Merge remote-tracking branch 'upstream/master' into upstream-merge

30 files changed, 902 insertions, 491 deletions

diff --git a/src/libexpr/attr-path.cc b/src/libexpr/attr-path.cc
index bf0c1dabc..32deecfae 100644
--- a/src/libexpr/attr-path.cc
+++ b/src/libexpr/attr-path.cc
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ namespace nix {
 static Strings parseAttrPath(std::string_view s)
 {
     Strings res;
-    string cur;
+    std::string cur;
     auto i = s.begin();
     while (i != s.end()) {
         if (*i == '.') {
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ std::vector<Symbol> parseAttrPath(EvalState & state, std::string_view s)
 }
 
 
-std::pair<Value *, Pos> findAlongAttrPath(EvalState & state, const string & attrPath,
+std::pair<Value *, Pos> findAlongAttrPath(EvalState & state, const std::string & attrPath,
     Bindings & autoArgs, Value & vIn)
 {
     Strings tokens = parseAttrPath(attrPath);
@@ -74,8 +74,14 @@ std::pair<Value *, Pos> findAlongAttrPath(EvalState & state, const string & attr
                 throw Error("empty attribute name in selection path '%1%'", attrPath);
 
             Bindings::iterator a = v->attrs->find(state.symbols.create(attr));
-            if (a == v->attrs->end())
-                throw AttrPathNotFound("attribute '%1%' in selection path '%2%' not found", attr, attrPath);
+            if (a == v->attrs->end()) {
+                std::set<std::string> attrNames;
+                for (auto & attr : *v->attrs)
+                    attrNames.insert(attr.name);
+
+                auto suggestions = Suggestions::bestMatches(attrNames, attr);
+                throw AttrPathNotFound(suggestions, "attribute '%1%' in selection path '%2%' not found", attr, attrPath);
+            }
             v = &*a->value;
             pos = *a->pos;
         }
@@ -121,7 +127,7 @@ 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, string::npos));
+        lineno = std::stoi(std::string(pos, colon + 1, std::string::npos));
     } catch (std::invalid_argument & e) {
         throw ParseError("cannot parse line number '%s'", pos);
     }
diff --git a/src/libexpr/attr-path.hh b/src/libexpr/attr-path.hh
index 2ee3ea089..ff1135a06 100644
--- a/src/libexpr/attr-path.hh
+++ b/src/libexpr/attr-path.hh
@@ -10,8 +10,11 @@ namespace nix {
 MakeError(AttrPathNotFound, Error);
 MakeError(NoPositionInfo, Error);
 
-std::pair<Value *, Pos> findAlongAttrPath(EvalState & state, const string & attrPath,
-    Bindings & autoArgs, Value & vIn);
+std::pair<Value *, Pos> findAlongAttrPath(
+    EvalState & state,
+    const std::string & attrPath,
+    Bindings & autoArgs,
+    Value & vIn);
 
 /* Heuristic to find the filename and lineno or a nix value. */
 Pos findPackageFilename(EvalState & state, Value & v, std::string what);
diff --git a/src/libexpr/attr-set.hh b/src/libexpr/attr-set.hh
index 3e4899efc..cad9743ea 100644
--- a/src/libexpr/attr-set.hh
+++ b/src/libexpr/attr-set.hh
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ public:
         for (size_t n = 0; n < size_; n++)
             res.emplace_back(&attrs[n]);
         std::sort(res.begin(), res.end(), [](const Attr * a, const Attr * b) {
-            return (const string &) a->name < (const string &) b->name;
+            return (const std::string &) a->name < (const std::string &) b->name;
         });
         return res;
     }
diff --git a/src/libexpr/common-eval-args.cc b/src/libexpr/common-eval-args.cc
index fffca4ac5..e50ff244c 100644
--- a/src/libexpr/common-eval-args.cc
+++ b/src/libexpr/common-eval-args.cc
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ Bindings * MixEvalArgs::getAutoArgs(EvalState & state)
     for (auto & i : autoArgs) {
         auto v = state.allocValue();
         if (i.second[0] == 'E')
-            state.mkThunk_(*v, state.parseExprFromString(string(i.second, 1), absPath(".")));
+            state.mkThunk_(*v, state.parseExprFromString(i.second.substr(1), absPath(".")));
         else
             v->mkString(((std::string_view) i.second).substr(1));
         res.insert(state.symbols.create(i.first), v);
@@ -85,17 +85,17 @@ Bindings * MixEvalArgs::getAutoArgs(EvalState & state)
     return res.finish();
 }
 
-Path lookupFileArg(EvalState & state, string s)
+Path lookupFileArg(EvalState & state, std::string_view s)
 {
     if (isUri(s)) {
         return state.store->toRealPath(
             fetchers::downloadTarball(
                 state.store, resolveUri(s), "source", false).first.storePath);
     } else if (s.size() > 2 && s.at(0) == '<' && s.at(s.size() - 1) == '>') {
-        Path p = s.substr(1, s.size() - 2);
+        Path p(s.substr(1, s.size() - 2));
         return state.findFile(p);
     } else
-        return absPath(s);
+        return absPath(std::string(s));
 }
 
