feat: Add new Vec type to frontend

crates/noirc_evaluator/src/ssa/context.rs

@@ -1205,6 +1205,7 @@ impl SsaContext {
             Type::Function(..) => ObjectType::Function,
             Type::Tuple(_) => todo!("Conversion to ObjectType is unimplemented for tuples"),
             Type::String(_) => todo!("Conversion to ObjectType is unimplemented for strings"),
+            Type::Vec(_) => todo!("Conversion to ObjectType is unimplemented for Vecs"),
         }
     }
 

crates/noirc_evaluator/src/ssa/value.rs

@@ -96,6 +96,7 @@ impl Value {
             Type::Unit
             | Type::Function(..)
             | Type::Array(..)
+            | Type::Vec(..)
             | Type::String(..)
             | Type::Integer(..)
             | Type::Bool

crates/noirc_frontend/src/ast/mod.rs

@@ -35,6 +35,14 @@ pub enum UnresolvedType {
     /// A Named UnresolvedType can be a struct type or a type variable
     Named(Path, Vec<UnresolvedType>),
 
+    /// A vector of some element type.
+    /// It is expected the length of the generics is 1 so the inner Vec is technically unnecessary,
+    /// but we keep them all around to verify generic count after parsing for better error messages.
+    ///
+    /// The Span here encompasses the entire type and is used to issue an error if exactly 1
+    /// generic argument is not given.
+    Vec(Vec<UnresolvedType>, Span),
+
     // Note: Tuples have no visibility, instead each of their elements may have one.
     Tuple(Vec<UnresolvedType>),
 
@@ -100,6 +108,10 @@ impl std::fmt::Display for UnresolvedType {
                 let args = vecmap(args, ToString::to_string);
                 write!(f, "fn({}) -> {ret}", args.join(", "))
             }
+            Vec(args, _span) => {
+                let args = vecmap(args, ToString::to_string);
+                write!(f, "Vec<{}>", args.join(", "))
+            }
             Unit => write!(f, "()"),
             Error => write!(f, "error"),
             Unspecified => write!(f, "unspecified"),

crates/noirc_frontend/src/hir/resolution/errors.rs

@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ pub use noirc_errors::Span;
 use noirc_errors::{CustomDiagnostic as Diagnostic, FileDiagnostic};
 use thiserror::Error;
 
-use crate::{parser::ParserError, Ident, Shared, StructType, Type};
+use crate::{parser::ParserError, Ident, Type};
 
 use super::import::PathResolutionError;
 
@@ -53,12 +53,7 @@ pub enum ResolverError {
     #[error("Cannot apply generics on Self type")]
     GenericsOnSelfType { span: Span },
     #[error("Incorrect amount of arguments to generic type constructor")]
-    IncorrectGenericCount {
-        span: Span,
-        struct_type: Shared<StructType>,
-        actual: usize,
-        expected: usize,
-    },
+    IncorrectGenericCount { span: Span, struct_type: String, actual: usize, expected: usize },
     #[error("{0}")]
     ParserError(ParserError),
     #[error("Function is not defined in a contract yet sets its contract visibility")]
@@ -238,7 +233,7 @@ impl From<ResolverError> for Diagnostic {
                 let actual_plural = if actual == 1 { "is" } else { "are" };
 
                 Diagnostic::simple_error(
-                    format!("The struct type {} has {expected} generic{expected_plural} but {actual} {actual_plural} given here", struct_type.borrow()),
+                    format!("The struct type {struct_type} has {expected} generic{expected_plural} but {actual} {actual_plural} given here"),
                     "Incorrect number of generic arguments".into(),
                     span,
                 )

crates/noirc_frontend/src/hir/resolution/resolver.rs

@@ -347,6 +347,20 @@ impl<'a> Resolver<'a> {
                 let ret = Box::new(self.resolve_type_inner(*ret, new_variables));
                 Type::Function(args, ret)
             }
+            UnresolvedType::Vec(mut args, span) => {
+                let arg = if args.len() != 1 {
+                    self.push_err(ResolverError::IncorrectGenericCount {
+                        span,
+                        struct_type: "Vec".into(),
+                        actual: args.len(),
+                        expected: 1,
+                    });
+                    Type::Error
+                } else {
+                    self.resolve_type_inner(args.remove(0), new_variables)
+                };
+                Type::Vec(Box::new(arg))
+            }
         }
     }
 
@@ -390,13 +404,13 @@ impl<'a> Resolver<'a> {
                 if args.len() != expected_generic_count {
                     self.push_err(ResolverError::IncorrectGenericCount {
                         span,
-                        struct_type: struct_type.clone(),
+                        struct_type: struct_type.borrow().to_string(),
                         actual: args.len(),
                         expected: expected_generic_count,
                     });
 
                     // Fix the generic count so we can continue typechecking
-                    args.resize_with(expected_generic_count, || self.interner.next_type_variable())
+                    args.resize_with(expected_generic_count, || Type::Error)
                 }
 
