rust-lang · Alexendoo · Sep 28, 2025
diff --git a/book/src/development/adding_lints.md b/book/src/development/adding_lints.md
@@ -233,7 +233,7 @@ declare_clippy_lint! {
     /// ```rust
     /// // example code
     /// ```
-    #[clippy::version = "1.29.0"]
+    #[clippy::version = "dev"]
     pub FOO_FUNCTIONS,
     pedantic,
     "function named `foo`, which is not a descriptive name"
@@ -245,10 +245,8 @@ declare_clippy_lint! {
   this][example_lint_page]. To render and open this documentation locally in a
   browser, run `cargo dev serve`.
 * The `#[clippy::version]` attribute will be rendered as part of the lint
-  documentation. The value should be set to the current Rust version that the
-  lint is developed in, it can be retrieved by running `rustc -vV` in the
-  rust-clippy directory. The version is listed under *release*. (Use the version
-  without the `-nightly`) suffix.
+  documentation. The value of `"dev"` will be replaced automatically
+  as part of the release process after the lint is merged.
 * `FOO_FUNCTIONS` is the name of our lint. Be sure to follow the [lint naming
   guidelines][lint_naming] here when naming your lint. In short, the name should
   state the thing that is being checked for and read well when used with
@@ -587,7 +585,7 @@ declare_clippy_lint! {
     /// ```rust,ignore
     /// // A short example of improved code that doesn't trigger the lint
     /// ```
-    #[clippy::version = "1.29.0"]
+    #[clippy::version = "dev"]
     pub FOO_FUNCTIONS,
     pedantic,
     "function named `foo`, which is not a descriptive name"

diff --git a/book/src/development/defining_lints.md b/book/src/development/defining_lints.md
@@ -168,10 +168,10 @@ declare_clippy_lint! {
     /// ```rust
     /// // example code which does not raise Clippy warning
     /// ```
-    #[clippy::version = "1.70.0"] // <- In which version was this implemented, keep it up to date!
+    #[clippy::version = "dev"]
     pub LINT_NAME, // <- The lint name IN_ALL_CAPS
     pedantic, // <- The lint group
-    "default lint description" // <- A lint description, e.g. "A function has an unit return type."
+    "default lint description" // <- A lint description, e.g. "function with the unit return type"
 }
 ```
 

diff --git a/book/src/development/infrastructure/changelog_update.md b/book/src/development/infrastructure/changelog_update.md
@@ -98,8 +98,10 @@ that label in the changelog. If you can, remove the `beta-accepted` labels
 
 ### 5. Update `clippy::version` attributes
 
-Next, make sure to check that the `#[clippy::version]` attributes for the added
-lints contain the correct version. 
+Next, make sure to check that the `#[clippy::version]` attributes for the newly
+added and deprecated lints contain the version of the release you're writing the
+changelog for.
+
 In order to find lints that need a version update, go through the lints in the 
 "New Lints" section and run the following command for each lint name:
 
@@ -110,6 +112,9 @@ grep -rB1 "pub $LINT_NAME" .
 The version shown should match the version of the release the changelog is 
 written for. If not, update the version to the changelog version.
 
+Newly created lints will have `#[clippy::version = "dev"]` and be handled
+during the sync, but many existing PRs will still have an incorrect version.
