rust: types: add ForLt trait for higher-ranked lifetime support

There are a few cases, e.g. when dealing with data referencing each
other, one might want to write code that is generic over lifetimes. For
example, if you want to take a function that takes `&'a Foo` and gives
`Bar<'a>`, you can write:

    f: impl for<'a> FnOnce(&'a Foo) -> Bar<'a>,

However, it becomes tricky when you want that function to not have a
fixed `Bar`, but have it be generic again. In this case, one needs
something that is generic over types that are themselves generic over
lifetimes.

`ForLt` provides such support. It provides a trait `ForLt` which
describes a type generic over a lifetime. One may use `ForLt::Of<'a>` to
get an instance of a type for a specific lifetime.

For the case of cross referencing, one would almost always want the
lifetime to be covariant. Therefore this is also made a requirement for
the `ForLt` trait, so functions with `ForLt` trait bound can assume
covariance.

A macro `ForLt!()` is provided to be able to obtain a type that
implements `ForLt`. For example, `ForLt!(for<'a> Bar<'a>)` would yield a
type that `<TheType as ForLt>::Of<'a>` is `Bar<'a>`. This also works
with lifetime elision, e.g. `ForLt!(Bar<'_>)` or for types without
lifetime at all, e.g. `ForLt!(u32)`.

The API design draws inspiration from the higher-kinded-types [1] crate,
however a different design decision has been taken (e.g. covariance
requirement) and the implementation is independent.

License headers use "Apache-2.0 OR MIT" because I anticipate this to be
used in pin-init crate too which is licensed as such.

Link: https://docs.rs/higher-kinded-types/ [1]
Reviewed-by: Greg Kroah-Hartman <gregkh@linuxfoundation.org>
Reviewed-by: Eliot Courtney <ecourtney@nvidia.com>
Signed-off-by: Gary Guo <gary@garyguo.net>
Acked-by: Miguel Ojeda <ojeda@kernel.org>
Reviewed-by: Alexandre Courbot <acourbot@nvidia.com>
Link: https://patch.msgid.link/20260525202921.124698-23-dakr@kernel.org
[ Handle macro_rules! invocations in the ForLt! proc macro's covariance
  and WF checks. Since proc macros cannot expand macro_rules!, add a
  visit_macro() implementation to conservatively assume macro
  invocations may contain lifetimes, forcing them through the
  compiler-assisted covariance proof.

  Fix a few typos in the documentation and in the commit message, add
  empty lines before samples, add missing periods and consistently use
  markdown.

  - Danilo ]
Signed-off-by: Danilo Krummrich <dakr@kernel.org>

rust/Makefile

@@ -110,6 +110,7 @@ syn-cfgs := \
     feature="parsing" \
     feature="printing" \
     feature="proc-macro" \
+    feature="visit" \
     feature="visit-mut"
 
 syn-flags := \

rust/kernel/types.rs

@@ -11,6 +11,10 @@
 };
 use pin_init::{PinInit, Wrapper, Zeroable};
 
+#[doc(hidden)]
+pub mod for_lt;
+pub use for_lt::ForLt;
+
 /// Used to transfer ownership to and from foreign (non-Rust) languages.
 ///
 /// Ownership is transferred from Rust to a foreign language by calling [`Self::into_foreign`] and

