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From: Paul Eggert <eggert@cs.ucla.edu>
To: libc-alpha@sourceware.org
Cc: Paul Eggert <eggert@cs.ucla.edu>
Subject: [PATCH 1/2] doc: document max_align_t effect on ABI
Date: Sun, 15 Mar 2026 13:32:40 -0700	[thread overview]
Message-ID: <20260315203255.123865-2-eggert@cs.ucla.edu> (raw)
In-Reply-To: <20260315203255.123865-1-eggert@cs.ucla.edu>

* manual/lang.texi (Important Data Types): Say that ABI changes if
max_align_t changes.
---
 manual/lang.texi | 8 +++++++-
 1 file changed, 7 insertions(+), 1 deletion(-)

diff --git a/manual/lang.texi b/manual/lang.texi
index 28e7de2b2c..5f6f74ebb9 100644
--- a/manual/lang.texi
+++ b/manual/lang.texi
@@ -592,15 +592,21 @@ i.e., the greatest alignment needed by standard types.
 Code can use @code{alignof (max_align_t)} when calculating space
 needed for arbitrary collections of objects, so long as the objects'
 types have a fundamental alignment and lack stricter alignment specifiers.
-@end deftp
 
 In @theglibc{}, the value of @code{alignof (max_align_t)} is 16 on
 most architectures.  However, it is 8 on 32-bit architectures that do
 not require 16-byte alignment from @code{malloc} to support predefined
 types.
 
+Code that uses @code{max_align_t} should take into account the
+variable alignment of the type.
+For example, it is unwise for a public interface to rely on @code{max_align_t},
+as the interface's ABI can change if a different compiler defines
+@code{max_align_t} differently.
+
 @strong{Compatibility Note:} The C11 standard introduced @code{max_align_t};
 older compilers may lack the type.
+@end deftp
 
 @node Data Type Measurements
 @section Data Type Measurements
-- 
2.51.0


  reply	other threads:[~2026-03-15 20:33 UTC|newest]

Thread overview: 6+ messages / expand[flat|nested]  mbox.gz  Atom feed  top
2026-03-15 20:32 [PATCH 0/2] document improvements for max_align_t, intmax_t Paul Eggert
2026-03-15 20:32 ` Paul Eggert [this message]
2026-03-18  1:44   ` [PATCH 1/2] doc: document max_align_t effect on ABI DJ Delorie
2026-03-15 20:32 ` [PATCH 2/2] doc: document C23 changes to intmax_t Paul Eggert
2026-03-18  1:47   ` DJ Delorie
  -- strict thread matches above, loose matches on Subject: below --
2026-02-26 18:41 [PATCH v3 4/4] malloc: alignment might change in future versions Paul Eggert
2026-02-26 18:38 ` [PATCH 1/2] doc: document max_align_t effect on ABI Paul Eggert

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