+
 [changelog]: https://github.com/rust-lang/rust-clippy/blob/master/CHANGELOG.md
 [forge]: https://forge.rust-lang.org/
 [rust_master_tools]: https://github.com/rust-lang/rust/tree/HEAD/src/tools/clippy

diff --git a/clippy_dev/src/main.rs b/clippy_dev/src/main.rs
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ fn main() {
             category,
             r#type,
             msrv,
-        } => match new_lint::create(clippy.version, pass, &name, &category, r#type.as_deref(), msrv) {
+        } => match new_lint::create(pass, &name, &category, r#type.as_deref(), msrv) {
             Ok(()) => new_parse_cx(|cx| update_lints::update(cx, UpdateMode::Change)),
             Err(e) => eprintln!("Unable to create lint: {e}"),
         },
@@ -79,13 +79,7 @@ fn main() {
             new_name,
             uplift,
         } => new_parse_cx(|cx| {
-            rename_lint::rename(
-                cx,
-                clippy.version,
-                &old_name,
-                new_name.as_ref().unwrap_or(&old_name),
-                uplift,
-            );
+            rename_lint::rename(cx, &old_name, new_name.as_ref().unwrap_or(&old_name), uplift);
         }),
         DevCommand::Deprecate { name, reason } => {
             new_parse_cx(|cx| deprecate_lint::deprecate(cx, clippy.version, &name, &reason));

diff --git a/clippy_dev/src/new_lint.rs b/clippy_dev/src/new_lint.rs
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 use crate::parse::cursor::{self, Capture, Cursor};
-use crate::utils::Version;
 use clap::ValueEnum;
 use indoc::{formatdoc, writedoc};
 use std::fmt::{self, Write as _};
@@ -23,7 +22,6 @@ impl fmt::Display for Pass {
 }
 
 struct LintData<'a> {
-    clippy_version: Version,
     pass: Pass,
     name: &'a str,
     category: &'a str,
@@ -51,21 +49,13 @@ impl<T> Context for io::Result<T> {
 /// # Errors
 ///
 /// This function errors out if the files couldn't be created or written to.
-pub fn create(
-    clippy_version: Version,
-    pass: Pass,
-    name: &str,
-    category: &str,
-    mut ty: Option<&str>,
-    msrv: bool,
-) -> io::Result<()> {
+pub fn create(pass: Pass, name: &str, category: &str, mut ty: Option<&str>, msrv: bool) -> io::Result<()> {
     if category == "cargo" && ty.is_none() {
         // `cargo` is a special category, these lints should always be in `clippy_lints/src/cargo`
         ty = Some("cargo");
     }
 
     let lint = LintData {
-        clippy_version,
         pass,
         name,
         category,
@@ -295,11 +285,7 @@ fn get_lint_file_contents(lint: &LintData<'_>, enable_msrv: bool) -> String {
         );
     }
 
-    let _: fmt::Result = writeln!(
-        result,
-        "{}",
-        get_lint_declaration(lint.clippy_version, &name_upper, category)
-    );
+    let _: fmt::Result = writeln!(result, "{}", get_lint_declaration(&name_upper, category));
 
     if enable_msrv {
         let _: fmt::Result = writedoc!(
@@ -337,7 +323,7 @@ fn get_lint_file_contents(lint: &LintData<'_>, enable_msrv: bool) -> String {
     result
 }
 
-fn get_lint_declaration(version: Version, name_upper: &str, category: &str) -> String {
+fn get_lint_declaration(name_upper: &str, category: &str) -> String {
     let justification_heading = if category == "restriction" {
         "Why restrict this?"
