chore: remove the as_field and from_field built-ins

compiler/noirc_evaluator/src/acir/mod.rs

@@ -2760,8 +2760,6 @@ impl<'a> Context<'a> {
                 unreachable!("Expected static_assert to be removed by this point")
             }
             Intrinsic::StrAsBytes => unreachable!("Expected as_bytes to be removed by this point"),
-            Intrinsic::FromField => unreachable!("Expected from_field to be removed by this point"),
-            Intrinsic::AsField => unreachable!("Expected as_field to be removed by this point"),
             Intrinsic::IsUnconstrained => {
                 unreachable!("Expected is_unconstrained to be removed by this point")
             }

compiler/noirc_evaluator/src/brillig/brillig_gen/brillig_block.rs

@@ -635,9 +635,7 @@ impl<'block> BrilligBlock<'block> {
                             let array = array.extract_register();
                             self.brillig_context.load_instruction(destination, array);
                         }
-                        Intrinsic::FromField
-                        | Intrinsic::AsField
-                        | Intrinsic::IsUnconstrained
+                        Intrinsic::IsUnconstrained
                         | Intrinsic::DerivePedersenGenerators
                         | Intrinsic::ApplyRangeConstraint
                         | Intrinsic::StrAsBytes

compiler/noirc_evaluator/src/ssa/checks/check_for_underconstrained_values.rs

@@ -294,11 +294,9 @@ impl DependencyContext {
                             Intrinsic::ArrayLen
                             | Intrinsic::ArrayRefCount
                             | Intrinsic::ArrayAsStrUnchecked
-                            | Intrinsic::AsField
                             | Intrinsic::AsSlice
                             | Intrinsic::BlackBox(..)
                             | Intrinsic::DerivePedersenGenerators
-                            | Intrinsic::FromField
                             | Intrinsic::Hint(..)
                             | Intrinsic::SlicePushBack
                             | Intrinsic::SlicePushFront
@@ -574,12 +572,10 @@ impl Context {
                             Intrinsic::ArrayLen
                             | Intrinsic::ArrayAsStrUnchecked
                             | Intrinsic::ArrayRefCount
-                            | Intrinsic::AsField
                             | Intrinsic::AsSlice
                             | Intrinsic::BlackBox(..)
                             | Intrinsic::Hint(Hint::BlackBox)
                             | Intrinsic::DerivePedersenGenerators
-                            | Intrinsic::FromField
                             | Intrinsic::SliceInsert
                             | Intrinsic::SlicePushBack
                             | Intrinsic::SlicePushFront

compiler/noirc_evaluator/src/ssa/ir/instruction.rs

@@ -65,8 +65,6 @@
     ToRadix(Endian),
     BlackBox(BlackBoxFunc),
     Hint(Hint),
-    FromField,
-    AsField,
     AsWitness,
     IsUnconstrained,
     DerivePedersenGenerators,
@@ -97,8 +95,6 @@
             Intrinsic::ToRadix(Endian::Little) => write!(f, "to_le_radix"),
             Intrinsic::BlackBox(function) => write!(f, "{function}"),
             Intrinsic::Hint(Hint::BlackBox) => write!(f, "black_box"),
-            Intrinsic::FromField => write!(f, "from_field"),
-            Intrinsic::AsField => write!(f, "as_field"),
             Intrinsic::AsWitness => write!(f, "as_witness"),
             Intrinsic::IsUnconstrained => write!(f, "is_unconstrained"),
             Intrinsic::DerivePedersenGenerators => write!(f, "derive_pedersen_generators"),
@@ -140,8 +136,6 @@
             | Intrinsic::SlicePushFront
             | Intrinsic::SliceInsert
             | Intrinsic::StrAsBytes
-            | Intrinsic::FromField
-            | Intrinsic::AsField
             | Intrinsic::IsUnconstrained
             | Intrinsic::DerivePedersenGenerators
             | Intrinsic::FieldLessThan => false,
@@ -213,8 +207,6 @@
             "to_be_radix" => Some(Intrinsic::ToRadix(Endian::Big)),
             "to_le_bits" => Some(Intrinsic::ToBits(Endian::Little)),
             "to_be_bits" => Some(Intrinsic::ToBits(Endian::Big)),
-            "from_field" => Some(Intrinsic::FromField),
-            "as_field" => Some(Intrinsic::AsField),
             "as_witness" => Some(Intrinsic::AsWitness),
             "is_unconstrained" => Some(Intrinsic::IsUnconstrained),
             "derive_pedersen_generators" => Some(Intrinsic::DerivePedersenGenerators),
@@ -406,7 +398,7 @@
             // These can fail.
             Constrain(..) | RangeCheck { .. } => true,
 