 }
diff --git a/src/libexpr/common-eval-args.hh b/src/libexpr/common-eval-args.hh
index 0e113fff1..03fa226aa 100644
--- a/src/libexpr/common-eval-args.hh
+++ b/src/libexpr/common-eval-args.hh
@@ -22,6 +22,6 @@ private:
     std::map<std::string, std::string> autoArgs;
 };
 
-Path lookupFileArg(EvalState & state, string s);
+Path lookupFileArg(EvalState & state, std::string_view s);
 
 }
diff --git a/src/libexpr/eval-cache.cc b/src/libexpr/eval-cache.cc
index b102684ec..9f6152561 100644
--- a/src/libexpr/eval-cache.cc
+++ b/src/libexpr/eval-cache.cc
@@ -21,6 +21,8 @@ struct AttrDb
 {
     std::atomic_bool failed{false};
 
+    const Store & cfg;
+
     struct State
     {
         SQLite db;
@@ -33,8 +35,9 @@ struct AttrDb
 
     std::unique_ptr<Sync<State>> _state;
 
-    AttrDb(const Hash & fingerprint)
-        : _state(std::make_unique<Sync<State>>())
+    AttrDb(const Store & cfg, const Hash & fingerprint)
+        : cfg(cfg)
+        , _state(std::make_unique<Sync<State>>())
     {
         auto state(_state->lock());
 
@@ -254,10 +257,10 @@ struct AttrDb
                 return {{rowId, attrs}};
             }
             case AttrType::String: {
-                std::vector<std::pair<Path, std::string>> context;
+                NixStringContext context;
                 if (!queryAttribute.isNull(3))
                     for (auto & s : tokenizeString<std::vector<std::string>>(queryAttribute.getStr(3), ";"))
-                        context.push_back(decodeContext(s));
+                        context.push_back(decodeContext(cfg, s));
                 return {{rowId, string_t{queryAttribute.getStr(2), context}}};
             }
             case AttrType::Bool:
@@ -274,10 +277,10 @@ struct AttrDb
     }
 };
 
-static std::shared_ptr<AttrDb> makeAttrDb(const Hash & fingerprint)
+static std::shared_ptr<AttrDb> makeAttrDb(const Store & cfg, const Hash & fingerprint)
 {
     try {
-        return std::make_shared<AttrDb>(fingerprint);
+        return std::make_shared<AttrDb>(cfg, fingerprint);
     } catch (SQLiteError &) {
         ignoreException();
         return nullptr;
@@ -288,7 +291,7 @@ EvalCache::EvalCache(
     std::optional<std::reference_wrapper<const Hash>> useCache,
     EvalState & state,
     RootLoader rootLoader)
-    : db(useCache ? makeAttrDb(*useCache) : nullptr)
+    : db(useCache ? makeAttrDb(*state.store, *useCache) : nullptr)
     , state(state)
     , rootLoader(rootLoader)
 {
@@ -406,6 +409,16 @@ Value & AttrCursor::forceValue()
     return v;
 }
 
+Suggestions AttrCursor::getSuggestionsForAttr(Symbol name)
+{
+    auto attrNames = getAttrs();
+    std::set<std::string> strAttrNames;
+    for (auto & name : attrNames)
+        strAttrNames.insert(std::string(name));
+
+    return Suggestions::bestMatches(strAttrNames, name);
+}
+
 std::shared_ptr<AttrCursor> AttrCursor::maybeGetAttr(Symbol name, bool forceErrors)
 {
     if (root->db) {
@@ -446,6 +459,11 @@ std::shared_ptr<AttrCursor> AttrCursor::maybeGetAttr(Symbol name, bool forceErro
         return nullptr;
         //throw TypeError("'%s' is not an attribute set", getAttrPathStr());
 
+    for (auto & attr : *v.attrs) {
+        if (root->db)
+            root->db->setPlaceholder({cachedValue->first, attr.name});
+    }
+
     auto attr = v.attrs->get(name);
 
     if (!attr) {
@@ -464,7 +482,7 @@ std::shared_ptr<AttrCursor> AttrCursor::maybeGetAttr(Symbol name, bool forceErro
         cachedValue2 = {root->db->setPlaceholder({cachedValue->first, name}), placeholder_t()};
     }
 
-    return std::make_shared<AttrCursor>(
+    return make_ref<AttrCursor>(
         root, std::make_pair(shared_from_this(), name), attr->value, std::move(cachedValue2));
 }
 
@@ -473,27 +491,31 @@ std::shared_ptr<AttrCursor> AttrCursor::maybeGetAttr(std::string_view name)
     return maybeGetAttr(root->state.symbols.create(name));
 }
 
-std::shared_ptr<AttrCursor> AttrCursor::getAttr(Symbol name, bool forceErrors)
+ref<AttrCursor> AttrCursor::getAttr(Symbol name, bool forceErrors)
 {
     auto p = maybeGetAttr(name, forceErrors);
     if (!p)
         throw Error("attribute '%s' does not exist", getAttrPathStr(name));
-    return p;
+    return ref(p);
 }
 
