docs(profile): document gating mechanism, classification rule, slice manifest

Ultraworked with [Sisyphus](https://github.com/code-yeongyu/oh-my-openagent)

Co-authored-by: Sisyphus <[email protected]>
This commit is contained in:
2026-08-31 19:54:40 -04:00
co-authored by Sisyphus
parent f07b270675
commit 060fc03ab7
3 changed files with 80 additions and 0 deletions
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@@ -17,6 +17,13 @@ required capability.
scripts and programs that rely on long-standing glibc behavior. scripts and programs that rely on long-standing glibc behavior.
5. *(default)* — **vlibc**: glibc-extended, without the spoofing layer, but 5. *(default)* — **vlibc**: glibc-extended, without the spoofing layer, but
with extended standard features and high glibc compatibility. with extended standard features and high glibc compatibility.
- **Profiles 1-3 are functional.** `--enable-onlyposix`, `--enable-muslmimic`,
and `--enable-muslext` build with real build-time profile gating: a generated
`include/vlibc/features.h` exposes `VLIBC_LEVEL`, the public `<stddef.h>` and
`<string.h>` headers are gated by it, and an initial string slice (`memcpy`,
`memmove`, `memset`, `strlen`, `strcmp`, `strlcpy`, `strlcat`,
`strcasestr`) is compiled per level. Profiles 4 and 5 (`spoof`, `vlibc`)
remain configure-level declarations in this increment.
- **Two install methods** (`--with-install=`): - **Two install methods** (`--with-install=`):
- `alongside` (default) — install next to the system libc, under a - `alongside` (default) — install next to the system libc, under a
vlibc-specific tree; the system libc is left untouched. vlibc-specific tree; the system libc is left untouched.
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@@ -76,6 +76,34 @@ linked binaries (see `docs/overview.md`):
Every public function carries the tightest correct attribute. Every public function carries the tightest correct attribute.
## Profile gating
Profile-gated code follows these formatting and naming conventions (the
semantic classification of functions into levels lives in
`docs/compatibility.md`, not here):
- Public headers gate declarations with `#if VLIBC_LEVEL >= N`. Prefer the
`VLIBC_LEVEL_GE(n)` helper from `include/vlibc/features.h`; fall back to the
raw comparison only when the level is a literal constant:
```c
#if VLIBC_LEVEL_GE(2)
size_t strlcpy(char *dst, const char *src, size_t n);
#endif
```
- Group implementation sources by level in `Makefile.am` using the per-level
conditionals `if PROFILE_GE_2` / `if PROFILE_GE_3`, mirroring the
`#if VLIBC_LEVEL >= N` rule in headers.
- Standard headers use `VLIBC_`-prefixed include guards
(`VLIBC_STDDEF_H`, `VLIBC_STRING_H`), never the `_STDDEF_H`-style reserved
forms. A leading underscore is reserved for the implementation and the
C/POSIX standards (see Naming); the `VLIBC_` prefix stays out of the
reserved namespace while remaining unambiguous.
- Intent attributes respect the gating: `pure` / `const` are only valid on
side-effect-free functions. Never annotate a mutating function (`memcpy`,
`memmove`, `memset`, `strlcpy`, `strlcat`) with either.
## Error handling ## Error handling
- No empty blocks; no silent failure. - No empty blocks; no silent failure.
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@@ -11,6 +11,51 @@ mutually exclusive; the default is `vlibc`.
| 4 | `--enable-spoof` | `spoof` | A glibc replica: emulates glibc for drop-in compatibility, higher than `muslext` or `vlibc` full. | | 4 | `--enable-spoof` | `spoof` | A glibc replica: emulates glibc for drop-in compatibility, higher than `muslext` or `vlibc` full. |
| 5 | *(default)* | `vlibc` | glibc-extended: glibc minus its baggage, plus extended standard features. High (but not spoof-level) glibc compatibility. | | 5 | *(default)* | `vlibc` | glibc-extended: glibc minus its baggage, plus extended standard features. High (but not spoof-level) glibc compatibility. |
## Profile mechanism
The profiles map onto a single integer level, `VLIBC_LEVEL`. Levels are
**cumulative**: a profile at level N exposes everything whose minimum level is
`<= N`.
| Level | Classification |
|-------|-----------------------------------------|
| 1 | ISO C + POSIX base |
| 2 | + BSD / XSI extensions |
| 3 | + GNU extensions |
Public headers gate declarations with `#if VLIBC_LEVEL >= N`; a function whose
minimum level is 2 is only declared when the active profile is level 2 or
higher. The build applies the same rule to sources via
`AM_CONDITIONAL([PROFILE_GE_2])` and `AM_CONDITIONAL([PROFILE_GE_3])`, so each
level's implementation files are only compiled when the selected profile
reaches that level.
The generated installed header `include/vlibc/features.h` exposes the macros
the gating is based on:
- `VLIBC_LEVEL` — the active profile's integer level.
- `VLIBC_PROFILE` — the selected profile name.
- `VLIBC_LEVEL_GE(n)` — expands to 1 when `VLIBC_LEVEL >= n`, 0 otherwise.
### Slice manifest
The initial implementation covers eight string/memory functions, classified as
follows:
| Function | Level | Origin |
|--------------|-------|---------|
| `memcpy` | L1 | ISO C |
| `memmove` | L1 | ISO C |
| `memset` | L1 | ISO C |
| `strlen` | L1 | ISO C |
| `strcmp` | L1 | ISO C |
| `strlcpy` | L2 | BSD |
| `strlcat` | L2 | BSD |
| `strcasestr` | L3 | GNU |
Profiles 4 and 5 (`spoof`, `vlibc`) build on the same level mechanism but are
not implemented in this increment beyond their configure declarations.
## Differences from glibc ## Differences from glibc
- **No legacy baggage.** vlibc targets modern, standard-conforming behavior and - **No legacy baggage.** vlibc targets modern, standard-conforming behavior and