             // This should never be side-effectful
             MakeArray { .. } => false,
 
             // Some binary math can overflow or underflow

compiler/noirc_evaluator/src/ssa/ir/instruction/call.rs

@@ -330,31 +330,6 @@ pub(super) fn simplify_call(
         Intrinsic::BlackBox(bb_func) => {
             simplify_black_box_func(bb_func, arguments, dfg, block, call_stack)
         }
-        Intrinsic::AsField => {
-            let instruction = Instruction::Cast(arguments[0], NumericType::NativeField);
-            SimplifyResult::SimplifiedToInstruction(instruction)
-        }
-        Intrinsic::FromField => {
-            let incoming_type = Type::field();
-            let target_type = return_type.clone().unwrap();
-
-            let truncate = Instruction::Truncate {
-                value: arguments[0],
-                bit_size: target_type.bit_size(),
-                max_bit_size: incoming_type.bit_size(),
-            };
-            let truncated_value = dfg
-                .insert_instruction_and_results(
-                    truncate,
-                    block,
-                    Some(vec![incoming_type]),
-                    call_stack,
-                )
-                .first();
-
-            let instruction = Instruction::Cast(truncated_value, target_type.unwrap_numeric());
-            SimplifyResult::SimplifiedToInstruction(instruction)
-        }
         Intrinsic::AsWitness => SimplifyResult::None,
         Intrinsic::IsUnconstrained => SimplifyResult::None,
         Intrinsic::DerivePedersenGenerators => {

compiler/noirc_evaluator/src/ssa/opt/remove_enable_side_effects.rs

@@ -176,8 +176,6 @@ impl Context {
                     | Intrinsic::ToRadix(_)
                     | Intrinsic::BlackBox(_)
                     | Intrinsic::Hint(Hint::BlackBox)
-                    | Intrinsic::FromField
-                    | Intrinsic::AsField
                     | Intrinsic::AsSlice
                     | Intrinsic::AsWitness
                     | Intrinsic::IsUnconstrained

compiler/noirc_evaluator/src/ssa/opt/remove_if_else.rs

@@ -235,8 +235,6 @@ fn slice_capacity_change(
         | Intrinsic::StrAsBytes
         | Intrinsic::BlackBox(_)
         | Intrinsic::Hint(Hint::BlackBox)
-        | Intrinsic::FromField
-        | Intrinsic::AsField
         | Intrinsic::AsWitness
         | Intrinsic::IsUnconstrained
         | Intrinsic::DerivePedersenGenerators

compiler/noirc_frontend/src/hir/comptime/interpreter/builtin.rs

@@ -64,7 +64,6 @@ impl<'local, 'context> Interpreter<'local, 'context> {
             "array_len" => array_len(interner, arguments, location),
             "array_refcount" => Ok(Value::U32(0)),
             "assert_constant" => Ok(Value::Bool(true)),
-            "as_field" => as_field(interner, arguments, location),
             "as_slice" => as_slice(interner, arguments, location),
             "ctstring_eq" => ctstring_eq(arguments, location),
             "ctstring_hash" => ctstring_hash(arguments, location),
@@ -117,7 +116,6 @@ impl<'local, 'context> Interpreter<'local, 'context> {
             "field_less_than" => field_less_than(arguments, location),
             "fmtstr_as_ctstring" => fmtstr_as_ctstring(interner, arguments, location),
             "fmtstr_quoted_contents" => fmtstr_quoted_contents(interner, arguments, location),
-            "from_field" => from_field(interner, arguments, return_type, location),
             "fresh_type_variable" => fresh_type_variable(interner),
             "function_def_add_attribute" => function_def_add_attribute(self, arguments, location),
             "function_def_body" => function_def_body(interner, arguments, location),
@@ -292,16 +290,6 @@ fn array_as_str_unchecked(
     Ok(Value::String(Rc::new(string)))
 }
 
-// fn as_field<T>(x: T) -> Field {}
-fn as_field(
-    interner: &NodeInterner,
-    arguments: Vec<(Value, Location)>,
-    location: Location,
-) -> IResult<Value> {
-    let (value, value_location) = check_one_argument(arguments, location)?;
-    Interpreter::evaluate_cast_one_step(&Type::FieldElement, value_location, value, interner)
-}
-
 fn as_slice(
     interner: &NodeInterner,
     arguments: Vec<(Value, Location)>,
@@ -2236,17 +2224,6 @@ fn fmtstr_quoted_contents(
     Ok(Value::Quoted(Rc::new(tokens)))
 }
 
