return string_views from forceString*

once a string has been forced we already have dynamic storage allocated for it,
so we can easily reuse that storage instead of copying.

src/libexpr/attr-path.cc

@@ -121,7 +121,7 @@ Pos findPackageFilename(EvalState & state, Value & v, std::string what)
     std::string filename(pos, 0, colon);
     unsigned int lineno;
     try {
-        lineno = std::stoi(std::string(pos, colon + 1));
+        lineno = std::stoi(std::string(pos, colon + 1, string::npos));
     } catch (std::invalid_argument & e) {
         throw ParseError("cannot parse line number '%s'", pos);
     }

src/libexpr/eval.cc

@@ -1857,7 +1857,7 @@ void EvalState::forceFunction(Value & v, const Pos & pos)
 }
 
 
-string EvalState::forceString(Value & v, const Pos & pos)
+std::string_view EvalState::forceString(Value & v, const Pos & pos)
 {
     forceValue(v, pos);
     if (v.type() != nString) {
@@ -1866,7 +1866,7 @@ string EvalState::forceString(Value & v, const Pos & pos)
         else
             throwTypeError("value is %1% while a string was expected", v);
     }
-    return string(v.string.s);
+    return v.string.s;
 }
 
 
@@ -1901,17 +1901,17 @@ std::vector<std::pair<Path, std::string>> Value::getContext()
 }
 
 
-string EvalState::forceString(Value & v, PathSet & context, const Pos & pos)
+std::string_view EvalState::forceString(Value & v, PathSet & context, const Pos & pos)
 {
-    string s = forceString(v, pos);
+    auto s = forceString(v, pos);
     copyContext(v, context);
     return s;
 }
 
 
-string EvalState::forceStringNoCtx(Value & v, const Pos & pos)
+std::string_view EvalState::forceStringNoCtx(Value & v, const Pos & pos)
 {
-    string s = forceString(v, pos);
+    auto s = forceString(v, pos);
     if (v.string.context) {
         if (pos)
             throwEvalError(pos, "the string '%1%' is not allowed to refer to a store path (such as '%2%')",

src/libexpr/eval.hh

@@ -201,8 +201,8 @@ public:
     void resetFileCache();
 
     /* Look up a file in the search path. */
-    Path findFile(const string & path);
+    Path findFile(const std::string_view path);
-    Path findFile(SearchPath & searchPath, const string & path, const Pos & pos = noPos);
+    Path findFile(SearchPath & searchPath, const std::string_view path, const Pos & pos = noPos);
 
     /* If the specified search path element is a URI, download it. */
     std::pair<bool, std::string> resolveSearchPathElem(const SearchPathElem & elem);
@@ -236,9 +236,9 @@ public:
     inline void forceList(Value & v);
     inline void forceList(Value & v, const Pos & pos);
     void forceFunction(Value & v, const Pos & pos); // either lambda or primop
-    string forceString(Value & v, const Pos & pos = noPos);
+    std::string_view forceString(Value & v, const Pos & pos = noPos);
-    string forceString(Value & v, PathSet & context, const Pos & pos = noPos);
+    std::string_view forceString(Value & v, PathSet & context, const Pos & pos = noPos);
-    string forceStringNoCtx(Value & v, const Pos & pos = noPos);
+    std::string_view forceStringNoCtx(Value & v, const Pos & pos = noPos);
 
     /* Return true iff the value `v' denotes a derivation (i.e. a
        set with attribute `type = "derivation"'). */