-std::shared_ptr<AttrCursor> AttrCursor::getAttr(std::string_view name)
+ref<AttrCursor> AttrCursor::getAttr(std::string_view name)
 {
     return getAttr(root->state.symbols.create(name));
 }
 
-std::shared_ptr<AttrCursor> AttrCursor::findAlongAttrPath(const std::vector<Symbol> & attrPath, bool force)
+OrSuggestions<ref<AttrCursor>> AttrCursor::findAlongAttrPath(const std::vector<Symbol> & attrPath, bool force)
 {
     auto res = shared_from_this();
     for (auto & attr : attrPath) {
-        res = res->maybeGetAttr(attr, force);
-        if (!res) return {};
+        auto child = res->maybeGetAttr(attr, force);
+        if (!child) {
+            auto suggestions = res->getSuggestionsForAttr(attr);
+            return OrSuggestions<ref<AttrCursor>>::failed(suggestions);
+        }
+        res = child;
     }
-    return res;
+    return ref(res);
 }
 
 std::string AttrCursor::getString()
@@ -527,7 +549,7 @@ string_t AttrCursor::getStringWithContext()
             if (auto s = std::get_if<string_t>(&cachedValue->second)) {
                 bool valid = true;
                 for (auto & c : s->second) {
-                    if (!root->state.store->isValidPath(root->state.store->parseStorePath(c.first))) {
+                    if (!root->state.store->isValidPath(c.first)) {
                         valid = false;
                         break;
                     }
@@ -544,7 +566,7 @@ string_t AttrCursor::getStringWithContext()
     auto & v = forceValue();
 
     if (v.type() == nString)
-        return {v.string.s, v.getContext()};
+        return {v.string.s, v.getContext(*root->state.store)};
     else if (v.type() == nPath)
         return {v.path, {}};
     else
@@ -599,7 +621,7 @@ std::vector<Symbol> AttrCursor::getAttrs()
     for (auto & attr : *getValue().attrs)
         attrs.push_back(attr.name);
     std::sort(attrs.begin(), attrs.end(), [](const Symbol & a, const Symbol & b) {
-        return (const string &) a < (const string &) b;
+        return (const std::string &) a < (const std::string &) b;
     });
 
     if (root->db)
diff --git a/src/libexpr/eval-cache.hh b/src/libexpr/eval-cache.hh
index 43b34ebcb..c9a9bf471 100644
--- a/src/libexpr/eval-cache.hh
+++ b/src/libexpr/eval-cache.hh
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ struct misc_t {};
 struct failed_t {};
 typedef uint64_t AttrId;
 typedef std::pair<AttrId, Symbol> AttrKey;
-typedef std::pair<std::string, std::vector<std::pair<Path, std::string>>> string_t;
+typedef std::pair<std::string, NixStringContext> string_t;
 
 typedef std::variant<
     std::vector<Symbol>,
@@ -94,15 +94,17 @@ public:
 
     std::string getAttrPathStr(Symbol name) const;
 
+    Suggestions getSuggestionsForAttr(Symbol name);
+
     std::shared_ptr<AttrCursor> maybeGetAttr(Symbol name, bool forceErrors = false);
 
     std::shared_ptr<AttrCursor> maybeGetAttr(std::string_view name);
 
-    std::shared_ptr<AttrCursor> getAttr(Symbol name, bool forceErrors = false);
+    ref<AttrCursor> getAttr(Symbol name, bool forceErrors = false);
 
-    std::shared_ptr<AttrCursor> getAttr(std::string_view name);
+    ref<AttrCursor> getAttr(std::string_view name);
 
-    std::shared_ptr<AttrCursor> findAlongAttrPath(const std::vector<Symbol> & attrPath, bool force = false);
+    OrSuggestions<ref<AttrCursor>> findAlongAttrPath(const std::vector<Symbol> & attrPath, bool force = false);
 
     std::string getString();
 
diff --git a/src/libexpr/eval-inline.hh b/src/libexpr/eval-inline.hh
index 7ed05950a..9b0073822 100644
--- a/src/libexpr/eval-inline.hh
+++ b/src/libexpr/eval-inline.hh
@@ -38,6 +38,81 @@ LocalNoInlineNoReturn(void throwTypeError(const Pos & pos, const char * s, const
 }
 