                 Type::Struct(struct_type, args)
@@ -751,6 +765,7 @@ impl<'a> Resolver<'a> {
                     }
                 }
             }
+            Type::Vec(element) => Self::find_numeric_generics_in_type(element, found),
         }
     }
 

crates/noirc_frontend/src/hir_def/types.rs

@@ -70,6 +70,11 @@ pub enum Type {
     /// A functions with arguments, and a return type.
     Function(Vec<Type>, Box<Type>),
 
+    /// A variable-sized Vector type.
+    /// Unlike arrays, this type can have a dynamic size and can grow/shrink dynamically via .push,
+    /// .pop, and similar methods.
+    Vec(Box<Type>),
+
     /// A type generic over the given type variables.
     /// Storing both the TypeVariableId and TypeVariable isn't necessary
     /// but it makes handling them both easier. The TypeVariableId should
@@ -589,6 +594,7 @@ impl Type {
                     }
                 })
             }
+            Type::Vec(element) => element.contains_numeric_typevar(target_id),
         }
     }
 }
@@ -645,6 +651,9 @@ impl std::fmt::Display for Type {
                 let args = vecmap(args, ToString::to_string);
                 write!(f, "fn({}) -> {}", args.join(", "), ret)
             }
+            Type::Vec(element) => {
+                write!(f, "Vec<{}>", element)
+            }
         }
     }
 }
@@ -975,6 +984,8 @@ impl Type {
                 }
             }
 
+            (Vec(elem_a), Vec(elem_b)) => elem_a.try_unify(elem_b, span),
+
             (other_a, other_b) => {
                 if other_a == other_b {
                     Ok(())
@@ -1106,6 +1117,8 @@ impl Type {
                 }
             }
 
+            (Vec(elem_a), Vec(elem_b)) => elem_a.is_subtype_of(elem_b, span),
+
             (other_a, other_b) => {
                 if other_a == other_b {
                     Ok(())
@@ -1176,6 +1189,7 @@ impl Type {
             Type::NamedGeneric(..) => unreachable!(),
             Type::Forall(..) => unreachable!(),
             Type::Function(_, _) => unreachable!(),
+            Type::Vec(_) => unreachable!("Vecs cannot be used in the abi"),
         }
     }
 
@@ -1289,6 +1303,7 @@ impl Type {
                 let ret = Box::new(ret.substitute(type_bindings));
                 Type::Function(args, ret)
             }
+            Type::Vec(element) => Type::Vec(Box::new(element.substitute(type_bindings))),
 
             Type::FieldElement(_)
             | Type::Integer(_, _, _)
@@ -1318,6 +1333,7 @@ impl Type {
             Type::Function(args, ret) => {
                 args.iter().any(|arg| arg.occurs(target_id)) || ret.occurs(target_id)
             }
+            Type::Vec(element) => element.occurs(target_id),
 
             Type::FieldElement(_)
             | Type::Integer(_, _, _)
@@ -1359,6 +1375,7 @@ impl Type {
                 let ret = Box::new(ret.follow_bindings());
                 Function(args, ret)
             }
+            Vec(element) => Vec(Box::new(element.follow_bindings())),
 
             // Expect that this function should only be called on instantiated types
             Forall(..) => unreachable!(),

crates/noirc_frontend/src/lexer/token.rs

@@ -439,6 +439,7 @@ pub enum Keyword {
     Struct,
     Unconstrained,
     Use,
+    Vec,
     While,
 }
 
@@ -471,6 +472,7 @@ impl fmt::Display for Keyword {
             Keyword::Struct => write!(f, "struct"),
             Keyword::Unconstrained => write!(f, "unconstrained"),
             Keyword::Use => write!(f, "use"),
+            Keyword::Vec => write!(f, "Vec"),
             Keyword::While => write!(f, "while"),
         }
     }
@@ -506,6 +508,7 @@ impl Keyword {
             "struct" => Keyword::Struct,
             "unconstrained" => Keyword::Unconstrained,
             "use" => Keyword::Use,
+            "Vec" => Keyword::Vec,
             "while" => Keyword::While,
 
             "true" => return Some(Token::Bool(true)),

crates/noirc_frontend/src/monomorphization/ast.rs

@@ -202,6 +202,7 @@ pub enum Type {
     String(/*len:*/ u64), // String(4) = str[4]
     Unit,
     Tuple(Vec<Type>),
+    Vec(Box<Type>),
     Function(/*args:*/ Vec<Type>, /*ret:*/ Box<Type>),
 }
 
@@ -301,6 +302,7 @@ impl std::fmt::Display for Type {
                 let args = vecmap(args, ToString::to_string);
                 write!(f, "fn({}) -> {}", args.join(", "), ret)
             }
+            Type::Vec(element) => write!(f, "Vec<{element}>"),
         }
     }
 }

crates/noirc_frontend/src/monomorphization/mod.rs

@@ -382,8 +382,8 @@ impl<'interner> Monomorphizer<'interner> {
                 },
             )),
 