src/libexpr/flake/flake.cc

@@ -250,7 +250,7 @@ static Flake getFlake(
         for (auto & setting : *nixConfig->value->attrs) {
             forceTrivialValue(state, *setting.value, *setting.pos);
             if (setting.value->type() == nString)
-                flake.config.settings.insert({setting.name, state.forceStringNoCtx(*setting.value, *setting.pos)});
+                flake.config.settings.insert({setting.name, string(state.forceStringNoCtx(*setting.value, *setting.pos))});
             else if (setting.value->type() == nPath) {
                 PathSet emptyContext = {};
                 flake.config.settings.insert({setting.name, state.coerceToString(*setting.pos, *setting.value, emptyContext, false, true, true)});
@@ -265,7 +265,7 @@ static Flake getFlake(
                     if (elem->type() != nString)
                         throw TypeError("list element in flake configuration setting '%s' is %s while a string is expected",
                             setting.name, showType(*setting.value));
-                    ss.push_back(state.forceStringNoCtx(*elem, *setting.pos));
+                    ss.emplace_back(state.forceStringNoCtx(*elem, *setting.pos));
                 }
                 flake.config.settings.insert({setting.name, ss});
             }
@@ -726,7 +726,7 @@ static void prim_getFlake(EvalState & state, const Pos & pos, Value * * args, Va
 {
     state.requireExperimentalFeatureOnEvaluation(Xp::Flakes, "builtins.getFlake", pos);
 
-    auto flakeRefS = state.forceStringNoCtx(*args[0], pos);
+    string flakeRefS(state.forceStringNoCtx(*args[0], pos));
     auto flakeRef = parseFlakeRef(flakeRefS, {}, true);
     if (evalSettings.pureEval && !flakeRef.input.isImmutable())
         throw Error("cannot call 'getFlake' on mutable flake reference '%s', at %s (use --impure to override)", flakeRefS, pos);

src/libexpr/get-drvs.cc

@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ DrvInfo::Outputs DrvInfo::queryOutputs(bool onlyOutputsToInstall)
             /* For each output... */
             for (auto elem : i->value->listItems()) {
                 /* Evaluate the corresponding set. */
-                string name = state->forceStringNoCtx(*elem, *i->pos);
+                string name(state->forceStringNoCtx(*elem, *i->pos));
                 Bindings::iterator out = attrs->find(state->symbols.create(name));
                 if (out == attrs->end()) continue; // FIXME: throw error?
                 state->forceAttrs(*out->value);

src/libexpr/json-to-value.cc

@@ -163,7 +163,7 @@ public:
     }
 };
 
-void parseJSON(EvalState & state, const string & s_, Value & v)
+void parseJSON(EvalState & state, const std::string_view & s_, Value & v)
 {
     JSONSax parser(state, v);
     bool res = json::sax_parse(s_, &parser);

src/libexpr/json-to-value.hh

@@ -8,6 +8,6 @@ namespace nix {
 
 MakeError(JSONParseError, EvalError);
 
-void parseJSON(EvalState & state, const string & s, Value & v);
+void parseJSON(EvalState & state, const std::string_view & s, Value & v);
 
 }

src/libexpr/parser.y

@@ -709,24 +709,24 @@ void EvalState::addToSearchPath(const string & s)
 }
 
 
-Path EvalState::findFile(const string & path)
+Path EvalState::findFile(const std::string_view path)
 {
     return findFile(searchPath, path);
 }
 
 
-Path EvalState::findFile(SearchPath & searchPath, const string & path, const Pos & pos)
+Path EvalState::findFile(SearchPath & searchPath, const std::string_view path, const Pos & pos)
 {
     for (auto & i : searchPath) {
         std::string suffix;
         if (i.first.empty())
-            suffix = "/" + path;
+            suffix = concatStrings("/", path);
         else {
             auto s = i.first.size();
             if (path.compare(0, s, i.first) != 0 ||
                 (path.size() > s && path[s] != '/'))
                 continue;
-            suffix = path.size() == s ? "" : "/" + string(path, s);
+            suffix = path.size() == s ? "" : concatStrings("/", path.substr(s));
         }
         auto r = resolveSearchPathElem(i);
         if (!r.first) continue;
@@ -735,7 +735,7 @@ Path EvalState::findFile(SearchPath & searchPath, const string & path, const Pos
     }
 
     if (hasPrefix(path, "nix/"))
-        return corepkgsPrefix + path.substr(4);
+        return concatStrings(corepkgsPrefix, path.substr(4));
 
     throw ThrownError({
         .msg = hintfmt(evalSettings.pureEval

src/libexpr/primops.cc

@@ -314,7 +314,7 @@ void prim_importNative(EvalState & state, const Pos & pos, Value * * args, Value
 {
     auto path = realisePath(state, pos, *args[0]);
 