 
+/* Note: Various places expect the allocated memory to be zeroed. */
+[[gnu::always_inline]]
+inline void * allocBytes(size_t n)
+{
+    void * p;
+#if HAVE_BOEHMGC
+    p = GC_MALLOC(n);
+#else
+    p = calloc(n, 1);
+#endif
+    if (!p) throw std::bad_alloc();
+    return p;
+}
+
+
+[[gnu::always_inline]]
+Value * EvalState::allocValue()
+{
+#if HAVE_BOEHMGC
+    /* We use the boehm batch allocator to speed up allocations of Values (of which there are many).
+       GC_malloc_many returns a linked list of objects of the given size, where the first word
+       of each object is also the pointer to the next object in the list. This also means that we
+       have to explicitly clear the first word of every object we take. */
+    if (!*valueAllocCache) {
+        *valueAllocCache = GC_malloc_many(sizeof(Value));
+        if (!*valueAllocCache) throw std::bad_alloc();
+    }
+
+    /* GC_NEXT is a convenience macro for accessing the first word of an object.
+       Take the first list item, advance the list to the next item, and clear the next pointer. */
+    void * p = *valueAllocCache;
+    *valueAllocCache = GC_NEXT(p);
+    GC_NEXT(p) = nullptr;
+#else
+    void * p = allocBytes(sizeof(Value));
+#endif
+
+    nrValues++;
+    return (Value *) p;
+}
+
+
+[[gnu::always_inline]]
+Env & EvalState::allocEnv(size_t size)
+{
+    nrEnvs++;
+    nrValuesInEnvs += size;
+
+    Env * env;
+
+#if HAVE_BOEHMGC
+    if (size == 1) {
+        /* see allocValue for explanations. */
+        if (!*env1AllocCache) {
+            *env1AllocCache = GC_malloc_many(sizeof(Env) + sizeof(Value *));
+            if (!*env1AllocCache) throw std::bad_alloc();
+        }
+
+        void * p = *env1AllocCache;
+        *env1AllocCache = GC_NEXT(p);
+        GC_NEXT(p) = nullptr;
+        env = (Env *) p;
+    } else
+#endif
+        env = (Env *) allocBytes(sizeof(Env) + size * sizeof(Value *));
+
+    env->type = Env::Plain;
+
+    /* We assume that env->values has been cleared by the allocator; maybeThunk() and lookupVar fromWith expect this. */
+
+    return *env;
+}
+
+
+[[gnu::always_inline]]
 void EvalState::forceValue(Value & v, const Pos & pos)
 {
     forceValue(v, [&]() { return pos; });
@@ -66,6 +141,7 @@ void EvalState::forceValue(Value & v, Callable getPos)
 }
 
 
+[[gnu::always_inline]]
 inline void EvalState::forceAttrs(Value & v, const Pos & pos)
 {
     forceAttrs(v, [&]() { return pos; });
@@ -73,6 +149,7 @@ inline void EvalState::forceAttrs(Value & v, const Pos & pos)
 
 
 template <typename Callable>
+[[gnu::always_inline]]
 inline void EvalState::forceAttrs(Value & v, Callable getPos)
 {
     forceValue(v, getPos);
@@ -81,6 +158,7 @@ inline void EvalState::forceAttrs(Value & v, Callable getPos)
 }
 
 
+[[gnu::always_inline]]
 inline void EvalState::forceList(Value & v, const Pos & pos)
 {
     forceValue(v, pos);
@@ -88,18 +166,5 @@ inline void EvalState::forceList(Value & v, const Pos & pos)
         throwTypeError(pos, "value is %1% while a list was expected", v, *this);
 }
 
-/* Note: Various places expect the allocated memory to be zeroed. */
-inline void * allocBytes(size_t n)
-{
-    void * p;
-#if HAVE_BOEHMGC
-    p = GC_MALLOC(n);
-#else
-    p = calloc(n, 1);
-#endif
-    if (!p) throw std::bad_alloc();
-    return p;
-}
-
 
 }
diff --git a/src/libexpr/eval.cc b/src/libexpr/eval.cc
index 4211d72dd..5ad7e546c 100644
--- a/src/libexpr/eval.cc
+++ b/src/libexpr/eval.cc
@@ -63,9 +63,15 @@ static char * dupString(const char * s)
 }
 
 
-static char * dupStringWithLen(const char * s, size_t size)
+// When there's no need to write to the string, we can optimize away empty
+// string allocations.
+// This function handles makeImmutableStringWithLen(null, 0) by returning the
+// empty string.
+static const char * makeImmutableStringWithLen(const char * s, size_t size)
 {
     char * t;
+    if (size == 0)
+        return "";
 #if HAVE_BOEHMGC
     t = GC_STRNDUP(s, size);
 #else
@@ -75,6 +81,10 @@ static char * dupStringWithLen(const char * s, size_t size)
     return t;
 }
 
+static inline const char * makeImmutableString(std::string_view s) {
+    return makeImmutableStringWithLen(s.data(), s.size());
+}
+
 
 RootValue allocRootValue(Value * v)
 {
@@ -86,25 +96,20 @@ RootValue allocRootValue(Value * v)
 }
 
 
-void printValue(std::ostream & str, std::set<const Value *> & active, const Value & v)
+void Value::print(std::ostream & str, std::set<const void *> * seen) const
 {
     checkInterrupt();
 
