# Struct cargo::core::compiler::build_runner::compilation_files::Metadata

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    pub struct Metadata(u64);

Expand description

The `Metadata` is a hash used to make unique file names for each unit in a build. It is also used for symbol mangling.

For example:

- A project may depend on crate `A` and crate `B`, so the package name must be in the file name.
- Similarly a project may depend on two versions of `A`, so the version must be in the file name.

In general this must include all things that need to be distinguished in different parts of the same build. This is absolutely required or we override things before we get chance to use them.

It is also used for symbol mangling, because if you have two versions of the same crate linked together, their symbols need to be differentiated.

We use a hash because it is an easy way to guarantee that all the inputs can be converted to a valid path.

This also acts as the main layer of caching provided by Cargo. For example, we want to cache `cargo build` and `cargo doc` separately, so that running one does not invalidate the artifacts for the other. We do this by including `CompileMode` in the hash, thus the artifacts go in different folders and do not override each other. If we don’t add something that we should have, for this reason, we get the correct output but rebuild more than is needed.

Some things that need to be tracked to ensure the correct output should definitely not go in the `Metadata`. For example, the modification time of a file, should be tracked to make a rebuild when the file changes. However, it would be wasteful to include in the `Metadata`. The old artifacts are never going to be needed again. We can save space by just overwriting them. If we add something that we should not have, for this reason, we get the correct output but take more space than needed. This makes not including something in `Metadata` a form of cache invalidation.

You should also avoid anything that would interfere with reproducible builds. For example, any absolute path should be avoided. This is one reason that `RUSTFLAGS` is not in `Metadata`, because it often has absolute paths (like `--remap-path-prefix` which is fundamentally used for reproducible builds and has absolute paths in it). Also, in some cases the mangled symbols need to be stable between different builds with different settings. For example, profile-guided optimizations need to swap `RUSTFLAGS` between runs, but needs to keep the same symbol names.

Note that the `Fingerprint` is in charge of tracking everything needed to determine if a rebuild is needed.

## Tuple Fields§

§`0: u64`

## Trait Implementations§

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### impl Clone for Metadata

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#### fn clone(&self) -> Metadata

Returns a copy of the value. Read more
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#### fn clone_from(&mut self, source: &Self)

Performs copy-assignment from `source`. Read more
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### impl Debug for Metadata

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#### fn fmt(&self, f: &mut Formatter<'_>) -> Result

Formats the value using the given formatter. Read more
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### impl Display for Metadata

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#### fn fmt(&self, f: &mut Formatter<'_>) -> Result

Formats the value using the given formatter. Read more
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### impl Hash for Metadata

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#### fn hash<__H: Hasher>(&self, state: &mut __H)

Feeds this value into the given `Hasher`. Read more
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#### fn hash_slice<H>(data: &[Self], state: &mut H)
where H: Hasher, Self: Sized,

Feeds a slice of this type into the given `Hasher`. Read more
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### impl Ord for Metadata

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#### fn cmp(&self, other: &Metadata) -> Ordering

This method returns an `Ordering` between `self` and `other`. Read more
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#### fn max(self, other: Self) -> Self
where Self: Sized,

Compares and returns the maximum of two values. Read more
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#### fn min(self, other: Self) -> Self
where Self: Sized,

Compares and returns the minimum of two values. Read more
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#### fn clamp(self, min: Self, max: Self) -> Self
where Self: Sized + PartialOrd,

Restrict a value to a certain interval. Read more
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### impl PartialEq for Metadata

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#### fn eq(&self, other: &Metadata) -> bool

Tests for `self` and `other` values to be equal, and is used by `==`.
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#### fn ne(&self, other: &Rhs) -> bool

Tests for `!=`. The default implementation is almost always sufficient, and should not be overridden without very good reason.
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### impl PartialOrd for Metadata

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#### fn partial_cmp(&self, other: &Metadata) -> Option<Ordering>

This method returns an ordering between `self` and `other` values if one exists. Read more
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#### fn lt(&self, other: &Rhs) -> bool

Tests less than (for `self` and `other`) and is used by the `<` operator. Read more
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#### fn le(&self, other: &Rhs) -> bool

Tests less than or equal to (for `self` and `other`) and is used by the `<=` operator. Read more
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#### fn gt(&self, other: &Rhs) -> bool

Tests greater than (for `self` and `other`) and is used by the `>` operator. Read more
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#### fn ge(&self, other: &Rhs) -> bool

Tests greater than or equal to (for `self` and `other`) and is used by the `>=` operator. Read more
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### impl Copy for Metadata

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### impl Eq for Metadata

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### impl StructuralPartialEq for Metadata

## Auto Trait Implementations§

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### impl Freeze for Metadata

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### impl RefUnwindSafe for Metadata

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### impl Send for Metadata

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### impl Sync for Metadata

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### impl Unpin for Metadata

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### impl UnwindSafe for Metadata

## Blanket Implementations§

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### impl<T> Any for T
where T: 'static + ?Sized,

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#### fn type_id(&self) -> TypeId