-    string sym = state.forceStringNoCtx(*args[1], pos);
+    string sym(state.forceStringNoCtx(*args[1], pos));
 
     void *handle = dlopen(path.c_str(), RTLD_LAZY | RTLD_LOCAL);
     if (!handle)
@@ -825,7 +825,7 @@ static RegisterPrimOp primop_tryEval({
 /* Return an environment variable.  Use with care. */
 static void prim_getEnv(EvalState & state, const Pos & pos, Value * * args, Value & v)
 {
-    string name = state.forceStringNoCtx(*args[0], pos);
+    string name(state.forceStringNoCtx(*args[0], pos));
     v.mkString(evalSettings.restrictEval || evalSettings.pureEval ? "" : getEnv(name).value_or(""));
 }
 
@@ -975,7 +975,7 @@ static void prim_derivationStrict(EvalState & state, const Pos & pos, Value * *
         const string & key = i->name;
         vomit("processing attribute '%1%'", key);
 
-        auto handleHashMode = [&](const std::string & s) {
+        auto handleHashMode = [&](const std::string_view s) {
             if (s == "recursive") ingestionMethod = FileIngestionMethod::Recursive;
             else if (s == "flat") ingestionMethod = FileIngestionMethod::Flat;
             else
@@ -1502,7 +1502,7 @@ static void prim_findFile(EvalState & state, const Pos & pos, Value * * args, Va
         searchPath.emplace_back(prefix, path);
     }
 
-    string path = state.forceStringNoCtx(*args[1], pos);
+    auto path = state.forceStringNoCtx(*args[1], pos);
 
     v.mkPath(state.checkSourcePath(state.findFile(searchPath, path, pos)));
 }
@@ -1516,7 +1516,7 @@ static RegisterPrimOp primop_findFile(RegisterPrimOp::Info {
 /* Return the cryptographic hash of a file in base-16. */
 static void prim_hashFile(EvalState & state, const Pos & pos, Value * * args, Value & v)
 {
-    string type = state.forceStringNoCtx(*args[0], pos);
+    auto type = state.forceStringNoCtx(*args[0], pos);
     std::optional<HashType> ht = parseHashType(type);
     if (!ht)
         throw Error({
@@ -1723,7 +1723,7 @@ static RegisterPrimOp primop_toJSON({
 /* Parse a JSON string to a value. */
 static void prim_fromJSON(EvalState & state, const Pos & pos, Value * * args, Value & v)
 {
-    string s = state.forceStringNoCtx(*args[0], pos);
+    auto s = state.forceStringNoCtx(*args[0], pos);
     try {
         parseJSON(state, s, v);
     } catch (JSONParseError &e) {
@@ -1752,8 +1752,8 @@ static RegisterPrimOp primop_fromJSON({
 static void prim_toFile(EvalState & state, const Pos & pos, Value * * args, Value & v)
 {
     PathSet context;
-    string name = state.forceStringNoCtx(*args[0], pos);
+    string name(state.forceStringNoCtx(*args[0], pos));
-    string contents = state.forceString(*args[1], context, pos);
+    string contents(state.forceString(*args[1], context, pos));
 
     StorePathSet refs;
 
