[llvm] [llvm] add documentation for public interface annotations (LLVM_ABI, etc) (PR #134710)
Andrew Rogers via llvm-commits
llvm-commits at lists.llvm.org
Mon Apr 7 12:10:50 PDT 2025
https://github.com/andrurogerz created https://github.com/llvm/llvm-project/pull/134710
## Purpose
Add documentation for the existing family of `LLVM_ABI` annotation macros defined in llvm/Support/Compiler.h. These annotations are used to describe LLVM's public interface.
## Background
This documentation is in support of the annotation effort described [here](https://discourse.llvm.org/t/psa-annotating-llvm-public-interface/85307/).
## Validation
Manually inspected rendered ReST document on GitHub.
>From 91490441174cae372045291d92025fa2105e4c4b Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Andrew Rogers <andrurogerz at gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 7 Apr 2025 10:48:33 -0700
Subject: [PATCH] [llvm] add docs for interface annotations (LLVM_ABI, etc)
---
llvm/docs/InterfaceExportAnnotations.rst | 276 +++++++++++++++++++++++
1 file changed, 276 insertions(+)
create mode 100644 llvm/docs/InterfaceExportAnnotations.rst
diff --git a/llvm/docs/InterfaceExportAnnotations.rst b/llvm/docs/InterfaceExportAnnotations.rst
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..bcd246a5bedf1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/llvm/docs/InterfaceExportAnnotations.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,276 @@
+LLVM Interface Export Annotations
+=================================
+
+With the following build settings, LLVM will be built as a shared library with
+hidden default symbol visibility:
+
+::
+
+ LLVM_BUILD_LLVM_DYLIB_VIS=On
+ LLVM_BUILD_LLVM_DYLIB=On
+ LLVM_LINK_LLVM_DYLIB=On
+
+When building LLVM in this configuration, any symbol intended to be visible to
+clients must be explicitly exported.
+
+Exporting a symbol typically requires annotating it with the ``LLVM_ABI`` macro
+defined in `compiler.h
+<https://github.com/llvm/llvm-project/blob/main/llvm/include/llvm/Support/Compiler.h#L152>`__.
+There are similar annotations that must be used in a few special cases. This
+document describes the common patterns for annotating LLVM symbols for export.
+
+Functions
+---------
+
+Exported function declarations in header files must be annotated with
+``LLVM_ABI``.
+
+.. code:: cpp
+
+ #include "llvm/Support/Compiler.h"
+
+ LLVM_ABI void exported_function(int a, int b);
+
+Global Variables
+----------------
+
+Exported global variables must be annotated with ``LLVM_ABI`` at their
+``extern`` declarations.
+
+.. code:: cpp
+
+ #include "llvm/Support/Compiler.h"
+
+ LLVM_ABI extern int exported_global_variable;
+
+Classes, Structs, and Unions
+----------------------------
+
+Classes, structs, and unions can be annotated with ``LLVM_ABI`` at their
+definition, but this option is generally discouraged. Annotating the entire
+definition exports unnecessary symbols, such as private functions, vtables, and
+type information. Instead, ``LLVM_ABI`` should be applied only to public and
+protected method declarations without a body in the header, including
+constructors and destructors.
+
+.. code:: cpp
+
+ #include "llvm/Support/Compiler.h"
+
+ class ExampleClass {
+ public:
+ // Public methods defined externally must be annotatated.
+ LLVM_ABI int sourceDefinedPublicMethod(int a, int b);
+
+ // Methods defined in the class definition do not need annotation.
+ int headerDefinedPublicMethod(int a, int b) {
+ return a + b;
+ }
+
+ // Constructors and destructors must be annotated if defined externally.
+ ExampleClass() {}
+ LLVM_ABI ~ExampleClass();
+
+ // Public static methods defined externally must be annotatated.
+ LLVM_ABI static int sourceDefinedPublicStaticMethod(int a, int b);
+ };
+
+Additionally, public and protected static fields that are not initialized at
+declaration must be annotated with ``LLVM_ABI``.
+
+.. code:: cpp
+
+ #include "llvm/Support/Compiler.h"
+
+ class ExampleClass {
+ public:
+ // Public static fields defined externally must be annotated.
+ LLVM_ABI static int mutableStaticField;
+ LLVM_ABI static const int constStaticField;
+
+ // Static members initialized at declaration do not need to be annotated.
+ static const int initializedConstStaticField = 0;
+ static constexpr int initializedConstexprStaticField = 0;
+ };
+
+Private methods may also require ``LLVM_ABI`` annotation in certain cases. This
+situation occurs when a method defined in a header calls the private method. The
+private method call may be from within the class, a parent class, or a friend
+class.
+
+.. code:: cpp
+
+ #include "llvm/Support/Compiler.h"
+
+ class ExampleClass {
+ private:
+ // Private methods must be annotated if referenced by a public method defined a
+ // header file.
+ LLVM_ABI int privateMethod(int a, int b);
+
+ public:
+ // Inlineable method defined in the class definition calls a private method
+ // defined externally. If the private method is not annotated for export, this
+ // method will fail to link.