-    if (!active.insert(&v).second) {
-        str << "<CYCLE>";
-        return;
-    }
-
-    switch (v.internalType) {
+    switch (internalType) {
     case tInt:
-        str << v.integer;
+        str << integer;
         break;
     case tBool:
-        str << (v.boolean ? "true" : "false");
+        str << (boolean ? "true" : "false");
         break;
     case tString:
         str << "\"";
-        for (const char * i = v.string.s; *i; i++)
+        for (const char * i = string.s; *i; i++)
             if (*i == '\"' || *i == '\\') str << "\\" << *i;
             else if (*i == '\n') str << "\\n";
             else if (*i == '\r') str << "\\r";
@@ -114,30 +119,38 @@ void printValue(std::ostream & str, std::set<const Value *> & active, const Valu
         str << "\"";
         break;
     case tPath:
-        str << v.path; // !!! escaping?
+        str << path; // !!! escaping?
         break;
     case tNull:
         str << "null";
         break;
     case tAttrs: {
-        str << "{ ";
-        for (auto & i : v.attrs->lexicographicOrder()) {
-            str << i->name << " = ";
-            printValue(str, active, *i->value);
-            str << "; ";
+        if (seen && !attrs->empty() && !seen->insert(attrs).second)
+            str << "«repeated»";
+        else {
+            str << "{ ";
+            for (auto & i : attrs->lexicographicOrder()) {
+                str << i->name << " = ";
+                i->value->print(str, seen);
+                str << "; ";
+            }
+            str << "}";
         }
-        str << "}";
         break;
     }
     case tList1:
     case tList2:
     case tListN:
-        str << "[ ";
-        for (auto v2 : v.listItems()) {
-            printValue(str, active, *v2);
-            str << " ";
+        if (seen && listSize() && !seen->insert(listElems()).second)
+            str << "«repeated»";
+        else {
+            str << "[ ";
+            for (auto v2 : listItems()) {
+                v2->print(str, seen);
+                str << " ";
+            }
+            str << "]";
         }
-        str << "]";
         break;
     case tThunk:
     case tApp:
@@ -153,28 +166,32 @@ void printValue(std::ostream & str, std::set<const Value *> & active, const Valu
         str << "<PRIMOP-APP>";
         break;
     case tExternal:
-        str << *v.external;
+        str << *external;
         break;
     case tFloat:
-        str << v.fpoint;
+        str << fpoint;
         break;
     default:
         abort();
     }
+}
 
-    active.erase(&v);
+
+void Value::print(std::ostream & str, bool showRepeated) const
+{
+    std::set<const void *> seen;
+    print(str, showRepeated ? nullptr : &seen);
 }
 
 
 std::ostream & operator << (std::ostream & str, const Value & v)
 {
-    std::set<const Value *> active;
-    printValue(str, active, v);
+    v.print(str, false);
     return str;
 }
 
 
-const Value *getPrimOp(const Value &v) {
+const Value * getPrimOp(const Value &v) {
     const Value * primOp = &v;
     while (primOp->isPrimOpApp()) {
         primOp = primOp->primOpApp.left;
@@ -183,7 +200,7 @@ const Value *getPrimOp(const Value &v) {
     return primOp;
 }
 
-string showType(ValueType type)
+std::string_view showType(ValueType type)
 {
     switch (type) {
         case nInt: return "an integer";
@@ -202,20 +219,20 @@ string showType(ValueType type)
 }
 
 
-string showType(const Value & v)
+std::string showType(const Value & v)
 {
     switch (v.internalType) {
         case tString: return v.string.context ? "a string with context" : "a string";
         case tPrimOp:
-            return fmt("the built-in function '%s'", string(v.primOp->name));
+            return fmt("the built-in function '%s'", std::string(v.primOp->name));
         case tPrimOpApp:
-            return fmt("the partially applied built-in function '%s'", string(getPrimOp(v)->primOp->name));
+            return fmt("the partially applied built-in function '%s'", std::string(getPrimOp(v)->primOp->name));
         case tExternal: return v.external->showType();
         case tThunk: return "a thunk";
         case tApp: return "a function application";
         case tBlackhole: return "a black hole";
     default:
-        return showType(v.type());
+        return std::string(showType(v.type()));
     }
 }
 
@@ -356,7 +373,7 @@ void initGC()
 
 /* Very hacky way to parse $NIX_PATH, which is colon-separated, but
    can contain URLs (e.g. "nixpkgs=https://bla...:foo=https://"). */
-static Strings parseNixPath(const string & s)
+static Strings parseNixPath(const std::string & s)
 {
     Strings res;
 
@@ -419,6 +436,7 @@ EvalState::EvalState(
     , sBuilder(symbols.create("builder"))
     , sArgs(symbols.create("args"))
     , sContentAddressed(symbols.create("__contentAddressed"))
+    , sImpure(symbols.create("__impure"))
     , sOutputHash(symbols.create("outputHash"))
     , sOutputHashAlgo(symbols.create("outputHashAlgo"))
     , sOutputHashMode(symbols.create("outputHashMode"))
@@ -440,8 +458,10 @@ EvalState::EvalState(
     , regexCache(makeRegexCache())
 #if HAVE_BOEHMGC
     , valueAllocCache(std::allocate_shared<void *>(traceable_allocator<void *>(), nullptr))
+    , env1AllocCache(std::allocate_shared<void *>(traceable_allocator<void *>(), nullptr))
 #else
     , valueAllocCache(std::make_shared<void *>(nullptr))
+    , env1AllocCache(std::make_shared<void *>(nullptr))
 #endif
     , baseEnv(allocEnv(128))
     , staticBaseEnv(new StaticEnv(false, 0))
@@ -490,23 +510,6 @@ EvalState::~EvalState()
 }
 
