Merge pull request #2687 from phansch/explain_how_lints_work

Explain how Clippy and lints work

Author: oli-obk

CONTRIBUTING.md

@@ -147,6 +147,56 @@ enabled as a plugin:
 #![plugin(clippy)]
 ```
 
+### How Clippy works
+
+Clippy is a [rustc compiler plugin][compiler_plugin]. The main entry point is at [`src/lib.rs`][main_entry]. In there, the lint registration is delegated to the [`clippy_lints`][lint_crate] crate.
+
+[`clippy_lints/src/lib.rs`][lint_crate_entry] imports all the different lint modules and registers them with the rustc plugin registry. For example, the [`else_if_without_else`][else_if_without_else] lint is registered like this:
+
+```rust
+// ./clippy_lints/src/lib.rs
+
+// ...
+pub mod else_if_without_else;
+// ...
+
+pub fn register_plugins(reg: &mut rustc_plugin::Registry) {
+    // ...
+    reg.register_early_lint_pass(box else_if_without_else::ElseIfWithoutElse);
+    // ...
+
+    reg.register_lint_group("clippy_restriction", vec![
+        // ...
+        else_if_without_else::ELSE_IF_WITHOUT_ELSE,
+        // ...
+    ]);
+}
+```
+
+The [`rustc_plugin::PluginRegistry`][plugin_registry] provides two methods to register lints: [register_early_lint_pass][reg_early_lint_pass] and [register_late_lint_pass][reg_late_lint_pass].
+Both take an object that implements an [`EarlyLintPass`][early_lint_pass] or [`LateLintPass`][late_lint_pass] respectively. This is done in every single lint. 
+It's worth noting that the majority of `clippy_lints/src/lib.rs` is autogenerated by `util/update_lints.py` and you don't have to add anything by hand. When you are writing your own lint, you can use that script to save you some time.
+
+```rust
+// ./clippy_lints/src/else_if_without_else.rs
+
+use rustc::lint::*;
+
+// ...
+
+pub struct ElseIfWithoutElse;
+
+// ...
+
+impl EarlyLintPass for ElseIfWithoutElse {
+    // ... the functions needed, to make the lint work
+}
+```
+
+The difference between `EarlyLintPass` and `LateLintPass` is that the methods of the `EarlyLintPass` trait only provide AST information. The methods of the `LateLintPass` trait are executed after type checking and contain type information via the `LateContext` parameter.
+
+That's why the `else_if_without_else` example uses the `register_early_lint_pass` function. Because the [actual lint logic][else_if_without_else] does not depend on any type information.
+
 ## Contributions
 
 Contributions to Clippy should be made in the form of GitHub pull requests. Each pull request will
@@ -156,3 +206,14 @@ main tree or given feedback for changes that would be required.
 All code in this repository is under the [Mozilla Public License, 2.0](https://www.mozilla.org/MPL/2.0/)
 
 <!-- adapted from https://github.com/servo/servo/blob/master/CONTRIBUTING.md -->
+
+[main_entry]: https://github.com/rust-lang-nursery/rust-clippy/blob/c5b39a5917ffc0f1349b6e414fa3b874fdcf8429/src/lib.rs#L14
+[lint_crate]: https://github.com/rust-lang-nursery/rust-clippy/tree/c5b39a5917ffc0f1349b6e414fa3b874fdcf8429/clippy_lints/src
+[lint_crate_entry]: https://github.com/rust-lang-nursery/rust-clippy/blob/c5b39a5917ffc0f1349b6e414fa3b874fdcf8429/clippy_lints/src/lib.rs
+[else_if_without_else]: https://github.com/rust-lang-nursery/rust-clippy/blob/c5b39a5917ffc0f1349b6e414fa3b874fdcf8429/clippy_lints/src/else_if_without_else.rs
+[compiler_plugin]: https://doc.rust-lang.org/unstable-book/language-features/plugin.html#lint-plugins
+[plugin_registry]: https://doc.rust-lang.org/nightly/nightly-rustc/rustc_plugin/registry/struct.Registry.html
+[reg_early_lint_pass]: https://doc.rust-lang.org/nightly/nightly-rustc/rustc_plugin/registry/struct.Registry.html#method.register_early_lint_pass
+[reg_late_lint_pass]: https://doc.rust-lang.org/nightly/nightly-rustc/rustc_plugin/registry/struct.Registry.html#method.register_late_lint_pass
+[early_lint_pass]: https://doc.rust-lang.org/nightly/nightly-rustc/rustc/lint/trait.EarlyLintPass.html
+[late_lint_pass]: https://doc.rust-lang.org/nightly/nightly-rustc/rustc/lint/trait.LateLintPass.html