Remove AbstractNode from RenderObject and deprecate it (#128973)

It's time to say good bye to an old friend. 
It has outlived its usefulness.
Farewell, AbstractNode! 🫡

packages/flutter/lib/src/cupertino/dialog.dart

@@ -1556,7 +1556,7 @@ class _ActionButtonParentDataWidget
       parentData.isPressed = isPressed;
 
       // Force a repaint.
-      final AbstractNode? targetParent = renderObject.parent;
+      final RenderObject? targetParent = renderObject.parent;
       if (targetParent is RenderObject) {
         targetParent.markNeedsPaint();
       }

packages/flutter/lib/src/foundation/node.dart

@@ -8,6 +8,10 @@ import 'package:meta/meta.dart';
 // during device lab performance tests. When editing this file, check to make sure
 // that it didn't break that test.
 
+/// Deprecated. Unused by the framework and will be removed in a future version
+/// of Flutter. If needed, inline any required functionality of this class
+/// directly in the subclass.
+///
 /// An abstract node in a tree.
 ///
 /// AbstractNode has as notion of depth, attachment, and parent, but does not
@@ -39,6 +43,10 @@ import 'package:meta/meta.dart';
 /// moved to be a child of A, sibling of B, then the numbers won't change. C's
 /// [depth] will still be 2. The [depth] is automatically maintained by the
 /// [adoptChild] and [dropChild] methods.
+@Deprecated(
+  'If needed, inline any required functionality of AbstractNode in your class directly. '
+  'This feature was deprecated after v3.12.0-4.0.pre.',
+)
 class AbstractNode {
   /// The depth of this node in the tree.
   ///

packages/flutter/lib/src/material/data_table.dart

@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@
 
 import 'dart:math' as math;
 
-import 'package:flutter/foundation.dart';
 import 'package:flutter/rendering.dart';
 import 'package:flutter/widgets.dart';
 
@@ -1202,7 +1201,7 @@ class TableRowInkWell extends InkResponse {
   RectCallback getRectCallback(RenderBox referenceBox) {
     return () {
       RenderObject cell = referenceBox;
-      AbstractNode? table = cell.parent;
+      RenderObject? table = cell.parent;
       final Matrix4 transform = Matrix4.identity();
       while (table is RenderObject && table is! RenderTable) {
         table.applyPaintTransform(cell, transform);

packages/flutter/lib/src/material/material.dart

@@ -762,7 +762,7 @@ abstract class InkFeature {
       final int toDepth = to.depth;
 
       if (fromDepth >= toDepth) {
-        final AbstractNode? fromParent = from.parent;
+        final RenderObject? fromParent = from.parent;
         // Return early if the 2 render objects are not in the same render tree,
         // or either of them is offscreen and thus won't get painted.
         if (fromParent is! RenderObject || !fromParent.paintsChild(from)) {
@@ -773,7 +773,7 @@ abstract class InkFeature {
       }
 
       if (fromDepth <= toDepth) {
-        final AbstractNode? toParent = to.parent;
+        final RenderObject? toParent = to.parent;
         if (toParent is! RenderObject || !toParent.paintsChild(to)) {
           return null;
         }

packages/flutter/lib/src/rendering/box.dart

@@ -2136,7 +2136,6 @@ abstract class RenderBox extends RenderObject {
     assert(!_debugDoingBaseline, 'Please see the documentation for computeDistanceToActualBaseline for the required calling conventions of this method.');
     assert(!debugNeedsLayout);
     assert(() {
-      final RenderObject? parent = this.parent as RenderObject?;
       if (owner!.debugDoingLayout) {
         return (RenderObject.debugActiveLayout == parent) && parent!.debugDoingThisLayout;
       }
@@ -2144,7 +2143,6 @@ abstract class RenderBox extends RenderObject {
         return ((RenderObject.debugActivePaint == parent) && parent!.debugDoingThisPaint) ||
                ((RenderObject.debugActivePaint == this) && debugDoingThisPaint);
       }
-      assert(parent == this.parent);
       return false;
     }());
     assert(_debugSetDoingBaseline(true));