 
-void EvalState::requireExperimentalFeatureOnEvaluation(
-    const ExperimentalFeature & feature,
-    const std::string_view fName,
-    const Pos & pos)
-{
-    if (!settings.isExperimentalFeatureEnabled(feature)) {
-        throw EvalError({
-            .msg = hintfmt(
-                "Cannot call '%2%' because experimental Nix feature '%1%' is disabled. You can enable it via '--extra-experimental-features %1%'.",
-                feature,
-                fName
-            ),
-            .errPos = pos
-        });
-    }
-}
-
 void EvalState::allowPath(const Path & path)
 {
     if (allowedPaths)
@@ -519,6 +522,14 @@ void EvalState::allowPath(const StorePath & storePath)
         allowedPaths->insert(store->toRealPath(storePath));
 }
 
+void EvalState::allowAndSetStorePathString(const StorePath &storePath, Value & v)
+{
+    allowPath(storePath);
+
+    auto path = store->printStorePath(storePath);
+    v.mkString(path, PathSet({path}));
+}
+
 Path EvalState::checkSourcePath(const Path & path_)
 {
     if (!allowedPaths) return path_;
@@ -608,7 +619,7 @@ Path EvalState::toRealPath(const Path & path, const PathSet & context)
 }
 
 
-Value * EvalState::addConstant(const string & name, Value & v)
+Value * EvalState::addConstant(const std::string & name, Value & v)
 {
     Value * v2 = allocValue();
     *v2 = v;
@@ -617,19 +628,19 @@ Value * EvalState::addConstant(const string & name, Value & v)
 }
 
 
-void EvalState::addConstant(const string & name, Value * v)
+void EvalState::addConstant(const std::string & name, Value * v)
 {
     staticBaseEnv->vars.emplace_back(symbols.create(name), baseEnvDispl);
     baseEnv.values[baseEnvDispl++] = v;
-    string name2 = string(name, 0, 2) == "__" ? string(name, 2) : name;
+    auto name2 = name.substr(0, 2) == "__" ? name.substr(2) : name;
     baseEnv.values[0]->attrs->push_back(Attr(symbols.create(name2), v));
 }
 
 
-Value * EvalState::addPrimOp(const string & name,
+Value * EvalState::addPrimOp(const std::string & name,
     size_t arity, PrimOpFun primOp)
 {
-    auto name2 = string(name, 0, 2) == "__" ? string(name, 2) : name;
+    auto name2 = name.substr(0, 2) == "__" ? name.substr(2) : name;
     Symbol sym = symbols.create(name2);
 
     /* Hack to make constants lazy: turn them into a application of
@@ -677,7 +688,7 @@ Value * EvalState::addPrimOp(PrimOp && primOp)
 }
 
 
-Value & EvalState::getBuiltin(const string & name)
+Value & EvalState::getBuiltin(const std::string & name)
 {
     return *baseEnv.values[0]->attrs->find(symbols.create(name))->value;
 }
@@ -746,7 +757,7 @@ void printEnvBindings(const StaticEnv &se, const Env &env, int lvl)
         // for the top level, don't print the double underscore ones; they are in builtins.
         for (auto i = se.vars.begin(); i != se.vars.end(); ++i)
         {
-            if (((string)i->first).substr(0,2) != "__")
+            if (((std::string)i->first).substr(0,2) != "__")
                 std::cout << i->first << " ";
         }
         std::cout << ANSI_NORMAL;
@@ -810,7 +821,7 @@ valmap * mapStaticEnvBindings(const StaticEnv &se, const Env &env)
    evaluator.  So here are some helper functions for throwing
    exceptions. */
 
-LocalNoInlineNoReturn(void throwEvalError(const char * s, const string & s2, EvalState &evalState))
+LocalNoInlineNoReturn(void throwEvalError(const char * s, const std::string & s2, EvalState &evalState))
 {
     auto error = EvalError(s, s2);
 
@@ -833,11 +844,12 @@ void EvalState::debug_throw(Error e) {
     throw e;
 }
 
-LocalNoInlineNoReturn(void throwEvalError(const Pos & pos, const char * s, Env & env, Expr &expr))
+LocalNoInlineNoReturn(void throwEvalError(const Pos & pos, const Suggestions & suggestions, const char * s, const std::string & s2, Env & env, Expr &expr))
 {
     auto error = EvalError({
-        .msg = hintfmt(s),
-        .errPos = pos
+        .msg = hintfmt(s, s2),
+        .errPos = pos,
+        .suggestions = suggestions,
     });
 
     if (debuggerHook)
@@ -846,7 +858,7 @@ LocalNoInlineNoReturn(void throwEvalError(const Pos & pos, const char * s, Env &
     throw error;
 }
 
-LocalNoInlineNoReturn(void throwEvalError(const Pos & pos, const char * s, const string & s2, EvalState &evalState))
+LocalNoInlineNoReturn(void throwEvalError(const Pos & pos, const char * s, const std::string & s2, EvalState &evalState))
 {
     auto error = EvalError({
         .msg = hintfmt(s, s2),
@@ -861,7 +873,20 @@ LocalNoInlineNoReturn(void throwEvalError(const Pos & pos, const char * s, const
     throw error;
 }
 
