in_cpp_n; + } + #endif + +In case the number of your source files are small, we may put everything in the private +module fragment directly. (it is suggested to add conditional include to the source +files too). But it will make the compilation of the module interface unit to be slow +when the number of the source files are not small enough. + +**Note that the private module fragment can only be in the primary module interface unit +and the primary module interface unit containing private module fragment should be the only +module unit of the corresponding module.** + +In that case, you need to convert your source files (.cpp files) to module implementation units: + +.. code-block:: c++ + + + #ifndef IN_MODULE_INTERFACE + // List all the includes here. + #include "third_party/A/headers.h" + ... + #include "header.h" + + #endif + + + module your_library; + + // Following off should be unchanged. + ... + +The module implementation unit will import the primary module implicitly. +We don't include any headers in the module implementation units +here since we want to avoid duplicated declarations between translation units. +This is the reason why we add non-exported using declarations from the third ---------------- dwblaikie wrote:
```suggestion This is the reason why we add non-exported using declarations from third ``` https://github.com/llvm/llvm-project/pull/80687 _______________________________________________ cfe-commits mailing list cfe-commits@lists.llvm.org https://lists.llvm.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/cfe-commits