packages/flutter/lib/src/rendering/list_wheel_viewport.dart

@@ -1133,7 +1133,7 @@ class RenderListWheelViewport
     // `child` will be the last RenderObject before the viewport when walking up from `target`.
     RenderObject child = target;
     while (child.parent != this) {
-      child = child.parent! as RenderObject;
+      child = child.parent!;
     }
 
     final ListWheelParentData parentData = child.parentData! as ListWheelParentData;

packages/flutter/lib/src/rendering/viewport.dart

@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ abstract interface class RenderAbstractViewport extends RenderObject {
       if (object is RenderAbstractViewport) {
         return object;
       }
-      object = object.parent as RenderObject?;
+      object = object.parent;
     }
     return null;
   }
@@ -779,7 +779,7 @@ abstract class RenderViewportBase<ParentDataClass extends ContainerParentDataMix
     RenderBox? pivot;
     bool onlySlivers = target is RenderSliver; // ... between viewport and `target` (`target` included).
     while (child.parent != this) {
-      final RenderObject parent = child.parent! as RenderObject;
+      final RenderObject parent = child.parent!;
       if (child is RenderBox) {
         pivot = child;
       }
@@ -1205,7 +1205,8 @@ abstract class RenderViewportBase<ParentDataClass extends ContainerParentDataMix
     } else {
       // `descendant` is between leading and trailing edge and hence already
       //  fully shown on screen. No action necessary.
-      final Matrix4 transform = descendant.getTransformTo(viewport.parent! as RenderObject);
+      assert(viewport.parent != null);
+      final Matrix4 transform = descendant.getTransformTo(viewport.parent);
       return MatrixUtils.transformRect(transform, rect ?? descendant.paintBounds);
     }
 

packages/flutter/lib/src/widgets/basic.dart

@@ -2263,7 +2263,7 @@ class LayoutId extends ParentDataWidget<MultiChildLayoutParentData> {
     final MultiChildLayoutParentData parentData = renderObject.parentData! as MultiChildLayoutParentData;
     if (parentData.id != id) {
       parentData.id = id;
-      final AbstractNode? targetParent = renderObject.parent;
+      final RenderObject? targetParent = renderObject.parent;
       if (targetParent is RenderObject) {
         targetParent.markNeedsLayout();
       }
@@ -4348,7 +4348,7 @@ class Positioned extends ParentDataWidget<StackParentData> {
     }
 
     if (needsLayout) {
-      final AbstractNode? targetParent = renderObject.parent;
+      final RenderObject? targetParent = renderObject.parent;
       if (targetParent is RenderObject) {
         targetParent.markNeedsLayout();
       }
@@ -5207,7 +5207,7 @@ class Flexible extends ParentDataWidget<FlexParentData> {
     }
 
     if (needsLayout) {
-      final AbstractNode? targetParent = renderObject.parent;
+      final RenderObject? targetParent = renderObject.parent;
       if (targetParent is RenderObject) {
         targetParent.markNeedsLayout();
       }

packages/flutter/lib/src/widgets/overlay.dart

@@ -936,6 +936,14 @@ class _RenderTheater extends RenderBox with ContainerRenderObjectMixin<RenderBox
   @override
   void redepthChildren() => visitChildren(redepthChild);
 
+  void _adoptDeferredLayoutBoxChild(_RenderDeferredLayoutBox child) {
+    adoptChild(child);
+  }
+
+  void _dropDeferredLayoutBoxChild(_RenderDeferredLayoutBox child) {
+    dropChild(child);
+  }
+
   Alignment? _alignmentCache;
   Alignment get _resolvedAlignment => _alignmentCache ??= AlignmentDirectional.topStart.resolve(textDirection);
 
@@ -1706,13 +1714,13 @@ final class _OverlayEntryLocation extends LinkedListEntry<_OverlayEntryLocation>
   void _activate(_RenderDeferredLayoutBox child) {
     assert(_debugNotDisposed());
     assert(_overlayChildRenderBox == null, '$_overlayChildRenderBox');
-    _theater.adoptChild(child);
+    _theater._adoptDeferredLayoutBoxChild(child);
     _overlayChildRenderBox = child;
   }
 
   void _deactivate(_RenderDeferredLayoutBox child) {
     assert(_debugNotDisposed());
-    _theater.dropChild(child);
+    _theater._dropDeferredLayoutBoxChild(child);
     _overlayChildRenderBox = null;
   }
 