-LocalNoInlineNoReturn(void throwEvalError(const Pos & pos, const char * s, const string & s2, Env & env, Expr &expr))
+LocalNoInlineNoReturn(void throwEvalError(const Pos & pos, const char * s, Env & env, Expr &expr))
+{
+    auto error = EvalError({
+        .msg = hintfmt(s),
+        .errPos = pos
+    });
+
+    if (debuggerHook)
+        debuggerHook(&error, env, expr);
+
+    throw error;
+}
+
+LocalNoInlineNoReturn(void throwEvalError(const Pos & pos, const char * s, const std::string & s2, Env & env, Expr &expr))
 {
     auto error = EvalError({
         .msg = hintfmt(s, s2),
@@ -874,7 +899,7 @@ LocalNoInlineNoReturn(void throwEvalError(const Pos & pos, const char * s, const
     throw error;
 }
 
-LocalNoInlineNoReturn(void throwEvalError(const Pos & pos, const char * s, const string & s2, const string & s3, EvalState &evalState))
+LocalNoInlineNoReturn(void throwEvalError(const Pos & pos, const char * s, const std::string & s2, const std::string & s3, EvalState &evalState))
 {
     auto error = EvalError({
         .msg = hintfmt(s, s2, s3),
@@ -889,7 +914,7 @@ LocalNoInlineNoReturn(void throwEvalError(const Pos & pos, const char * s, const
     throw error;
 }
 
-LocalNoInlineNoReturn(void throwEvalError(const char * s, const string & s2, const string & s3, EvalState &evalState))
+LocalNoInlineNoReturn(void throwEvalError(const char * s, const std::string & s2, const std::string & s3, EvalState &evalState))
 {
     auto error = EvalError({
         .msg = hintfmt(s, s2, s3),
@@ -947,11 +972,13 @@ LocalNoInlineNoReturn(void throwTypeError(const Pos & pos, const char * s, const
     throw error;
 }
 
+// LocalNoInlineNoReturn(void throwTypeError(const char * s, const Value & v));
+
 LocalNoInlineNoReturn(void throwTypeError(const Pos & pos, const char * s, const ExprLambda & fun, const Symbol & s2, Env & env, Expr &expr))
 {
     auto error = TypeError({
         .msg = hintfmt(s, fun.showNamePos(), s2),
-        .errPos = pos
+        .errPos = pos,
     });
 
     if (debuggerHook)
@@ -960,7 +987,21 @@ LocalNoInlineNoReturn(void throwTypeError(const Pos & pos, const char * s, const
     throw error;
 }
 
-LocalNoInlineNoReturn(void throwAssertionError(const Pos & pos, const char * s, const string & s1, Env & env, Expr &expr))
+LocalNoInlineNoReturn(void throwTypeError(const Pos & pos, const Suggestions & suggestions, const char * s, const ExprLambda & fun, const Symbol & s2, Env & env, Expr &expr))
+{
+    auto error = TypeError({
+        .msg = hintfmt(s, fun.showNamePos(), s2),
+        .errPos = pos,
+        .suggestions = suggestions,
+    });
+
+    if (debuggerHook)
+        debuggerHook(&error, env, expr);
+
+    throw error;
+}
+
+LocalNoInlineNoReturn(void throwAssertionError(const Pos & pos, const char * s, const std::string & s1, Env & env, Expr &expr))
 {
     auto error = AssertionError({
         .msg = hintfmt(s, s1),
@@ -973,7 +1014,7 @@ LocalNoInlineNoReturn(void throwAssertionError(const Pos & pos, const char * s,
     throw error;
 }
 
-LocalNoInlineNoReturn(void throwUndefinedVarError(const Pos & pos, const char * s, const string & s1, Env & env, const Expr &expr))
+LocalNoInlineNoReturn(void throwUndefinedVarError(const Pos & pos, const char * s, const std::string & s1, Env & env, const Expr &expr))
 {
     auto error = UndefinedVarError({
         .msg = hintfmt(s, s1),
@@ -986,7 +1027,7 @@ LocalNoInlineNoReturn(void throwUndefinedVarError(const Pos & pos, const char *
     throw error;
 }
 
-LocalNoInlineNoReturn(void throwMissingArgumentError(const Pos & pos, const char * s, const string & s1, Env & env, Expr &expr))
+LocalNoInlineNoReturn(void throwMissingArgumentError(const Pos & pos, const char * s, const std::string & s1, Env & env, Expr &expr))
 {
     auto error = MissingArgumentError({
         .msg = hintfmt(s, s1),
@@ -999,18 +1040,18 @@ LocalNoInlineNoReturn(void throwMissingArgumentError(const Pos & pos, const char
     throw error;
 }
 
-LocalNoInline(void addErrorTrace(Error & e, const char * s, const string & s2))
+LocalNoInline(void addErrorTrace(Error & e, const char * s, const std::string & s2))
 {
     e.addTrace(std::nullopt, s, s2);
 }
 