@@ -2153,7 +2153,7 @@ static RegisterPrimOp primop_attrValues({
 /* Dynamic version of the `.' operator. */
 void prim_getAttr(EvalState & state, const Pos & pos, Value * * args, Value & v)
 {
-    string attr = state.forceStringNoCtx(*args[0], pos);
+    auto attr = state.forceStringNoCtx(*args[0], pos);
     state.forceAttrs(*args[1], pos);
     Bindings::iterator i = getAttr(
         state,
@@ -2183,7 +2183,7 @@ static RegisterPrimOp primop_getAttr({
 /* Return position information of the specified attribute. */
 static void prim_unsafeGetAttrPos(EvalState & state, const Pos & pos, Value * * args, Value & v)
 {
-    string attr = state.forceStringNoCtx(*args[0], pos);
+    auto attr = state.forceStringNoCtx(*args[0], pos);
     state.forceAttrs(*args[1], pos);
     Bindings::iterator i = args[1]->attrs->find(state.symbols.create(attr));
     if (i == args[1]->attrs->end())
@@ -2201,7 +2201,7 @@ static RegisterPrimOp primop_unsafeGetAttrPos(RegisterPrimOp::Info {
 /* Dynamic version of the `?' operator. */
 static void prim_hasAttr(EvalState & state, const Pos & pos, Value * * args, Value & v)
 {
-    string attr = state.forceStringNoCtx(*args[0], pos);
+    auto attr = state.forceStringNoCtx(*args[0], pos);
     state.forceAttrs(*args[1], pos);
     v.mkBool(args[1]->attrs->find(state.symbols.create(attr)) != args[1]->attrs->end());
 }
@@ -2300,7 +2300,7 @@ static void prim_listToAttrs(EvalState & state, const Pos & pos, Value * * args,
             pos
         );
 
-        string name = state.forceStringNoCtx(*j->value, *j->pos);
+        auto name = state.forceStringNoCtx(*j->value, *j->pos);
 
         Symbol sym = state.symbols.create(name);
         if (seen.insert(sym).second) {
@@ -3032,7 +3032,7 @@ static void prim_groupBy(EvalState & state, const Pos & pos, Value * * args, Val
     for (auto vElem : args[1]->listItems()) {
         Value res;
         state.callFunction(*args[0], *vElem, res, pos);
-        string name = state.forceStringNoCtx(res, pos);
+        auto name = state.forceStringNoCtx(res, pos);
         Symbol sym = state.symbols.create(name);
         auto vector = attrs.try_emplace(sym, ValueVector()).first;
         vector->second.push_back(vElem);
@@ -3376,7 +3376,7 @@ static RegisterPrimOp primop_stringLength({
 /* Return the cryptographic hash of a string in base-16. */
 static void prim_hashString(EvalState & state, const Pos & pos, Value * * args, Value & v)
 {
-    string type = state.forceStringNoCtx(*args[0], pos);
+    auto type = state.forceStringNoCtx(*args[0], pos);
     std::optional<HashType> ht = parseHashType(type);
     if (!ht)
         throw Error({
@@ -3385,7 +3385,7 @@ static void prim_hashString(EvalState & state, const Pos & pos, Value * * args,
         });
 
     PathSet context; // discarded
-    string s = state.forceString(*args[1], context, pos);
+    auto s = state.forceString(*args[1], context, pos);
 
     v.mkString(hashString(*ht, s).to_string(Base16, false));
 }
@@ -3403,7 +3403,18 @@ static RegisterPrimOp primop_hashString({
 
 struct RegexCache
 {
-    std::unordered_map<std::string, std::regex> cache;
+    // TODO use C++20 transparent comparison when available
+    std::unordered_map<std::string_view, std::regex> cache;
+    std::list<std::string> keys;
+
+    std::regex get(std::string_view re)
+    {
+        auto it = cache.find(re);
+        if (it != cache.end())
+            return it->second;
+        keys.emplace_back(re);
+        return cache.emplace(keys.back(), std::regex(keys.back(), std::regex::extended)).first->second;
+    }
 };
 
 std::shared_ptr<RegexCache> makeRegexCache()
@@ -3417,15 +3428,13 @@ void prim_match(EvalState & state, const Pos & pos, Value * * args, Value & v)
 
     try {
 
-        auto regex = state.regexCache->cache.find(re);
+        auto regex = state.regexCache->get(re);
-        if (regex == state.regexCache->cache.end())
-            regex = state.regexCache->cache.emplace(re, std::regex(re, std::regex::extended)).first;
 
         PathSet context;
-        const std::string str = state.forceString(*args[1], context, pos);
+        const auto str = state.forceString(*args[1], context, pos);
 
