Rust docs: Crate root link points to "folder" and not index page

[loganmzz]

Rust docs support linking to many crate items by name (functions, modules, ...) including crates.

However, the generated crate links points to folder, not index page (index.html) which doesn't work locally or without web server with right directives.

//! Link to [`serde`] crate

Demo repository: https://github.com/loganmzz/rust-docs-issue-link-crate-root

Tested with cargo 1.85.0 (d73d2caf9 2024-12-31):

On:

• rust_docs_issue_link_crate_root
  • Only link to serde
• rust_docs_issue_link_crate_root_sub
  • No links

[GuillaumeGomez]

I transferred the issue to the right repository. Also I'm surprised it doesn't work yet. Gonna take a look in the next days.

[loganmzz]

Sorry I just checked it resulted in dead link locally.

I finally take a look at the generated link. It sounds like it points to root (as folder) not to the index page index.html. Which is not working without web server (and right directives).

I update the issue and will open a demonstration repository :)

[loganmzz]

I created this repository: https://github.com/loganmzz/rust-docs-issue-link-crate-root

But for unknown reason, on this machine (Rust version?) I don't even have links generated for internal crates. I will update my toolchains and test it again.

[GuillaumeGomez]

For --no-deps it's normal to not generate links to potentially non-existing dep. I confirm that links for current crate don't get generated though.

[loganmzz]

I thought it was about not generating docs locally for deps? And serde is correctly linked?

I will make further tests with the demo and my current project.

[GuillaumeGomez]

Hum indeed. What's even weirder is that we have a warning about it:

warning: unresolved link to `serde`
 --> sub/src/lib.rs:3:28
  |
3 | //! * To external crate: [`serde`]
  |                            ^^^^^ no item named `serde` in scope
  |
  = help: to escape `[` and `]` characters, add '\' before them like `\[` or `\]`
  = note: `#[warn(rustdoc::broken_intra_doc_links)]` on by default

[GuillaumeGomez]

I opened #137935 which allows to link to the current crate as a first step. I'll need to think a bit more about the rest.