Add -experimental compiler flags

When enabled, all top-level definitions are annotated as `@experimental`.
This implies that all experimental language features and definitions can
be used in this project. This flags also allows the use of `ResearchPlugin`.

Note that this does not change the strong guarantees on stability of
non-experimental code. The experimental features can only be used in a
experimental scope (transitively).

Author: nicolasstucki

compiler/src/dotty/tools/dotc/config/Feature.scala

@@ -134,7 +134,12 @@ object Feature:
 
   def checkExperimentalFeature(which: String, srcPos: SrcPos, note: => String = "")(using Context) =
     if !isExperimentalEnabled then
-      report.error(em"Experimental $which may only be used with a nightly or snapshot version of the compiler$note", srcPos)
+      report.error(
+        em"""Experimental $which may only be used under experimental mode:
+            |  1. In a definition marked as @experimental
+            |  2. Compiling with the -experimental compiler flag
+            |  3. With a nightly or snapshot version of the compiler$note
+          """, srcPos)
 
   private def ccException(sym: Symbol)(using Context): Boolean =
     ccEnabled && defn.ccExperimental.contains(sym)
@@ -159,7 +164,7 @@ object Feature:
     do checkExperimentalFeature(s"feature $setting", NoSourcePosition)
 
   def isExperimentalEnabled(using Context): Boolean =
-    Properties.experimental && !ctx.settings.YnoExperimental.value
+    (Properties.experimental || ctx.settings.experimental.value) && !ctx.settings.YnoExperimental.value
 
   /** Handle language import `import language.<prefix>.<imported>` if it is one
    *  of the global imports `pureFunctions` or `captureChecking`. In this case

compiler/src/dotty/tools/dotc/config/ScalaSettings.scala

@@ -119,6 +119,7 @@ trait CommonScalaSettings:
   val explainTypes: Setting[Boolean] = BooleanSetting("-explain-types", "Explain type errors in more detail (deprecated, use -explain instead).", aliases = List("--explain-types", "-explaintypes"))
   val unchecked: Setting[Boolean] = BooleanSetting("-unchecked", "Enable additional warnings where generated code depends on assumptions.", initialValue = true, aliases = List("--unchecked"))
   val language: Setting[List[String]] = MultiStringSetting("-language", "feature", "Enable one or more language features.", aliases = List("--language"))
+  val experimental: Setting[Boolean] = BooleanSetting("-experimental", "Annotate all top-level definitions with @experimental. This enables the use of experimental features anywhere in the project.")
 
   /* Coverage settings */
   val coverageOutputDir = PathSetting("-coverage-out", "Destination for coverage classfiles and instrumentation data.", "", aliases = List("--coverage-out"))

compiler/src/dotty/tools/dotc/transform/PostTyper.scala

@@ -379,13 +379,15 @@ class PostTyper extends MacroTransform with InfoTransformer { thisPhase =>
             )
           }
         case tree: ValDef =>
+          annotateExperimental(tree.symbol)
           registerIfHasMacroAnnotations(tree)
           checkErasedDef(tree)
           val tree1 = cpy.ValDef(tree)(rhs = normalizeErasedRhs(tree.rhs, tree.symbol))
           if tree1.removeAttachment(desugar.UntupledParam).isDefined then
             checkStableSelection(tree.rhs)
           processValOrDefDef(super.transform(tree1))
         case tree: DefDef =>
+          annotateExperimental(tree.symbol)
           registerIfHasMacroAnnotations(tree)
           checkErasedDef(tree)
           annotateContextResults(tree)
@@ -537,9 +539,14 @@ class PostTyper extends MacroTransform with InfoTransformer { thisPhase =>
           report.error("`erased` definition cannot be implemented with en expression of type Null", tree.srcPos)
 
     private def annotateExperimental(sym: Symbol)(using Context): Unit =
-      if sym.is(Module) && sym.companionClass.hasAnnotation(defn.ExperimentalAnnot) then
+      def isTopLevelDefinitionInSource(sym: Symbol) =
+        !sym.is(Package) && !sym.name.isPackageObjectName &&
+        (sym.owner.is(Package) || (sym.owner.name.isPackageObjectName && !sym.isConstructor))
+      if !sym.hasAnnotation(defn.ExperimentalAnnot)
+        && (ctx.settings.experimental.value && isTopLevelDefinitionInSource(sym))
+        || (sym.is(Module) && sym.companionClass.hasAnnotation(defn.ExperimentalAnnot))
+      then
         sym.addAnnotation(Annotation(defn.ExperimentalAnnot, sym.span))
-        sym.companionModule.addAnnotation(Annotation(defn.ExperimentalAnnot, sym.span))
 