-// fn from_field<T>(x: Field) -> T {}
-fn from_field(
-    interner: &NodeInterner,
-    arguments: Vec<(Value, Location)>,
-    return_type: Type,
-    location: Location,
-) -> IResult<Value> {
-    let (value, value_location) = check_one_argument(arguments, location)?;
-    Interpreter::evaluate_cast_one_step(&return_type, value_location, value, interner)
-}
-
 // fn fresh_type_variable() -> Type
 fn fresh_type_variable(interner: &NodeInterner) -> IResult<Value> {
     Ok(Value::Type(interner.next_type_variable_with_kind(Kind::Any)))

noir_stdlib/src/convert.nr

@@ -117,3 +117,51 @@ impl From<bool> for Field {
     }
 }
 // docs:end:from-impls
+
+/// A generic interface for casting between primitive types,
+/// equivalent of using the `as` keyword between values.
+///
+/// # Example
+///
+/// ```
+/// let x: Field = 1234567890;
+/// let y: u8 = x as u8;
+/// let z: u8 = x.as_();
+/// assert_eq(y, z);
+/// ```
+pub trait AsPrimitive<T> {
+    /// The equivalent of doing `self as T`.
+    fn as_(self) -> T;
+}
+
+#[generate_as_primitive_impls]
+comptime fn generate_as_primitive_impls(_: FunctionDefinition) -> Quoted {
+    let types = [
+        quote { bool },
+        quote { u8 },
+        quote { u16 },
+        quote { u32 },
+        quote { u64 },
+        quote { i8 },
+        quote { i16 },
+        quote { i32 },
+        quote { i64 },
+        quote { Field },
+    ];
+
+    let mut impls = &[];
+    for type1 in types {
+        for type2 in types {
+            impls = impls.push_back(
+                quote {
+                impl AsPrimitive<$type1> for $type2 {
+                    fn as_(self) -> $type1 {
+                        self as $type1
+                    }
+                }
+            },
+            );
+        }
+    }
+    impls.join(quote {})
+}

noir_stdlib/src/lib.nr

@@ -28,6 +28,8 @@ pub mod mem;
 pub mod panic;
 pub mod hint;
 
+use convert::AsPrimitive;
+
 // Oracle calls are required to be wrapped in an unconstrained function
 // Thus, the only argument to the `println` oracle is expected to always be an ident
 #[oracle(print)]
@@ -89,28 +91,29 @@ pub fn assert_constant<T>(x: T) {}
 #[builtin(static_assert)]
 pub fn static_assert<let N: u32>(predicate: bool, message: str<N>) {}
 
-// from_field and as_field are private since they are not valid for every type.
-// `as` should be the default for users to cast between primitive types, and in the future
-// traits can be used to work with generic types.
-#[builtin(from_field)]
-fn from_field<T>(x: Field) -> T {}
-
-#[builtin(as_field)]
-fn as_field<T>(x: T) -> Field {}
-
-pub fn wrapping_add<T>(x: T, y: T) -> T {
-    crate::from_field(crate::as_field(x) + crate::as_field(y))
+pub fn wrapping_add<T>(x: T, y: T) -> T
+where
+    T: AsPrimitive<Field>,
+    Field: AsPrimitive<T>,
+{
+    AsPrimitive::as_(x.as_() + y.as_())
 }
 
-pub fn wrapping_sub<T>(x: T, y: T) -> T {
+pub fn wrapping_sub<T>(x: T, y: T) -> T
+where
+    T: AsPrimitive<Field>,
+    Field: AsPrimitive<T>,
+{
     //340282366920938463463374607431768211456 is 2^128, it is used to avoid underflow
-    crate::from_field(
-        crate::as_field(x) + 340282366920938463463374607431768211456 - crate::as_field(y),
-    )
+    AsPrimitive::as_(x.as_() + 340282366920938463463374607431768211456 - y.as_())
 }
 
-pub fn wrapping_mul<T>(x: T, y: T) -> T {
-    crate::from_field(crate::as_field(x) * crate::as_field(y))
+pub fn wrapping_mul<T>(x: T, y: T) -> T
+where
+    T: AsPrimitive<Field>,
+    Field: AsPrimitive<T>,
+{
+    AsPrimitive::as_(x.as_() * y.as_())
 }
 
 #[builtin(as_witness)]

noir_stdlib/src/uint128.nr

@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 use crate::cmp::{Eq, Ord, Ordering};
 use crate::ops::{Add, BitAnd, BitOr, BitXor, Div, Mul, Not, Rem, Shl, Shr, Sub};
+use super::convert::AsPrimitive;
 
 global pow64: Field = 18446744073709551616; //2^64;
 global pow63: Field = 9223372036854775808; // 2^63;
@@ -139,17 +140,23 @@ impl U128 {
         }
     }
 
-    pub fn from_integer<T>(i: T) -> U128 {
-        let f = crate::as_field(i);
+    pub fn from_integer<T>(i: T) -> U128
+    where
+        T: AsPrimitive<Field>,
+    {
+        let f = i.as_();
         // Reject values which would overflow a u128
         f.assert_max_bit_size::<128>();
         let lo = f as u64 as Field;
         let hi = (f - lo) / pow64;
         U128 { lo, hi }
     }
 
-    pub fn to_integer<T>(self) -> T {
-        crate::from_field(self.lo + self.hi * pow64)
+    pub fn to_integer<T>(self) -> T
+    where
+        Field: AsPrimitive<T>,
+    {
+        AsPrimitive::as_(self.lo + self.hi * pow64)
     }
 
     fn wrapping_mul(self: Self, b: U128) -> U128 {