-            ast::Type::Array(_, _) | ast::Type::String(_) => {
-                unreachable!("Nested arrays and arrays of strings are not supported")
+            ast::Type::Array(_, _) | ast::Type::String(_) | ast::Type::Vec(_) => {
+                unreachable!("Nested arrays, arrays of strings, and Vecs are not supported")
             }
         }
     }
@@ -425,8 +425,8 @@ impl<'interner> Monomorphizer<'interner> {
                 }))
             }
 
-            ast::Type::Array(_, _) | ast::Type::String(_) => {
-                unreachable!("Nested arrays and arrays of strings are not supported")
+            ast::Type::Array(_, _) | ast::Type::String(_) | ast::Type::Vec(_) => {
+                unreachable!("Nested arrays and arrays of strings or Vecs are not supported")
             }
         }
     }
@@ -663,6 +663,11 @@ impl<'interner> Monomorphizer<'interner> {
                 ast::Type::Function(args, ret)
             }
 
+            HirType::Vec(element) => {
+                let element = Self::convert_type(element);
+                ast::Type::Vec(Box::new(element))
+            }
+
             HirType::Forall(_, _) | HirType::Constant(_) | HirType::Error => {
                 unreachable!("Unexpected type {} found", typ)
             }
@@ -683,7 +688,7 @@ impl<'interner> Monomorphizer<'interner> {
                 ast::Type::Tuple(vecmap(elements, |typ| Self::aos_to_soa_type(length, typ)))
             }
 
-            ast::Type::Array(_, _) | ast::Type::String(_) => {
+            ast::Type::Array(_, _) | ast::Type::String(_) | ast::Type::Vec(_) => {
                 unreachable!("Nested arrays and arrays of strings are not supported")
             }
         }
@@ -941,6 +946,7 @@ impl<'interner> Monomorphizer<'interner> {
             ast::Type::Function(parameter_types, ret_type) => {
                 self.create_zeroed_function(parameter_types, ret_type)
             }
+            ast::Type::Vec(_) => panic!("Cannot create a zeroed Vec value. This type is currently unimplemented and meant to be unusable outside of unconstrained functions"),
         }
     }
 

crates/noirc_frontend/src/node_interner.rs

@@ -654,6 +654,7 @@ enum TypeMethodKey {
     Unit,
     Tuple,
     Function,
+    Vec,
 }
 
 fn get_type_method_key(typ: &Type) -> Option<TypeMethodKey> {
@@ -669,6 +670,7 @@ fn get_type_method_key(typ: &Type) -> Option<TypeMethodKey> {
         Type::Unit => Some(Unit),
         Type::Tuple(_) => Some(Tuple),
         Type::Function(_, _) => Some(Function),
+        Type::Vec(_) => Some(Vec),
 
         // We do not support adding methods to these types
         Type::TypeVariable(_)

crates/noirc_frontend/src/parser/parser.rs

@@ -537,11 +537,12 @@ fn parse_type_inner(
     choice((
         field_type(),
         int_type(),
+        bool_type(),
+        string_type(),
         named_type(recursive_type_parser.clone()),
         array_type(recursive_type_parser.clone()),
         tuple_type(recursive_type_parser.clone()),
-        bool_type(),
-        string_type(),
+        vec_type(recursive_type_parser.clone()),
         function_type(recursive_type_parser),
     ))
 }
@@ -593,6 +594,12 @@ fn named_type(type_parser: impl NoirParser<UnresolvedType>) -> impl NoirParser<U
         .map(|(path, args)| UnresolvedType::Named(path, args))
 }
 
+fn vec_type(type_parser: impl NoirParser<UnresolvedType>) -> impl NoirParser<UnresolvedType> {
+    keyword(Keyword::Vec)
+        .ignore_then(generic_type_args(type_parser))
+        .map_with_span(UnresolvedType::Vec)
+}
+
 fn generic_type_args(
     type_parser: impl NoirParser<UnresolvedType>,
 ) -> impl NoirParser<Vec<UnresolvedType>> {

noir_stdlib/src/collections.nr

@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+mod vec;

noir_stdlib/src/collections/vec.nr

@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+
+// These methods are all stubs currently and aren't implemented internally yet.
+// For a similar reason, no constructor for Vec is exposed yet since the type
+// is still in-progress.
+impl<T> Vec<T> {
+    #[builtin(vec_get)]
+    fn get(_self: Self, _index: Field) -> T { }
+
+    #[builtin(vec_push)]
+    fn push(_self: Self, _elem: T) -> Self { }
+
+    #[builtin(vec_pop)]
+    fn pop(_self: Self) -> (Self, T) { }
+}

noir_stdlib/src/lib.nr

@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ mod sha512;
 mod field;
 mod ec;
 mod unsafe;
+mod collections;
 
 #[builtin(println)]
 fn println<T>(_input : T) {}