rust/kernel/types/for_lt.rs

@@ -0,0 +1,122 @@
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0 OR MIT
+
+//! Provide implementation and test of the `ForLt` trait and macro.
+//!
+//! This module is hidden and user should just use `ForLt!` directly.
+
+use core::marker::PhantomData;
+
+/// Representation of types generic over a lifetime.
+///
+/// The type must be covariant over the generic lifetime, i.e. the lifetime parameter
+/// can be soundly shortened.
+///
+/// The lifetime involved must be covariant.
+///
+/// # Macro
+///
+/// It is not recommended to implement this trait directly. `ForLt!` macro is provided to obtain a
+/// type that implements this trait.
+///
+/// The full syntax is
+///
+/// ```
+/// # use kernel::types::ForLt;
+/// # fn expect_lt<F: ForLt>() {}
+/// # struct TypeThatUse<'a>(&'a ());
+/// # expect_lt::<
+/// ForLt!(for<'a> TypeThatUse<'a>)
+/// # >();
+/// ```
+///
+/// which gives a type so that `<ForLt!(for<'a> TypeThatUse<'a>) as ForLt>::Of<'b>`
+/// is `TypeThatUse<'b>`.
+///
+/// You may also use a short-hand syntax which works similar to lifetime elision.
+/// The macro also accepts types that do not involve a lifetime at all.
+///
+/// ```
+/// # use kernel::types::ForLt;
+/// # fn expect_lt<F: ForLt>() {}
+/// # struct TypeThatUse<'a>(&'a ());
+/// # expect_lt::<
+/// ForLt!(TypeThatUse<'_>) // Equivalent to `ForLt!(for<'a> TypeThatUse<'a>)`.
+/// # >();
+/// # expect_lt::<
+/// ForLt!(&u32) // Equivalent to `ForLt!(for<'a> &'a u32)`.
+/// # >();
+/// # expect_lt::<
+/// ForLt!(u32) // Equivalent to `ForLt!(for<'a> u32)`.
+/// # >();
+/// ```
+///
+/// The macro will attempt to prove that the type is indeed covariant over the lifetime supplied.
+/// When it cannot be syntactically proven, it will emit checks to ask the Rust compiler to prove
+/// it.
+///
+/// ```ignore,compile_fail
+/// # use kernel::types::ForLt;
+/// # fn expect_lt<F: ForLt>() {}
+/// # expect_lt::<
+/// ForLt!(fn(&u32)) // Contravariant, will fail compilation.
+/// # >();
+/// ```
+///
+/// There is a limitation if the type refers to generic parameters; if the macro cannot prove the
+/// covariance syntactically, the emitted checks will fail the compilation as it needs to refer to
+/// the generic parameter but is in a separate item.
+///
+/// ```
+/// # use kernel::types::ForLt;
+/// fn expect_lt<F: ForLt>() {}
+/// # #[allow(clippy::unnecessary_safety_comment, reason = "false positive")]
+/// fn generic_fn<T: 'static>() {
+///     // Syntactically proven by the macro
+///     expect_lt::<ForLt!(&T)>();
+///     // Syntactically proven by the macro
+///     expect_lt::<ForLt!(&KBox<T>)>();
+///     // Cannot be syntactically proven, need to check covariance of `KBox`
+///     // expect_lt::<ForLt!(&KBox<&T>)>();
+/// }
+/// ```
+///
+/// # Safety
+///
+/// `Self::Of<'a>` must be covariant over the lifetime `'a`.
+pub unsafe trait ForLt {
+    /// The type parameterized by the lifetime.
+    type Of<'a>: 'a;
+
+    /// Cast a reference to a shorter lifetime.
+    #[inline(always)]
+    fn cast_ref<'r, 'short: 'r, 'long: 'short>(long: &'r Self::Of<'long>) -> &'r Self::Of<'short> {
+        // SAFETY: This is sound as this trait guarantees covariance.
+        unsafe { core::mem::transmute(long) }
+    }
+}
+pub use macros::ForLt;
+
+/// This is intended to be an "unsafe-to-refer-to" type.
+///
+/// Must only be used by the `ForLt!` macro.
+///
+/// `T` is the magic `dyn for<'a> WithLt<'a, TypeThatUse<'a>>` generated by macro.
+///
+/// `WF` is a type that the macro can use to assert some specific type is well-formed.
+///
+/// `N` is to provide the macro a place to emit arbitrary items, in case it needs to prove
+/// additional properties.
+#[doc(hidden)]
+pub struct UnsafeForLtImpl<T: ?Sized, WF, const N: usize>(PhantomData<(WF, T)>);
+
+// This is a helper trait for implementation `ForLt` to be able to use HRTB.
+#[doc(hidden)]
+pub trait WithLt<'a> {
+    type Of: 'a;
+}
+
+// SAFETY: In `ForLt!` macro, a covariance proof is generated when naming `UnsafeForLtImpl`
+// and it will fail to evaluate if the type is not covariant.
+unsafe impl<T: ?Sized + for<'a> WithLt<'a>, WF> ForLt for UnsafeForLtImpl<T, WF, 0> {
+    type Of<'a> = <T as WithLt<'a>>::Of;
+}