@@ -1980,7 +1988,7 @@ final class _RenderDeferredLayoutBox extends RenderProxyBox with _RenderTheaterM
 
   @override
   _RenderTheater get theater {
-    final AbstractNode? parent = this.parent;
+    final RenderObject? parent = this.parent;
     return parent is _RenderTheater
       ? parent
       : throw FlutterError('$parent of $this is not a _RenderTheater');

packages/flutter/lib/src/widgets/sliver.dart

@@ -1342,7 +1342,7 @@ class KeepAlive extends ParentDataWidget<KeepAliveParentDataMixin> {
     if (parentData.keepAlive != keepAlive) {
       // No need to redo layout if it became true.
       parentData.keepAlive = keepAlive;
-      final AbstractNode? targetParent = renderObject.parent;
+      final RenderObject? targetParent = renderObject.parent;
       if (targetParent is RenderObject && !keepAlive) {
         targetParent.markNeedsLayout();
       }
@@ -1436,7 +1436,7 @@ class _SliverZeroFlexParentDataWidget extends ParentDataWidget<SliverPhysicalPar
     }
 
     if (needsLayout) {
-      final AbstractNode? targetParent = renderObject.parent;
+      final RenderObject? targetParent = renderObject.parent;
       if (targetParent is RenderObject) {
         targetParent.markNeedsLayout();
       }
@@ -1508,7 +1508,7 @@ class SliverCrossAxisExpanded extends ParentDataWidget<SliverPhysicalContainerPa
     }
 
     if (needsLayout) {
-      final AbstractNode? targetParent = renderObject.parent;
+      final RenderObject? targetParent = renderObject.parent;
       if (targetParent is RenderObject) {
         targetParent.markNeedsLayout();
       }

packages/flutter/lib/src/widgets/table.dart

@@ -417,7 +417,7 @@ class TableCell extends ParentDataWidget<TableCellParentData> {
     final TableCellParentData parentData = renderObject.parentData! as TableCellParentData;
     if (parentData.verticalAlignment != verticalAlignment) {
       parentData.verticalAlignment = verticalAlignment;
-      final AbstractNode? targetParent = renderObject.parent;
+      final RenderObject? targetParent = renderObject.parent;
       if (targetParent is RenderObject) {
         targetParent.markNeedsLayout();
       }

packages/flutter/lib/src/widgets/widget_inspector.dart

@@ -553,7 +553,7 @@ class _ScreenshotPaintingContext extends PaintingContext {
   }) {
     RenderObject repaintBoundary = renderObject;
     while (!repaintBoundary.isRepaintBoundary) {
-      repaintBoundary = repaintBoundary.parent! as RenderObject;
+      repaintBoundary = repaintBoundary.parent!;
     }
     final _ScreenshotData data = _ScreenshotData(target: renderObject);
     final _ScreenshotPaintingContext context = _ScreenshotPaintingContext(
@@ -1632,7 +1632,7 @@ mixin WidgetInspectorService {
     final List<RenderObject> chain = <RenderObject>[];
     while (renderObject != null) {
       chain.add(renderObject);
-      renderObject = renderObject.parent as RenderObject?;
+      renderObject = renderObject.parent;
     }
     return _followDiagnosticableChain(chain.reversed.toList());
   }
@@ -2053,7 +2053,7 @@ mixin WidgetInspectorService {
             'renderObject': renderObject.toDiagnosticsNode().toJsonMap(renderObjectSerializationDelegate),
           };
 