+ int publicMethod(int a, int b) {
+ return privateMethod(a, b);
+ }
+ };
+
+Friend Functions
+----------------
+
+Friend functions declared in a class, struct or union must be annotated with
+``LLVM_ABI`` if the corresponding function declaration is also annotated. This
+requirement applies even when the class itself is annotated with ``LLVM_ABI``.
+
+.. code:: cpp
+
+ #include "llvm/Support/Compiler.h"
+
+ // An exported function that has friend access to ExampleClass internals.
+ LLVM_ABI int friend_function(ExampleClass &obj);
+
+ class ExampleClass {
+ // Friend declaration of a function must be annotated the same as the actual
+ // function declaration.
+ LLVM_ABI friend int friend_function(ExampleClass &obj);
+ };
+
+.. note::
+ Annotating the friend declaration avoids an “inconsistent dll linkage”
+ compiler error when building for Windows. This annotation is harmless but not
+ required when building ELF or Mach-O shared libraries.
+
+VTable and Type Info
+--------------------
+
+Classes and structs with exported virtual methods, or child classes that export
+overridden virtual methods, must also export their vtable for ELF and Mach-O
+builds. This can be achieved by annotating the class rather than individual
+class members.
+
+.. code:: cpp
+
+ #include "llvm/Support/Compiler.h"
+
+ class ParentClass {
+ public:
+ virtual int virtualMethod(int a, int b);
+ virtual int anotherVirtualMethod(int a, int b);
+ virtual ~ParentClass();
+ };
+
+ // Annotating the class exports vtable and type information as well as all
+ // class members.
+ class LLVM_ABI ChildClass : public ParentClass {
+ public:
+ // Inline method override does not require the class be annotated.
+ int virtualMethod(int a, int b) override {
+ return ParentClass::virtualMethod(a, b);
+ }
+
+ // Overriding a virtual method from the parent requires the class be
+ // annotated. The parent class may require annotation as well.
+ int pureVirtualMethod(int a, int b) override;
+ ~ChildClass();
+ };
+
+If annotating a type with ``LLVM_ABI`` causes compilation issues such as those
+described
+`here <https://devblogs.microsoft.com/oldnewthing/20190927-00/?p=102932>`__,
+the class may require modification. Often, explicitly deleting the copy
+constructor and copy assignment operator will resolve the issue.
+
+.. code:: cpp
+ #include "llvm/Support/Compiler.h"
+
+ #include <vector>
+
+ class LLVM_ABI ExportedClass {
+ public:
+ // Explicitly delete the copy constructor and assignment operator.
+ ExportedClass(ExportedClass const&) = delete;
+ ExportedClass& operator=(ExportedClass const&) = delete;
+ };
+
+Templates
+---------
+
+Most template classes are entirely header-defined and do not need to be exported
+because they will be instantiated and compiled into the client as needed. Such
+template classes require no export annotations. However, there are some less
+common cases where annotations are required for templates.
+
+Specialized Template Functions
+~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+
+As with any other exported function, an exported specialization of a template
+function not defined in a header file must have its declaration annotated with
+``LLVM_ABI``.
+
+.. code:: cpp
+
+ #include "llvm/Support/Compiler.h"
+
+ template <typename T> T templateMethod(T a, T b) {
+ return a + b;
+ }
+
+ // The explicitly specialized definition of templateMethod for int is located in
+ // a source file. This declaration must be annotated with LLVM_ABI to export it.
+ template <> LLVM_ABI int templateMethod(int a, int b);
+
+Similarly, an exported specialization of a method in a template class must have
+its declaration annotated with ``LLVM_ABI``.
+
+.. code:: cpp
+
+ #include "llvm/Support/Compiler.h"
+
+ template <typename T> class TemplateClass {
+ public:
+ int method(int a, int b) {
+ return a + b;
+ }
+ };
+
+ // The explicitly specialized definition of method for int is defined in a
+ // source file. The declaration must be annotated with LLVM_ABI to export it.
+ template <> LLVM_ABI int TemplateStruct<int>::method(int a, int b);
+
+Explicitly Instantiated Template Classes
+~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+
+Explicitly instantiated template classes must be annotated with
+template-specific annotations at both declaration and definition.
+
+An extern template instantiation in a header file must be annotated with
+``LLVM_TEMPLATE_ABI``. This will typically be located in a header file.
+
+.. code:: cpp
+
+ #include "llvm/Support/Compiler.h"
+
+ template <typename T> class TemplateClass {
+ public:
+ TemplateClass(T val) : val_(val) {}
+
+ T get() const { return val_; }
+
+ private:
+ const T val_;
+ };
+
+ // Explicitly instantiate and export TempalateClass for int type.
+ extern template class LLVM_TEMPLATE_ABI TemplateClass<int>;
+
+The corresponding definition of the template instantiation must be annotated
+with ``LLVM_EXPORT_TEMPLATE``. This will typically be located in a source file.
+
+.. code:: cpp
+
+ #include "TemplateClass.h"
+
+ // Explicitly instantiate and export TempalateClass for int type.
+ template class LLVM_EXPORT_TEMPLATE TemplateClass<int>;
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