rust/macros/for_lt.rs

@@ -0,0 +1,248 @@
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0 OR MIT
+
+use proc_macro2::{
+    Span,
+    TokenStream, //
+};
+use quote::{
+    format_ident,
+    quote, //
+};
+use syn::{
+    parse::{
+        Parse,
+        ParseStream, //
+    },
+    visit::Visit,
+    visit_mut::VisitMut,
+    Lifetime,
+    Result,
+    Token,
+    Type, //
+};
+
+pub(crate) enum HigherRankedType {
+    Explicit {
+        _for_token: Token![for],
+        _lt_token: Token![<],
+        lifetime: Lifetime,
+        _gt_token: Token![>],
+        ty: Type,
+    },
+    Implicit {
+        ty: Type,
+    },
+}
+
+impl Parse for HigherRankedType {
+    fn parse(input: ParseStream<'_>) -> Result<Self> {
+        if input.peek(Token![for]) {
+            Ok(Self::Explicit {
+                _for_token: input.parse()?,
+                _lt_token: input.parse()?,
+                lifetime: input.parse()?,
+                _gt_token: input.parse()?,
+                ty: input.parse()?,
+            })
+        } else {
+            Ok(Self::Implicit { ty: input.parse()? })
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+trait TypeExt {
+    fn expand_elided_lifetime(&self, explicit_lt: &Lifetime) -> Type;
+    fn replace_lifetime(&self, src: &Lifetime, dst: &Lifetime) -> Type;
+    fn has_lifetime(&self, lt: &Lifetime) -> bool;
+}
+
+impl TypeExt for Type {
+    fn expand_elided_lifetime(&self, explicit_lt: &Lifetime) -> Type {
+        struct ElidedLifetimeExpander<'a>(&'a Lifetime);
+
+        impl VisitMut for ElidedLifetimeExpander<'_> {
+            fn visit_lifetime_mut(&mut self, lifetime: &mut Lifetime) {
+                // Expand explicit `'_`
+                if lifetime.ident == "_" {
+                    *lifetime = self.0.clone();
+                }
+            }
+
+            fn visit_type_reference_mut(&mut self, reference: &mut syn::TypeReference) {
+                syn::visit_mut::visit_type_reference_mut(self, reference);
+
+                if reference.lifetime.is_none() {
+                    reference.lifetime = Some(self.0.clone());
+                }
+            }
+        }
+
+        let mut ret = self.clone();
+        ElidedLifetimeExpander(explicit_lt).visit_type_mut(&mut ret);
+        ret
+    }
+
+    fn replace_lifetime(&self, src: &Lifetime, dst: &Lifetime) -> Type {
+        struct LifetimeReplacer<'a>(&'a Lifetime, &'a Lifetime);
+
+        impl VisitMut for LifetimeReplacer<'_> {
+            fn visit_lifetime_mut(&mut self, lifetime: &mut Lifetime) {
+                if lifetime.ident == self.0.ident {
+                    *lifetime = self.1.clone();
+                }
+            }
+        }
+
+        let mut ret = self.clone();
+        LifetimeReplacer(src, dst).visit_type_mut(&mut ret);
+        ret
+    }
+
+    fn has_lifetime(&self, lt: &Lifetime) -> bool {
+        struct HasLifetime<'a>(&'a Lifetime, bool);
+
+        impl Visit<'_> for HasLifetime<'_> {
+            fn visit_lifetime(&mut self, lifetime: &Lifetime) {
+                if lifetime.ident == self.0.ident {
+                    self.1 = true;
+                }
+            }
+
+            // Macro invocations are opaque; conservatively assume they may
+            // reference the lifetime.
+            fn visit_macro(&mut self, _: &syn::Macro) {
+                self.1 = true;
+            }
+        }
+
+        let mut visitor = HasLifetime(lt, false);
+        visitor.visit_type(self);
+        visitor.1
+    }
+}
+
+struct Prover<'a>(&'a Lifetime, Vec<&'a Type>);
+
+impl<'a> Prover<'a> {
+    /// Prove that `ty` is covariant over `'lt`.
+    ///
+    /// This also needs to prove that it'll be wellformed for any instance of `'lt`.
+    /// It can be assumed that `ty` will be wellformed if `'lt` is substituted to `'static`.
+    fn prove(&mut self, ty: &'a Type) {
+        match ty {
+            Type::Paren(ty) => self.prove(&ty.elem),
+            Type::Group(ty) => self.prove(&ty.elem),
+
+            // No lifetime involved
+            Type::Never(_) => {}
+
+            // `[T; N]` and `[T]` is covariant over `T`.
+            Type::Array(ty) => self.prove(&ty.elem),
+            Type::Slice(ty) => self.prove(&ty.elem),
+
+            Type::Tuple(ty) => {
+                for elem in &ty.elems {
+                    self.prove(elem);
+                }
+            }
+
+            // `*const T` is covariant over `T`
+            Type::Ptr(ty) if ty.const_token.is_some() => self.prove(&ty.elem),
+