-          final AbstractNode? renderParent = renderObject.parent;
+          final RenderObject? renderParent = renderObject.parent;
           if (renderParent is RenderObject && subtreeDepth > 0) {
             final Object? parentCreator = renderParent.debugCreator;
             if (parentCreator is DebugCreator) {
@@ -2948,7 +2948,7 @@ class _RenderInspectorOverlay extends RenderBox {
     context.addLayer(_InspectorOverlayLayer(
       overlayRect: Rect.fromLTWH(offset.dx, offset.dy, size.width, size.height),
       selection: selection,
-      rootRenderObject: parent is RenderObject ? parent! as RenderObject : null,
+      rootRenderObject: parent is RenderObject ? parent! : null,
     ));
   }
 }
@@ -3237,14 +3237,14 @@ class _InspectorOverlayLayer extends Layer {
   /// overlays in the same app (i.e. an storyboard), a selected or candidate
   /// render object may not belong to this tree.
   bool _isInInspectorRenderObjectTree(RenderObject child) {
-    RenderObject? current = child.parent as RenderObject?;
+    RenderObject? current = child.parent;
     while (current != null) {
       // We found the widget inspector render object.
       if (current is RenderStack
           && current.lastChild is _RenderInspectorOverlay) {
         return rootRenderObject == current;
       }
-      current = current.parent as RenderObject?;
+      current = current.parent;
     }
     return false;
   }

packages/flutter/test/material/tooltip_test.dart

@@ -2283,5 +2283,5 @@ SemanticsNode _findDebugSemantics(RenderObject object) {
   if (object.debugSemantics != null) {
     return object.debugSemantics!;
   }
-  return _findDebugSemantics(object.parent! as RenderObject);
+  return _findDebugSemantics(object.parent!);
 }

packages/flutter/test/material/tooltip_theme_test.dart

@@ -1334,5 +1334,5 @@ SemanticsNode findDebugSemantics(RenderObject object) {
   if (object.debugSemantics != null) {
     return object.debugSemantics!;
   }
-  return findDebugSemantics(object.parent! as RenderObject);
+  return findDebugSemantics(object.parent!);
 }

packages/flutter/test/rendering/cached_intrinsics_test.dart

@@ -118,7 +118,7 @@ void main() {
     expect(parentData!.offset.dy, -(viewHeight / 2.0));
     expect(test.calls, 2); // The layout constraints change will clear the cached data.
 
-    final RenderObject parent = test.parent! as RenderObject;
+    final RenderObject parent = test.parent!;
     expect(parent.debugNeedsLayout, false);
 
     // Do not forget notify parent dirty after the cached data be cleared by `layout()`

packages/flutter/test/rendering/editable_test.dart

@@ -1006,7 +1006,7 @@ void main() {
       editable.painter = null;
       editable.paintCount = 0;
 
-      final AbstractNode? parent = editable.parent;
+      final RenderObject? parent = editable.parent;
       if (parent is RenderConstrainedBox) {
         parent.child = null;
       }

packages/flutter/test/rendering/non_render_object_root_test.dart

-// Copyright 2014 The Flutter Authors. All rights reserved.
-// Use of this source code is governed by a BSD-style license that can be
-// found in the LICENSE file.
-
-import 'package:flutter/foundation.dart';
-import 'package:flutter/rendering.dart';
-import 'package:flutter_test/flutter_test.dart';
-
-import 'rendering_tester.dart';
-
-class RealRoot extends AbstractNode {
-  RealRoot(this.child) {
-    adoptChild(child);
-  }
-
-  final RenderObject child;
-
-  @override
-  void redepthChildren() {
-    redepthChild(child);
-  }
-
-  @override
-  void attach(Object owner) {
-    super.attach(owner);
-    child.attach(owner as PipelineOwner);
-  }
-
-  @override
-  void detach() {
-    super.detach();
-    child.detach();
-  }
-
-  @override
-  PipelineOwner? get owner => super.owner as PipelineOwner?;
-
-  void layout() {
-    child.layout(BoxConstraints.tight(const Size(500.0, 500.0)));
-  }
-}
-
-void main() {
-  TestRenderingFlutterBinding.ensureInitialized();
-
-  test('non-RenderObject roots', () {
-    RenderPositionedBox child;
-    final RealRoot root = RealRoot(
-      child = RenderPositionedBox(
-        child: RenderSizedBox(const Size(100.0, 100.0)),
-      ),
-    );
-    root.attach(PipelineOwner());
-
-    child.scheduleInitialLayout();
-    root.layout();
-
-    child.markNeedsLayout();
-    root.layout();
-  });
-}