     } else {
@@ -358,12 +344,11 @@ fn get_lint_declaration(version: Version, name_upper: &str, category: &str) -> S
                 /// ```no_run
                 /// // example code which does not raise clippy warning
                 /// ```
-                #[clippy::version = "{}"]
+                #[clippy::version = "dev"]
                 pub {name_upper},
                 {category},
                 "default lint description"
-            }}"#,
-        version.rust_display(),
+            }}"#
     )
 }
 
@@ -461,10 +446,7 @@ fn setup_mod_file(path: &Path, lint: &LintData<'_>) -> io::Result<&'static str>
     // Add the lint declaration to `mod.rs`
     file_contents.insert_str(
         lint_decl_end,
-        &format!(
-            "\n\n{}",
-            get_lint_declaration(lint.clippy_version, &lint_name_upper, lint.category)
-        ),
+        &format!("\n\n{}", get_lint_declaration(&lint_name_upper, lint.category)),
     );
 
     // Add the lint to `impl_lint_pass`/`declare_lint_pass`

diff --git a/clippy_dev/src/parse.rs b/clippy_dev/src/parse.rs
@@ -98,7 +98,6 @@ pub struct DeprecatedLint<'cx> {
 pub struct RenamedLint<'cx> {
     pub old_name: &'cx str,
     pub new_name: &'cx str,
-    pub version: &'cx str,
 }
 
 impl<'cx> ParseCxImpl<'cx> {
@@ -186,21 +185,16 @@ impl<'cx> ParseCxImpl<'cx> {
         #[allow(clippy::enum_glob_use)]
         use cursor::Pat::*;
         #[rustfmt::skip]
-        static DECL_TOKENS: &[cursor::Pat<'_>] = &[
+        static VERSIONED_DECL: &[cursor::Pat<'_>] = &[
             // #[clippy::version = "version"]
             Pound, OpenBracket, Ident("clippy"), DoubleColon, Ident("version"), Eq, CaptureLitStr, CloseBracket,
             // ("first", "second"),
             OpenParen, CaptureLitStr, Comma, CaptureLitStr, CloseParen, Comma,
         ];
         #[rustfmt::skip]
-        static DEPRECATED_TOKENS: &[cursor::Pat<'_>] = &[
-            // !{ DEPRECATED(DEPRECATED_VERSION) = [
-            Bang, OpenBrace, Ident("DEPRECATED"), OpenParen, Ident("DEPRECATED_VERSION"), CloseParen, Eq, OpenBracket,
-        ];
-        #[rustfmt::skip]
-        static RENAMED_TOKENS: &[cursor::Pat<'_>] = &[
-            // !{ RENAMED(RENAMED_VERSION) = [
-            Bang, OpenBrace, Ident("RENAMED"), OpenParen, Ident("RENAMED_VERSION"), CloseParen, Eq, OpenBracket,
+        static UNVERSIONED_DECL: &[cursor::Pat<'_>] = &[
+            // ("first", "second"),
+            OpenParen, CaptureLitStr, Comma, CaptureLitStr, CloseParen, Comma,
         ];
 
         let path = "clippy_lints/src/deprecated_lints.rs";
@@ -214,12 +208,12 @@ impl<'cx> ParseCxImpl<'cx> {
 
         // First instance is the macro definition.
         assert!(
-            cursor.find_ident("declare_with_version").is_some(),
+            cursor.find_ident("deprecated").is_some(),
             "error reading deprecated lints"
         );
 
-        if cursor.find_ident("declare_with_version").is_some() && cursor.match_all(DEPRECATED_TOKENS, &mut []) {
-            while cursor.match_all(DECL_TOKENS, &mut captures) {
+        if cursor.find_ident("deprecated").is_some() && cursor.match_all(&[Bang, OpenBracket], &mut []) {
+            while cursor.match_all(VERSIONED_DECL, &mut captures) {
                 deprecated.push(DeprecatedLint {
                     name: self.parse_str_single_line(path.as_ref(), cursor.get_text(captures[1])),
                     reason: self.parse_str_single_line(path.as_ref(), cursor.get_text(captures[2])),
@@ -230,12 +224,13 @@ impl<'cx> ParseCxImpl<'cx> {
             panic!("error reading deprecated lints");
         }
 
-        if cursor.find_ident("declare_with_version").is_some() && cursor.match_all(RENAMED_TOKENS, &mut []) {
-            while cursor.match_all(DECL_TOKENS, &mut captures) {
+        // pub const RENAMED: &[(&str, &str)] = &[
+        //           ^^^^^^^                  ^  ^
+        if cursor.find_ident("RENAMED").is_some() && cursor.find_pat(Eq) && cursor.find_pat(OpenBracket) {
