Auto merge of #134299 - RalfJung:remove-start, r=compiler-errors

remove support for the (unstable) #[start] attribute

As explained by `@Noratrieb:`
`#[start]` should be deleted. It's nothing but an accidentally leaked implementation detail that's a not very useful mix between "portable" entrypoint logic and bad abstraction.

I think the way the stable user-facing entrypoint should work (and works today on stable) is pretty simple:
- `std`-using cross-platform programs should use `fn main()`. the compiler, together with `std`, will then ensure that code ends up at `main` (by having a platform-specific entrypoint that gets directed through `lang_start` in `std` to `main` - but that's just an implementation detail)
- `no_std` platform-specific programs should use `#![no_main]` and define their own platform-specific entrypoint symbol with `#[no_mangle]`, like `main`, `_start`, `WinMain` or `my_embedded_platform_wants_to_start_here`. most of them only support a single platform anyways, and need cfg for the different platform's ways of passing arguments or other things *anyways*

`#[start]` is in a super weird position of being neither of those two. It tries to pretend that it's cross-platform, but its signature is  a total lie. Those arguments are just stubbed out to zero on ~~Windows~~ wasm, for example. It also only handles the platform-specific entrypoints for a few platforms that are supported by `std`, like Windows or Unix-likes. `my_embedded_platform_wants_to_start_here` can't use it, and neither could a libc-less Linux program.
So we have an attribute that only works in some cases anyways, that has a signature that's a total lie (and a signature that, as I might want to add, has changed recently, and that I definitely would not be comfortable giving *any* stability guarantees on), and where there's a pretty easy way to get things working without it in the first place.

Note that this feature has **not** been RFCed in the first place.

*This comment was posted [in May](https://github.com/rust-lang/rust/issues/29633#issuecomment-2088596042) and so far nobody spoke up in that issue with a usecase that would require keeping the attribute.*

Closes https://github.com/rust-lang/rust/issues/29633

try-job: x86_64-gnu-nopt
try-job: x86_64-msvc-1
try-job: x86_64-msvc-2
try-job: test-various

4 files changed, 10 insertions, 67 deletions

diff --git a/compiler/rustc_error_codes/src/error_codes/E0132.md b/compiler/rustc_error_codes/src/error_codes/E0132.md
index 51258739b89..cbb14510ed7 100644
--- a/compiler/rustc_error_codes/src/error_codes/E0132.md
+++ b/compiler/rustc_error_codes/src/error_codes/E0132.md
@@ -1,32 +1,3 @@
-A function with the `start` attribute was declared with type parameters.
-
-Erroneous code example:
-
-```compile_fail,E0132
-#![feature(start)]
-
-#[start]
-fn f<T>() {}
-```
-
-It is not possible to declare type parameters on a function that has the `start`
-attribute. Such a function must have the following type signature (for more
-information, view [the unstable book][1]):
+#### Note: this error code is no longer emitted by the compiler.
 
-[1]: https://doc.rust-lang.org/unstable-book/language-features/start.html
-
-```
-# let _:
-fn(isize, *const *const u8) -> isize;
-```
-
-Example:
-
-```
-#![feature(start)]
-
-#[start]
-fn my_start(argc: isize, argv: *const *const u8) -> isize {
-    0
-}
-```
+A function with the `start` attribute was declared with type parameters.
diff --git a/compiler/rustc_error_codes/src/error_codes/E0138.md b/compiler/rustc_error_codes/src/error_codes/E0138.md
index 3f5eaea9f98..2e6ba546a16 100644
--- a/compiler/rustc_error_codes/src/error_codes/E0138.md
+++ b/compiler/rustc_error_codes/src/error_codes/E0138.md
@@ -1,25 +1,3 @@
-More than one function was declared with the `#[start]` attribute.
-
-Erroneous code example:
-
-```compile_fail,E0138
-#![feature(start)]
-
-#[start]
-fn foo(argc: isize, argv: *const *const u8) -> isize {}
+#### Note: this error code is no longer emitted by the compiler.
 
-#[start]
-fn f(argc: isize, argv: *const *const u8) -> isize {}
-// error: multiple 'start' functions
-```
-
-This error indicates that the compiler found multiple functions with the
-`#[start]` attribute. This is an error because there must be a unique entry
-point into a Rust program. Example:
-
-```
-#![feature(start)]
-
-#[start]
-fn foo(argc: isize, argv: *const *const u8) -> isize { 0 } // ok!
-```
+More than one function was declared with the `#[start]` attribute.
diff --git a/compiler/rustc_error_codes/src/error_codes/E0647.md b/compiler/rustc_error_codes/src/error_codes/E0647.md
index 59bb47ba62a..e2f14b81aa6 100644
--- a/compiler/rustc_error_codes/src/error_codes/E0647.md
+++ b/compiler/rustc_error_codes/src/error_codes/E0647.md
@@ -1,13 +1,3 @@
-The `start` function was defined with a where clause.
-
-Erroneous code example:
+#### Note: this error code is no longer emitted by the compiler.
 
-```compile_fail,E0647
-#![feature(start)]
-
-#[start]
-fn start(_: isize, _: *const *const u8) -> isize where (): Copy {
-    //^ error: `#[start]` function is not allowed to have a where clause
-    0
-}
-```
+The `start` function was defined with a where clause.
diff --git a/compiler/rustc_error_codes/src/lib.rs b/compiler/rustc_error_codes/src/lib.rs
index 29f3277d399..0a30bdb48a0 100644
--- a/compiler/rustc_error_codes/src/lib.rs
+++ b/compiler/rustc_error_codes/src/lib.rs
@@ -24,6 +24,10 @@
 //
 // Both columns are necessary because it's not possible in Rust to create a new identifier such as
 // `E0123` from an integer literal such as `0123`, unfortunately.
+//
+// Do *not* remove entries from this list. Instead, just add a note th the corresponding markdown
+// file saying that this error is not emitted by the compiler any more (see E0001.md for an
+// example), and remove all code examples that do not build any more.
 #[macro_export]
 macro_rules! error_codes {
     ($macro:path) => (