packages/flutter/test/rendering/proxy_box_test.dart

@@ -803,10 +803,10 @@ void main() {
   });
 
   test('Offstage implements paintsChild correctly', () {
-    final RenderBox box = RenderConstrainedBox(additionalConstraints: const BoxConstraints.tightFor(width: 20));
-    final RenderBox parent = RenderConstrainedBox(additionalConstraints: const BoxConstraints.tightFor(width: 20));
+    final RenderConstrainedBox box = RenderConstrainedBox(additionalConstraints: const BoxConstraints.tightFor(width: 20));
+    final RenderConstrainedBox parent = RenderConstrainedBox(additionalConstraints: const BoxConstraints.tightFor(width: 20));
     final RenderOffstage offstage = RenderOffstage(offstage: false, child: box);
-    parent.adoptChild(offstage);
+    parent.child = offstage;
 
     expect(offstage.paintsChild(box), true);
 
@@ -817,9 +817,7 @@ void main() {
 
   test('Opacity implements paintsChild correctly', () {
     final RenderBox box = RenderConstrainedBox(additionalConstraints: const BoxConstraints.tightFor(width: 20));
-    final RenderBox parent = RenderConstrainedBox(additionalConstraints: const BoxConstraints.tightFor(width: 20));
     final RenderOpacity opacity = RenderOpacity(child: box);
-    parent.adoptChild(opacity);
 
     expect(opacity.paintsChild(box), true);
 
@@ -830,10 +828,8 @@ void main() {
 
   test('AnimatedOpacity sets paint matrix to zero when alpha == 0', () {
     final RenderBox box = RenderConstrainedBox(additionalConstraints: const BoxConstraints.tightFor(width: 20));
-    final RenderBox parent = RenderConstrainedBox(additionalConstraints: const BoxConstraints.tightFor(width: 20));
     final AnimationController opacityAnimation = AnimationController(value: 1, vsync: FakeTickerProvider());
     final RenderAnimatedOpacity opacity = RenderAnimatedOpacity(opacity: opacityAnimation, child: box);
-    parent.adoptChild(opacity);
 
     // Make it listen to the animation.
     opacity.attach(PipelineOwner());
@@ -847,10 +843,8 @@ void main() {
 
   test('AnimatedOpacity sets paint matrix to zero when alpha == 0 (sliver)', () {
     final RenderSliver sliver = RenderSliverToBoxAdapter(child: RenderConstrainedBox(additionalConstraints: const BoxConstraints.tightFor(width: 20)));
-    final RenderBox parent = RenderConstrainedBox(additionalConstraints: const BoxConstraints.tightFor(width: 20));
     final AnimationController opacityAnimation = AnimationController(value: 1, vsync: FakeTickerProvider());
     final RenderSliverAnimatedOpacity opacity = RenderSliverAnimatedOpacity(opacity: opacityAnimation, sliver: sliver);
-    parent.adoptChild(opacity);
 
     // Make it listen to the animation.
     opacity.attach(PipelineOwner());

packages/flutter/test/widgets/heroes_test.dart

@@ -1188,7 +1188,7 @@ Future<void> main() async {
         if (currentNode is RenderAnimatedOpacity && currentNode.opacity.value == 0) {
           return false;
         }
-        currentNode = currentNode.parent as RenderObject?;
+        currentNode = currentNode.parent;
       }
       return true;
     }
@@ -2919,7 +2919,7 @@ Future<void> main() async {
     final ScrollController controller = ScrollController();
 
     RenderAnimatedOpacity? findRenderAnimatedOpacity() {
-      AbstractNode? parent = tester.renderObject(find.byType(Placeholder));
+      RenderObject? parent = tester.renderObject(find.byType(Placeholder));
       while (parent is RenderObject && parent is! RenderAnimatedOpacity) {
         parent = parent.parent;
       }

packages/flutter/test/widgets/overlay_portal_test.dart

@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@
 // Use of this source code is governed by a BSD-style license that can be
 // found in the LICENSE file.
 