-        std::smatch match;
+        std::cmatch match;
-        if (!std::regex_match(str, match, regex->second)) {
+        if (!std::regex_match(str.begin(), str.end(), match, regex)) {
             v.mkNull();
             return;
         }
@@ -3500,15 +3509,13 @@ void prim_split(EvalState & state, const Pos & pos, Value * * args, Value & v)
 
     try {
 
-        auto regex = state.regexCache->cache.find(re);
+        auto regex = state.regexCache->get(re);
-        if (regex == state.regexCache->cache.end())
-            regex = state.regexCache->cache.emplace(re, std::regex(re, std::regex::extended)).first;
 
         PathSet context;
-        const std::string str = state.forceString(*args[1], context, pos);
+        const auto str = state.forceString(*args[1], context, pos);
 
-        auto begin = std::sregex_iterator(str.begin(), str.end(), regex->second);
+        auto begin = std::cregex_iterator(str.begin(), str.end(), regex);
-        auto end = std::sregex_iterator();
+        auto end = std::cregex_iterator();
 
         // Any matches results are surrounded by non-matching results.
         const size_t len = std::distance(begin, end);
@@ -3520,9 +3527,9 @@ void prim_split(EvalState & state, const Pos & pos, Value * * args, Value & v)
             return;
         }
 
-        for (std::sregex_iterator i = begin; i != end; ++i) {
+        for (auto i = begin; i != end; ++i) {
             assert(idx <= 2 * len + 1 - 3);
-            std::smatch match = *i;
+            auto match = *i;
 
             // Add a string for non-matched characters.
             (v.listElems()[idx++] = state.allocValue())->mkString(match.prefix().str());
@@ -3643,14 +3650,14 @@ static void prim_replaceStrings(EvalState & state, const Pos & pos, Value * * ar
     vector<string> from;
     from.reserve(args[0]->listSize());
     for (auto elem : args[0]->listItems())
-        from.push_back(state.forceString(*elem, pos));
+        from.emplace_back(state.forceString(*elem, pos));
 
     vector<std::pair<string, PathSet>> to;
     to.reserve(args[1]->listSize());
     for (auto elem : args[1]->listItems()) {
         PathSet ctx;
         auto s = state.forceString(*elem, ctx, pos);
-        to.push_back(std::make_pair(std::move(s), std::move(ctx)));
+        to.emplace_back(s, std::move(ctx));
     }
 
     PathSet context;
@@ -3712,7 +3719,7 @@ static RegisterPrimOp primop_replaceStrings({
 
 static void prim_parseDrvName(EvalState & state, const Pos & pos, Value * * args, Value & v)
 {
-    string name = state.forceStringNoCtx(*args[0], pos);
+    auto name = state.forceStringNoCtx(*args[0], pos);
     DrvName parsed(name);
     auto attrs = state.buildBindings(2);
     attrs.alloc(state.sName).mkString(parsed.name);
@@ -3736,8 +3743,8 @@ static RegisterPrimOp primop_parseDrvName({
 
 static void prim_compareVersions(EvalState & state, const Pos & pos, Value * * args, Value & v)
 {
-    string version1 = state.forceStringNoCtx(*args[0], pos);
+    auto version1 = state.forceStringNoCtx(*args[0], pos);
-    string version2 = state.forceStringNoCtx(*args[1], pos);
+    auto version2 = state.forceStringNoCtx(*args[1], pos);
     v.mkInt(compareVersions(version1, version2));
 }
 
