---

agent: builder model: sonnet max_turns: 90 budget_usd: 12 —

Brief: refuse .to_string() / .clone() on a text literal (#853, NK1301)

Blocked by #856 (ADR-282 D31: a literal where text of its own is needed is owned). Without it, dropping .clone() makes it::handed_over, it::result_source, it::nullable, it::lent_arguments fail. ready once #856 lands.

Decision (owner, 2026-10-25: option A, both calls refused)

ADR-282 D30; Part I 2.3 (sentence after NK1189); Part III code table NK1301 (commit 23de2754). A text literal already fills any String slot (Part I 2.2), and by D8 .to_string() of a view is the view, so "-p".to_string() and "-p".clone() mean the bare literal. Generic x.to_string() and calls on a value that is not a literal stay.

Facts

• Today both v.push("-p") and v.push("-q".to_string()) compile and run with no warning.
• About 51 "…".to_string() sites in 15 files, plus "…".clone() sites (e.g. check_values.nika:200). Biggest: scripts/agent.nika 17, tests/language/src 22.

Locations

• NK1189 refusal: crates/nikaia-std/src/tools/check_values.nika ~175-200 (add NK1301 beside it); code list check_members.nika:58.
• tests/compiler/tests/to_string_of_a_view_fills_a_string.nika (D8 test).
• rs2nika: crates/rs2nika/convert/src/.
• Known facts: read docs/builder-facts.md. Locations by nikaia run scripts/where.nika -- NAME.

To build

1. Done in a patch, not committed: /tmp/claude-0/-home-user-Nikaia/84cbb105-595e-5391-82e1-8947de490af1/scratchpad/b853/b853-wip.patch (checker refusal NK1301, test literal_to_string_refused.nika + .stderr, about 270 files migrated, rs2nika). After #856: rebase it onto develop (git apply --3way; re-run the migration grep for sites added since: grep -rnE '"[^"]*"\.(to_string|clone)\(\)' --include=*.nika crates scripts tests packages examples).
2. Where a migrated site still fails, the compiler is wrong under D31: report it (Found:), do not put .clone() back.
3. cargo build --profile fast -p nikaia, target/fast/nikaia lower-std, commit the lowered diff; nikaia test on tests/compiler and the touched it:: tests (the four above, text_tiers, typecheck). Last commit Fixes #853.

   Rules (CLAUDE.md)

   • develop in the main checkout; git add <files> only; push fast-forward, no rebase (supervisor rebases).
   • Before pushing: cargo fmt, cargo clippy --all-targets -- -D warnings, scripts/pre-push-check.sh.
   • No version lines, CHANGELOG.md, badges. NK code: only NK1301.
   • New tests in Nikaia only. Never the full suite locally.
   • A compiler defect on the way: fix with a test, or file a ready issue; no workaround.
   • Do not touch other agents’ uncommitted files (git status at start).
   • NIKAIA_CACHE_LIMIT=2G; at most two clones with target/; delete target/release/nikaia-scratch after tests; report GB freed. Scripts in files, small reads, no foreground sleep.

Report (at most 15 lines, to <brief path>.report.md)

Result, Files, Commit, Fixes, Pushed, Tests, Deviation, Found, Needs, GB freed, Owner (form in docs/architect.md, Briefs and reports).

History

Owner asked why Nikaia code writes v.push("-p".to_string()). The answer: a Rust habit from rs2nika and hand ports, and before D8 the tier walk did not always let a literal fill a String. Options were refuse (A), a warning only (B), or leave it (C). The owner chose A, with both calls refused.

This site is open source. Improve this page.