-import 'package:flutter/foundation.dart';
 import 'package:flutter/rendering.dart';
 import 'package:flutter/widgets.dart';
 import 'package:flutter_test/flutter_test.dart';
@@ -29,7 +28,7 @@ class _ManyRelayoutBoundaries extends StatelessWidget {
 void rebuildLayoutBuilderSubtree(RenderBox descendant) {
   assert(descendant is! RenderConstrainedLayoutBuilder<BoxConstraints, RenderBox>);
 
-  AbstractNode? node = descendant.parent;
+  RenderObject? node = descendant.parent;
   while (node != null) {
     if (node is! RenderConstrainedLayoutBuilder<BoxConstraints, RenderBox>) {
       node = node.parent;
@@ -74,7 +73,7 @@ List<RenderObject> _ancestorRenderTheaters(RenderObject child) {
     if (node.runtimeType.toString() == '_RenderTheater') {
       results.add(node);
     }
-    final AbstractNode? parent = node.parent;
+    final RenderObject? parent = node.parent;
     node = parent is RenderObject? parent : null;
   }
   return results;
@@ -1525,14 +1524,14 @@ void main() {
       final List<RenderObject> childrenVisited = <RenderObject>[];
       theater.visitChildren(childrenVisited.add);
       expect(childrenVisited.length, 3);
-      expect(childrenVisited, containsAllInOrder(<AbstractNode>[child1Box.parent!, child2Box.parent!]));
+      expect(childrenVisited, containsAllInOrder(<RenderObject>[child1Box.parent!, child2Box.parent!]));
       childrenVisited.clear();
 
       setState(() { reparented = true; });
       await tester.pump();
       theater.visitChildren(childrenVisited.add);
       // The child list stays the same.
-      expect(childrenVisited, containsAllInOrder(<AbstractNode>[child1Box.parent!, child2Box.parent!]));
+      expect(childrenVisited, containsAllInOrder(<RenderObject>[child1Box.parent!, child2Box.parent!]));
     });
   });
 }

packages/flutter_driver/lib/src/common/handler_factory.dart

@@ -320,7 +320,7 @@ mixin CommandHandlerFactory {
     SemanticsNode? node;
     while (renderObject != null && node == null) {
       node = renderObject.debugSemantics;
-      renderObject = renderObject.parent as RenderObject?;
+      renderObject = renderObject.parent;
     }
     if (node == null) {
       throw StateError('No semantics data found');

packages/flutter_test/lib/src/_matchers_io.dart

@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ Future<ui.Image> captureImage(Element element) {
   assert(element.renderObject != null);
   RenderObject renderObject = element.renderObject!;
   while (!renderObject.isRepaintBoundary) {
-    renderObject = renderObject.parent! as RenderObject;
+    renderObject = renderObject.parent!;
   }
   assert(!renderObject.debugNeedsPaint);
   final OffsetLayer layer = renderObject.debugLayer! as OffsetLayer;

packages/flutter_test/lib/src/_matchers_web.dart

@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ RenderObject _findRepaintBoundary(Element element) {
   assert(element.renderObject != null);
   RenderObject renderObject = element.renderObject!;
   while (!renderObject.isRepaintBoundary) {
-    renderObject = renderObject.parent! as RenderObject;
+    renderObject = renderObject.parent!;
   }
   return renderObject;
 }

packages/flutter_test/lib/src/controller.dart

@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ class SemanticsController {
     RenderObject? renderObject = element.findRenderObject();
     SemanticsNode? result = renderObject?.debugSemantics;
     while (renderObject != null && (result == null || result.isMergedIntoParent)) {
-      renderObject = renderObject.parent as RenderObject?;
+      renderObject = renderObject.parent;
       result = renderObject?.debugSemantics;
     }
     if (result == null) {
@@ -366,7 +366,7 @@ abstract class WidgetController {
     final RenderObject object = element.renderObject!;
     RenderObject current = object;
     while (current.debugLayer == null) {
-      current = current.parent! as RenderObject;
+      current = current.parent!;
     }
     final ContainerLayer layer = current.debugLayer!;
     return _walkLayers(layer);