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Update no_link to use the attribute template #1898

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Merged
merged 5 commits into from
Aug 3, 2025
Merged

Update no_link to use the attribute template #1898

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0eadf02
Unwrap no_link
ehuss Jun 20, 2025
237b3bd
Linkify "attribute" and add an intro rule name
ehuss Jun 21, 2025
f751568
Add a no_link example
ehuss Jun 21, 2025
0e464c9
Update no_link to use the attribute template
ehuss Jun 21, 2025
dda1f41
Revise `no_link` text
traviscross Aug 3, 2025
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32 changes: 29 additions & 3 deletions src/items/extern-crates.md
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Expand Up @@ -76,9 +76,35 @@ into the [`macro_use` prelude].
r[items.extern-crate.no_link]
## The `no_link` attribute

The *`no_link` attribute* may be specified on an `extern crate` item to
prevent linking the crate into the output. This is commonly used to load a
crate to access only its macros.
r[items.extern-crate.no_link.intro]
The *`no_link` [attribute][attributes]* may be applied to an `extern crate` item to prevent linking the crate.

> [!NOTE]
> This is helpful, e.g., when only the macros of a crate are needed.

> [!EXAMPLE]
> <!-- ignore: requires external crates -->
> ```rust,ignore
> #[no_link]
> extern crate other_crate;
>
> other_crate::some_macro!();
> ```

r[items.extern-crate.no_link.syntax]
The `no_link` attribute uses the [MetaWord] syntax and so does not accept any arguments.

r[items.extern-crate.no_link.allowed-positions]
The `no_link` attribute may only be applied to an `extern crate` declaration.

> [!NOTE]
> `rustc` currently accepts and ignores the attribute in other positions but lints against it. This may become a hard error in the future.

r[items.extern-crate.no_link.duplicates]
Duplicate instances of the `no_link` attribute are ignored.

> [!NOTE]
> `rustc` lints against duplicate use of this attribute.

[identifier]: ../identifiers.md
[RFC 940]: https://github.com/rust-lang/rfcs/blob/master/text/0940-hyphens-considered-harmful.md
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