@@ -3756,14 +3763,14 @@ static RegisterPrimOp primop_compareVersions({
 
 static void prim_splitVersion(EvalState & state, const Pos & pos, Value * * args, Value & v)
 {
-    string version = state.forceStringNoCtx(*args[0], pos);
+    auto version = state.forceStringNoCtx(*args[0], pos);
     auto iter = version.cbegin();
     Strings components;
     while (iter != version.cend()) {
         auto component = nextComponent(iter, version.cend());
         if (component.empty())
             break;
-        components.emplace_back(std::move(component));
+        components.emplace_back(component);
     }
     state.mkList(v, components.size());
     for (const auto & [n, component] : enumerate(components))

src/libexpr/primops/context.cc

@@ -180,7 +180,7 @@ static void prim_appendContext(EvalState & state, const Pos & pos, Value * * arg
             }
             for (auto elem : iter->value->listItems()) {
                 auto name = state.forceStringNoCtx(*elem, *iter->pos);
-                context.insert("!" + name + "!" + string(i.name));
+                context.insert(concatStrings("!", name, "!", i.name));
             }
         }
     }

src/libexpr/primops/fetchMercurial.cc

@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ static void prim_fetchMercurial(EvalState & state, const Pos & pos, Value * * ar
     std::string url;
     std::optional<Hash> rev;
     std::optional<std::string> ref;
-    std::string name = "source";
+    std::string_view name = "source";
     PathSet context;
 
     state.forceValue(*args[0], pos);
@@ -22,14 +22,14 @@ static void prim_fetchMercurial(EvalState & state, const Pos & pos, Value * * ar
         state.forceAttrs(*args[0], pos);
 
         for (auto & attr : *args[0]->attrs) {
-            string n(attr.name);
+            std::string_view n(attr.name);
             if (n == "url")
                 url = state.coerceToString(*attr.pos, *attr.value, context, false, false);
             else if (n == "rev") {
                 // Ugly: unlike fetchGit, here the "rev" attribute can
                 // be both a revision or a branch/tag name.
                 auto value = state.forceStringNoCtx(*attr.value, *attr.pos);
-                if (std::regex_match(value, revRegex))
+                if (std::regex_match(value.begin(), value.end(), revRegex))
                     rev = Hash::parseAny(value, htSHA1);
                 else
                     ref = value;
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ static void prim_fetchMercurial(EvalState & state, const Pos & pos, Value * * ar
     fetchers::Attrs attrs;
     attrs.insert_or_assign("type", "hg");
     attrs.insert_or_assign("url", url.find("://") != std::string::npos ? url : "file://" + url);
-    attrs.insert_or_assign("name", name);
+    attrs.insert_or_assign("name", string(name));
     if (ref) attrs.insert_or_assign("ref", *ref);
     if (rev) attrs.insert_or_assign("rev", rev->gitRev());
     auto input = fetchers::Input::fromAttrs(std::move(attrs));

src/libexpr/primops/fromTOML.cc

@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ static void prim_fromTOML(EvalState & state, const Pos & pos, Value * * args, Va
 {
     auto toml = state.forceStringNoCtx(*args[0], pos);
 
-    std::istringstream tomlStream(toml);
+    std::istringstream tomlStream(string{toml});
 
     std::function<void(Value &, toml::value)> visit;
 

src/libstore/derivations.cc

@@ -699,10 +699,10 @@ void writeDerivation(Sink & out, const Store & store, const BasicDerivation & dr
 }
 
 
-std::string hashPlaceholder(const std::string & outputName)
+std::string hashPlaceholder(const std::string_view outputName)
 {
     // FIXME: memoize?
-    return "/" + hashString(htSHA256, "nix-output:" + outputName).to_string(Base32, false);
+    return "/" + hashString(htSHA256, concatStrings("nix-output:", outputName)).to_string(Base32, false);
 }
 
 std::string downstreamPlaceholder(const Store & store, const StorePath & drvPath, std::string_view outputName)

src/libstore/derivations.hh

@@ -236,7 +236,7 @@ void writeDerivation(Sink & out, const Store & store, const BasicDerivation & dr
    It is used as a placeholder to allow derivations to refer to their
    own outputs without needing to use the hash of a derivation in
    itself, making the hash near-impossible to calculate. */
-std::string hashPlaceholder(const std::string & outputName);
+std::string hashPlaceholder(const std::string_view outputName);
 
 /* This creates an opaque and almost certainly unique string
    deterministically from a derivation path and output name.