Gets the `TypeId` of `self`. Read more
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### impl<T> Borrow<T> for T
where T: ?Sized,

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#### fn borrow(&self) -> &T

Immutably borrows from an owned value. Read more
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### impl<T> BorrowMut<T> for T
where T: ?Sized,

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#### fn borrow_mut(&mut self) -> &mut T

Mutably borrows from an owned value. Read more
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### impl<T> CloneToUninit for T
where T: Clone,

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#### unsafe fn clone_to_uninit(&self, dst: *mut T)

🔬This is a nightly-only experimental API. (`clone_to_uninit`)
Performs copy-assignment from `self` to `dst`. Read more
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### impl<Q, K> Comparable<K> for Q
where Q: Ord + ?Sized, K: Borrow<Q> + ?Sized,

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#### fn compare(&self, key: &K) -> Ordering

Compare self to `key` and return their ordering.
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### impl<Q, K> Equivalent<K> for Q
where Q: Eq + ?Sized, K: Borrow<Q> + ?Sized,

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#### fn equivalent(&self, key: &K) -> bool

Checks if this value is equivalent to the given key. Read more
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### impl<Q, K> Equivalent<K> for Q
where Q: Eq + ?Sized, K: Borrow<Q> + ?Sized,

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#### fn equivalent(&self, key: &K) -> bool

Compare self to `key` and return `true` if they are equal.
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### impl<T> From<T> for T

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#### fn from(t: T) -> T

Returns the argument unchanged.

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### impl<T> Instrument for T

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#### fn instrument(self, span: Span) -> Instrumented<Self>

Instruments this type with the provided [`Span`], returning an `Instrumented` wrapper. Read more
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#### fn in_current_span(self) -> Instrumented<Self>

Instruments this type with the current `Span`, returning an `Instrumented` wrapper. Read more
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### impl<T, U> Into<U> for T
where U: From<T>,

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#### fn into(self) -> U

Calls `U::from(self)`.

That is, this conversion is whatever the implementation of `From<T> for U` chooses to do.

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### impl<T> IntoEither for T

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#### fn into_either(self, into_left: bool) -> Either<Self, Self>

Converts `self` into a `Left` variant of `Either<Self, Self>` if `into_left` is `true`. Converts `self` into a `Right` variant of `Either<Self, Self>` otherwise. Read more
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#### fn into_either_with<F>(self, into_left: F) -> Either<Self, Self>
where F: FnOnce(&Self) -> bool,

Converts `self` into a `Left` variant of `Either<Self, Self>` if `into_left(&self)` returns `true`. Converts `self` into a `Right` variant of `Either<Self, Self>` otherwise. Read more
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### impl<T> Pointable for T

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#### const ALIGN: usize = _

The alignment of pointer.
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#### type Init = T

The type for initializers.
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#### unsafe fn init(init: <T as Pointable>::Init) -> usize

Initializes a with the given initializer. Read more
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#### unsafe fn deref<'a>(ptr: usize) -> &'a T

Dereferences the given pointer. Read more
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#### unsafe fn deref_mut<'a>(ptr: usize) -> &'a mut T

Mutably dereferences the given pointer. Read more
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#### unsafe fn drop(ptr: usize)

Drops the object pointed to by the given pointer. Read more
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### impl<T> Same for T

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#### type Output = T

Should always be `Self`
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### impl<T> ToOwned for T
where T: Clone,

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#### type Owned = T

The resulting type after obtaining ownership.
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#### fn to_owned(&self) -> T

Creates owned data from borrowed data, usually by cloning. Read more
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#### fn clone_into(&self, target: &mut T)

Uses borrowed data to replace owned data, usually by cloning. Read more
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### impl<T> ToString for T
where T: Display + ?Sized,

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#### default fn to_string(&self) -> String

Converts the given value to a `String`. Read more
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### impl<T, U> TryFrom<U> for T
where U: Into<T>,

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#### type Error = Infallible

The type returned in the event of a conversion error.
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#### fn try_from(value: U) -> Result<T, <T as TryFrom<U>>::Error>

Performs the conversion.
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### impl<T, U> TryInto<U> for T
where U: TryFrom<T>,

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#### type Error = <U as TryFrom<T>>::Error

The type returned in the event of a conversion error.
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#### fn try_into(self) -> Result<U, <U as TryFrom<T>>::Error>

Performs the conversion.
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### impl<V, T> VZip<V> for T
where V: MultiLane<T>,

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#### fn vzip(self) -> V

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### impl<T> WithSubscriber for T

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#### fn with_subscriber<S>(self, subscriber: S) -> WithDispatch<Self>
where S: Into<Dispatch>,

Attaches the provided `Subscriber` to this type, returning a [`WithDispatch`] wrapper. Read more
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#### fn with_current_subscriber(self) -> WithDispatch<Self>

Attaches the current default `Subscriber` to this type, returning a [`WithDispatch`] wrapper. Read more

## Layout§

Note: Most layout information is completely unstable and may even differ between compilations. The only exception is types with certain `repr(...)` attributes. Please see the Rust Reference's “Type Layout” chapter for details on type layout guarantees.

Size: 8 bytes