Rollup merge of #99614 - RalfJung:transmute-is-not-memcpy, r=thomcc

do not claim that transmute is like memcpy

Saying transmute is like memcpy is not a well-formed statement, since memcpy is by-ref whereas transmute is by-val. The by-val nature of transmute inherently means that padding is lost along the way. (This is not specific to transmute, this is how all by-value operations work.) So adjust the docs to clarify this aspect.

Cc `@workingjubilee`

1 files changed, 18 insertions, 13 deletions

diff --git a/library/core/src/intrinsics.rs b/library/core/src/intrinsics.rs
index 7e65f4ebdad..cabc5017f1d 100644
--- a/library/core/src/intrinsics.rs
+++ b/library/core/src/intrinsics.rs
@@ -1207,13 +1207,26 @@ extern "rust-intrinsic" {
 
     /// Reinterprets the bits of a value of one type as another type.
     ///
-    /// Both types must have the same size. Neither the original, nor the result,
-    /// may be an [invalid value](../../nomicon/what-unsafe-does.html).
+    /// Both types must have the same size. Compilation will fail if this is not guaranteed.
     ///
     /// `transmute` is semantically equivalent to a bitwise move of one type
     /// into another. It copies the bits from the source value into the
-    /// destination value, then forgets the original. It's equivalent to C's
-    /// `memcpy` under the hood, just like `transmute_copy`.
+    /// destination value, then forgets the original. Note that source and destination
+    /// are passed by-value, which means if `T` or `U` contain padding, that padding
+    /// is *not* guaranteed to be preserved by `transmute`.
+    ///
+    /// Both the argument and the result must be [valid](../../nomicon/what-unsafe-does.html) at
+    /// their given type. Violating this condition leads to [undefined behavior][ub]. The compiler
+    /// will generate code *assuming that you, the programmer, ensure that there will never be
+    /// undefined behavior*. It is therefore your responsibility to guarantee that every value
+    /// passed to `transmute` is valid at both types `T` and `U`. Failing to uphold this condition
+    /// may lead to unexpected and unstable compilation results. This makes `transmute` **incredibly
+    /// unsafe**. `transmute` should be the absolute last resort.
+    ///
+    /// Transmuting pointers to integers in a `const` context is [undefined behavior][ub].
+    /// Any attempt to use the resulting value for integer operations will abort const-evaluation.
+    /// (And even outside `const`, such transmutation is touching on many unspecified aspects of the
+    /// Rust memory model and should be avoided. See below for alternatives.)
     ///
     /// Because `transmute` is a by-value operation, alignment of the *transmuted values
     /// themselves* is not a concern. As with any other function, the compiler already ensures
@@ -1221,15 +1234,7 @@ extern "rust-intrinsic" {
     /// elsewhere* (such as pointers, references, boxes…), the caller has to ensure proper
     /// alignment of the pointed-to values.
     ///
-    /// `transmute` is **incredibly** unsafe. There are a vast number of ways to
-    /// cause [undefined behavior][ub] with this function. `transmute` should be
-    /// the absolute last resort.
-    ///
-    /// Transmuting pointers to integers in a `const` context is [undefined behavior][ub].
-    /// Any attempt to use the resulting value for integer operations will abort const-evaluation.
-    ///
-    /// The [nomicon](../../nomicon/transmutes.html) has additional
-    /// documentation.
+    /// The [nomicon](../../nomicon/transmutes.html) has additional documentation.
     ///
     /// [ub]: ../../reference/behavior-considered-undefined.html
     ///