+            while cursor.match_all(UNVERSIONED_DECL, &mut captures) {
                 renamed.push(RenamedLint {
-                    old_name: self.parse_str_single_line(path.as_ref(), cursor.get_text(captures[1])),
-                    new_name: self.parse_str_single_line(path.as_ref(), cursor.get_text(captures[2])),
-                    version: self.parse_str_single_line(path.as_ref(), cursor.get_text(captures[0])),
+                    old_name: self.parse_str_single_line(path.as_ref(), cursor.get_text(captures[0])),
+                    new_name: self.parse_str_single_line(path.as_ref(), cursor.get_text(captures[1])),
                 });
             }
         } else {

diff --git a/clippy_dev/src/rename_lint.rs b/clippy_dev/src/rename_lint.rs
@@ -2,8 +2,8 @@ use crate::parse::cursor::{self, Capture, Cursor};
 use crate::parse::{ParseCx, RenamedLint};
 use crate::update_lints::generate_lint_files;
 use crate::utils::{
-    ErrAction, FileUpdater, UpdateMode, UpdateStatus, Version, delete_dir_if_exists, delete_file_if_exists,
-    expect_action, try_rename_dir, try_rename_file, walk_dir_no_dot_or_target,
+    ErrAction, FileUpdater, UpdateMode, UpdateStatus, delete_dir_if_exists, delete_file_if_exists, expect_action,
+    try_rename_dir, try_rename_file, walk_dir_no_dot_or_target,
 };
 use rustc_lexer::TokenKind;
 use std::ffi::OsString;
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ use std::path::Path;
 /// * If `old_name` doesn't name an existing lint.
 /// * If `old_name` names a deprecated or renamed lint.
 #[expect(clippy::too_many_lines)]
-pub fn rename<'cx>(cx: ParseCx<'cx>, clippy_version: Version, old_name: &'cx str, new_name: &'cx str, uplift: bool) {
+pub fn rename<'cx>(cx: ParseCx<'cx>, old_name: &'cx str, new_name: &'cx str, uplift: bool) {
     let mut updater = FileUpdater::default();
     let mut lints = cx.find_lint_decls();
     let (deprecated_lints, mut renamed_lints) = cx.read_deprecated_lints();
@@ -65,7 +65,6 @@ pub fn rename<'cx>(cx: ParseCx<'cx>, clippy_version: Version, old_name: &'cx str
                 RenamedLint {
                     old_name: old_name_prefixed,
                     new_name: new_name_prefixed,
-                    version: cx.str_buf.alloc_display(cx.arena, clippy_version.rust_display()),
                 },
             );
         },

diff --git a/clippy_dev/src/update_lints.rs b/clippy_dev/src/update_lints.rs
@@ -78,12 +78,11 @@ pub fn generate_lint_files(
         &mut |_, src, dst| {
             let mut cursor = Cursor::new(src);
             assert!(
-                cursor.find_ident("declare_with_version").is_some()
-                    && cursor.find_ident("declare_with_version").is_some(),
+                cursor.find_ident("deprecated").is_some() && cursor.find_ident("deprecated").is_some(),
                 "error reading deprecated lints"
             );
             dst.push_str(&src[..cursor.pos() as usize]);
-            dst.push_str("! { DEPRECATED(DEPRECATED_VERSION) = [\n");
+            dst.push_str("![\n");
             for lint in deprecated {
                 write!(
                     dst,
@@ -93,20 +92,15 @@ pub fn generate_lint_files(
                 .unwrap();
             }
             dst.push_str(
-                "]}\n\n\
+                "];\n\n\
                     #[rustfmt::skip]\n\
-                    declare_with_version! { RENAMED(RENAMED_VERSION) = [\n\
+                    pub const RENAMED: &[(&str, &str)] = &[\n\
                 ",
             );
             for lint in renamed {
-                write!(
-                    dst,
-                    "    #[clippy::version = \"{}\"]\n    (\"{}\", \"{}\"),\n",
-                    lint.version, lint.old_name, lint.new_name,
-                )
-                .unwrap();
+                writeln!(dst, "    (\"{}\", \"{}\"),", lint.old_name, lint.new_name).unwrap();
             }
-            dst.push_str("]}\n");
+            dst.push_str("];\n");
             UpdateStatus::from_changed(src != dst)
         },
     );