src/libstore/names.cc

@@ -56,8 +56,8 @@ bool DrvName::matches(const DrvName & n)
 }
 
 
-string nextComponent(string::const_iterator & p,
+std::string_view nextComponent(std::string_view::const_iterator & p,
-    const string::const_iterator end)
+    const std::string_view::const_iterator end)
 {
     /* Skip any dots and dashes (component separators). */
     while (p != end && (*p == '.' || *p == '-')) ++p;
@@ -67,18 +67,18 @@ string nextComponent(string::const_iterator & p,
     /* If the first character is a digit, consume the longest sequence
        of digits.  Otherwise, consume the longest sequence of
        non-digit, non-separator characters. */
-    string s;
+    auto s = p;
     if (isdigit(*p))
-        while (p != end && isdigit(*p)) s += *p++;
+        while (p != end && isdigit(*p)) p++;
     else
         while (p != end && (!isdigit(*p) && *p != '.' && *p != '-'))
-            s += *p++;
+            p++;
 
-    return s;
+    return {s, size_t(p - s)};
 }
 
 
-static bool componentsLT(const string & c1, const string & c2)
+static bool componentsLT(const std::string_view c1, const std::string_view c2)
 {
     auto n1 = string2Int<int>(c1);
     auto n2 = string2Int<int>(c2);
@@ -94,14 +94,14 @@ static bool componentsLT(const string & c1, const string & c2)
 }
 
 
-int compareVersions(const string & v1, const string & v2)
+int compareVersions(const std::string_view v1, const std::string_view v2)
 {
-    string::const_iterator p1 = v1.begin();
+    auto p1 = v1.begin();
-    string::const_iterator p2 = v2.begin();
+    auto p2 = v2.begin();
 
     while (p1 != v1.end() || p2 != v2.end()) {
-        string c1 = nextComponent(p1, v1.end());
+        auto c1 = nextComponent(p1, v1.end());
-        string c2 = nextComponent(p2, v2.end());
+        auto c2 = nextComponent(p2, v2.end());
         if (componentsLT(c1, c2)) return -1;
         else if (componentsLT(c2, c1)) return 1;
     }

src/libstore/names.hh

@@ -27,9 +27,9 @@ private:
 
 typedef list<DrvName> DrvNames;
 
-string nextComponent(string::const_iterator & p,
+std::string_view nextComponent(std::string_view::const_iterator & p,
-    const string::const_iterator end);
+    const std::string_view::const_iterator end);
-int compareVersions(const string & v1, const string & v2);
+int compareVersions(const std::string_view v1, const std::string_view v2);
 DrvNames drvNamesFromArgs(const Strings & opArgs);
 
 }

src/libutil/hash.cc

@@ -259,7 +259,7 @@ Hash::Hash(std::string_view rest, HashType type, bool isSRI)
         throw BadHash("hash '%s' has wrong length for hash type '%s'", rest, printHashType(this->type));
 }
 
-Hash newHashAllowEmpty(std::string hashStr, std::optional<HashType> ht)
+Hash newHashAllowEmpty(std::string_view hashStr, std::optional<HashType> ht)
 {
     if (hashStr.empty()) {
         if (!ht)

src/libutil/hash.hh

@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ public:
 };
 
 /* Helper that defaults empty hashes to the 0 hash. */
-Hash newHashAllowEmpty(std::string hashStr, std::optional<HashType> ht);
+Hash newHashAllowEmpty(std::string_view hashStr, std::optional<HashType> ht);
 
 /* Print a hash in base-16 if it's MD5, or base-32 otherwise. */
 string printHash16or32(const Hash & hash);

src/nix/prefetch.cc

@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ string resolveMirrorUrl(EvalState & state, string url)
     if (mirrorList->value->listSize() < 1)
         throw Error("mirror URL '%s' did not expand to anything", url);
 
-    auto mirror = state.forceString(*mirrorList->value->listElems()[0]);
+    string mirror(state.forceString(*mirrorList->value->listElems()[0]));
     return mirror + (hasSuffix(mirror, "/") ? "" : "/") + string(s, p + 1);
 }