+            // `&T` is covariant over `T` and lifetime.
+            //
+            // Note that if we encounter `&'other_lt T`, then we still need to make sure the type
+            // is wellformed if `T` involves `&'lt`, so we defer to the compiler.
+            //
+            // This is to block cases like `ForLt!(for<'a> &'static &'a u32)`, as the presence of
+            // the type implies `'a: 'static` but this is unsound.
+            Type::Reference(ty)
+                if ty.mutability.is_none() && ty.lifetime.as_ref() == Some(self.0) =>
+            {
+                self.prove(&ty.elem)
+            }
+
+            // `&[mut] T` is covariant over lifetime.
+            // In case we have `&[mut] NoLifetime`, we don't need to do additional checks.
+            Type::Reference(ty) if !ty.elem.has_lifetime(self.0) => (),
+
+            // No mention of lifetime at all, no need to perform compiler check.
+            ty if !ty.has_lifetime(self.0) => (),
+
+            // Otherwise, we need to emit checks so that compiler can determine if the types are
+            // actually covariant.
+            ty => self.1.push(ty),
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+pub(crate) fn for_lt(input: HigherRankedType) -> TokenStream {
+    let (ty, lifetime) = match input {
+        HigherRankedType::Explicit { lifetime, ty, .. } => (ty, lifetime),
+        HigherRankedType::Implicit { ty } => {
+            // If there's no explicit `for<'a>` binder, inject a synthetic `'__elided` lifetime
+            // and expand elided sites.
+            let lifetime = Lifetime {
+                apostrophe: Span::mixed_site(),
+                ident: format_ident!("__elided", span = Span::mixed_site()),
+            };
+            (ty.expand_elided_lifetime(&lifetime), lifetime)
+        }
+    };
+
+    let mut prover = Prover(&lifetime, Vec::new());
+    prover.prove(&ty);
+
+    let mut proof = Vec::new();
+
+    // Emit proofs for every type that requires additional compiler help in proving covariance.
+    for (idx, required_proof) in prover.1.into_iter().enumerate() {
+        // Insert a proof that the type is well-formed.
+        //
+        // This is intended to workaround a Rust compiler soundness bug related to HRTB.
+        // https://github.com/rust-lang/rust/issues/152489
+        //
+        // This needs to be a struct instead of fn to avoid the implied WF bounds.
+        let wf_proof_name = format_ident!("ProveWf{idx}");
+        proof.push(quote!(
+            struct #wf_proof_name<#lifetime>(
+                ::core::marker::PhantomData<&#lifetime ()>, #required_proof
+            );
+        ));
+
+        // Insert a proof that the type is covariant.
+        let cov_proof_name = format_ident!("prove_covariant_{idx}");
+        proof.push(quote!(
+            fn #cov_proof_name<'__short, '__long: '__short>(
+                long: #wf_proof_name<'__long>
+            ) -> #wf_proof_name<'__short> {
+                long
+            }
+        ));
+    }
+
+    // Make sure that the type is wellformed when substituting lifetime with `'static`.
+    //
+    // Currently the Rust compiler doesn't check this, see the above `ProveWf` documentation.
+    //
+    // We prefer to use this way of proving WF-ness as it can work when generics are involved.
+    let ty_static = ty.replace_lifetime(
+        &lifetime,
+        &Lifetime {
+            apostrophe: Span::mixed_site(),
+            ident: format_ident!("static"),
+        },
+    );
+
+    quote!(
+        ::kernel::types::for_lt::UnsafeForLtImpl::<
+            dyn for<#lifetime> ::kernel::types::for_lt::WithLt<#lifetime, Of = #ty>,
+            #ty_static,
+            {
+                #(#proof)*
+
+                0
+            }
+        >
+    )
+}

rust/macros/lib.rs

@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
 mod concat_idents;
 mod export;
 mod fmt;
+mod for_lt;
 mod helpers;
 mod kunit;
 mod module;
@@ -489,3 +490,15 @@ pub fn kunit_tests(attr: TokenStream, input: TokenStream) -> TokenStream {
         .unwrap_or_else(|e| e.into_compile_error())
         .into()
 }
+
+/// Obtain a type that implements [`ForLt`] for the given higher-ranked type.
+///
+/// Please refer to the documentation of the [`ForLt`] trait.
+///
+/// [`ForLt`]: trait.ForLt.html
+#[proc_macro]
+// The macro shares the name with the trait.
+#[allow(non_snake_case)]
+pub fn ForLt(input: TokenStream) -> TokenStream {
+    for_lt::for_lt(parse_macro_input!(input)).into()
+}