     private def scala2LibPatch(tree: TypeDef)(using Context) =
       val sym = tree.symbol

docs/_docs/reference/changed-features/compiler-plugins.md

@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ For experimentation and research, Scala 3 introduces _research plugin_. Research
 are more powerful than Scala 2 analyzer plugins as they let plugin authors customize
 the whole compiler pipeline. One can easily replace the standard typer by a custom one or
 create a parser for a domain-specific language. However, research plugins are only
-enabled for nightly or snaphot releases of Scala 3.
+enabled with the `-experimental` compiler flag or in nightly/snapshot releases of Scala 3.
 
 Common plugins that add new phases to the compiler pipeline are called
 _standard plugins_ in Scala 3. In terms of features, they are similar to

docs/_docs/reference/experimental/overview.md

@@ -21,6 +21,10 @@ They are enabled by importing the feature or using the `-language` compiler flag
 In general, experimental language features can be imported in an experimental scope (see [experimental definitions](../other-new-features/experimental-defs.md)).
 They can be imported at the top-level if all top-level definitions are `@experimental`.
 
+### `-experimental` compiler flag
+
+This flag will make all top-level definitions have the `@experimental` annotation. This effectively enables the use of any experimental language feature in the project.
+
 ## Experimental language features supported by special compiler options
 
 Some experimental language features that are still in research and development can be enabled with special compiler options. These include

docs/_docs/reference/other-new-features/experimental-defs.md

@@ -309,3 +309,7 @@ class MyExperimentalTests {
 ```
 
 </details>
+
+## `-experimental` compiler flag
+
+This flag will make all top-level definitions have the `@experimental` annotation. This effectively enables the use of any experimental definition or language feature in the project.

tests/neg/expeimental-flag-with-lang-feature-1.scala

@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+//> using options -Yno-experimental
+
+import scala.language.experimental.erasedDefinitions
+
+erased def erasedFun(erased x: Int): Int = x // error // error

tests/neg/expeimental-flag-with-lang-feature-2.scala

@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+//> using options -Yno-experimental
+
+import scala.language.experimental.namedTypeArguments // error
+
+def namedTypeArgumentsFun[T, U]: Int =
+  namedTypeArgumentsFun[T = Int, U = Int]
+  namedTypeArgumentsFun[U = Int, T = Int]

tests/neg/expeimental-flag.scala

@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+//> using options -Yno-experimental
+
+import scala.annotation.experimental
+
+class Foo:
+  def foo: Int = experimentalDef // error
+
+class Bar:
+  def bar: Int = experimentalDef // error
+object Bar:
+  def bar: Int = experimentalDef // error
+
+object Baz:
+  def bar: Int = experimentalDef // error
+
+def toplevelMethod: Int = experimentalDef // error
+
+@experimental def experimentalDef: Int = 1

tests/pos/expeimental-flag-with-lang-feature.scala

@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+//> using options -experimental -Yno-experimental
+
+import scala.language.experimental.erasedDefinitions
+import scala.language.experimental.namedTypeArguments
+
+erased def erasedFun(erased x: Int): Int = x
+
+def namedTypeArgumentsFun[T, U]: Int =
+  namedTypeArgumentsFun[T = Int, U = Int]
+  namedTypeArgumentsFun[U = Int, T = Int]

tests/pos/expeimental-flag.scala

@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+//> using options -experimental -Yno-experimental
+
+import scala.annotation.experimental
+
+class Foo:
+  def foo: Int = experimentalDef
+
+class Bar:
+  def bar: Int = experimentalDef
+object Bar:
+  def bar: Int = experimentalDef
+
+object Baz:
+  def bar: Int = experimentalDef
+
+def toplevelMethod: Int = experimentalDef
+
+@experimental def experimentalDef: Int = 1