-LocalNoInline(void addErrorTrace(Error & e, const Pos & pos, const char * s, const string & s2))
+LocalNoInline(void addErrorTrace(Error & e, const Pos & pos, const char * s, const std::string & s2))
 {
     e.addTrace(pos, s, s2);
 }
 
 LocalNoInline(std::unique_ptr<DebugTraceStacker>
-  makeDebugTraceStacker(EvalState &state, Expr &expr, Env &env, std::optional<ErrPos> pos, const char * s, const string & s2))
+  makeDebugTraceStacker(EvalState &state, Expr &expr, Env &env, std::optional<ErrPos> pos, const char * s, const std::string & s2))
 {
   return std::unique_ptr<DebugTraceStacker>(
       new DebugTraceStacker(
@@ -1034,7 +1075,7 @@ DebugTraceStacker::DebugTraceStacker(EvalState &evalState, DebugTrace t)
 
 void Value::mkString(std::string_view s)
 {
-    mkString(dupStringWithLen(s.data(), s.size()));
+    mkString(makeImmutableString(s));
 }
 
 
@@ -1065,7 +1106,7 @@ void Value::mkStringMove(const char * s, const PathSet & context)
 
 void Value::mkPath(std::string_view s)
 {
-    mkPath(dupStringWithLen(s.data(), s.size()));
+    mkPath(makeImmutableString(s));
 }
 
 
@@ -1095,53 +1136,6 @@ inline Value * EvalState::lookupVar(Env * env, const ExprVar & var, bool noEval)
     }
 }
 
-
-Value * EvalState::allocValue()
-{
-    /* We use the boehm batch allocator to speed up allocations of Values (of which there are many).
-       GC_malloc_many returns a linked list of objects of the given size, where the first word
-       of each object is also the pointer to the next object in the list. This also means that we
-       have to explicitly clear the first word of every object we take. */
-    if (!*valueAllocCache) {
-        *valueAllocCache = GC_malloc_many(sizeof(Value));
-        if (!*valueAllocCache) throw std::bad_alloc();
-    }
-
-    /* GC_NEXT is a convenience macro for accessing the first word of an object.
-       Take the first list item, advance the list to the next item, and clear the next pointer. */
-    void * p = *valueAllocCache;
-    GC_PTR_STORE_AND_DIRTY(&*valueAllocCache, GC_NEXT(p));
-    GC_NEXT(p) = nullptr;
-
-    nrValues++;
-    auto v = (Value *) p;
-    return v;
-}
-
-
-Env & EvalState::allocEnv(size_t size)
-{
-
-    nrEnvs++;
-    nrValuesInEnvs += size;
-    Env * env = (Env *) allocBytes(sizeof(Env) + size * sizeof(Value *));
-    env->type = Env::Plain;
-
-    /* We assume that env->values has been cleared by the allocator; maybeThunk() and lookupVar fromWith expect this. */
-
-    return *env;
-}
-
-Env & fakeEnv(size_t size)
-{
-    // making a fake Env so we'll have one to pass to exception ftns.
-    // a placeholder until we can pass real envs everywhere they're needed.
-    Env * env = (Env *) allocBytes(sizeof(Env) + size * sizeof(Value *));
-    env->type = Env::Plain;
-
-    return *env;
-}
-
 void EvalState::mkList(Value & v, size_t size)
 {
     v.mkList(size);
@@ -1480,7 +1474,7 @@ void ExprVar::eval(EvalState & state, Env & env, Value & v)
 }
 
 
-static string showAttrPath(EvalState & state, Env & env, const AttrPath & attrPath)
+static std::string showAttrPath(EvalState & state, Env & env, const AttrPath & attrPath)
 {
     std::ostringstream out;
     bool first = true;
@@ -1531,8 +1525,15 @@ void ExprSelect::eval(EvalState & state, Env & env, Value & v)
                 }
             } else {
                 state.forceAttrs(*vAttrs, pos);
-                if ((j = vAttrs->attrs->find(name)) == vAttrs->attrs->end())
-                    throwEvalError(pos, "attribute '%1%' missing", name, env, *this);
+                if ((j = vAttrs->attrs->find(name)) == vAttrs->attrs->end()) {
+                    std::set<std::string> allAttrNames;
+                    for (auto & attr : *vAttrs->attrs)
+                        allAttrNames.insert(attr.name);
+                    throwEvalError(
+                        pos,
+                        Suggestions::bestMatches(allAttrNames, name),
+                        "attribute '%1%' missing", name, env, *this);
+                }
             }
             vAttrs = j->value;
             pos2 = j->pos;
@@ -1647,9 +1648,16 @@ void EvalState::callFunction(Value & fun, size_t nrArgs, Value * * args, Value &
                     /* Nope, so show the first unexpected argument to the
                        user. */
                     for (auto & i : *args[0]->attrs)
-                        if (!lambda.formals->has(i.name))
-                            throwTypeError(pos, "%1% called with unexpected argument '%2%'",
+                        if (!lambda.formals->has(i.name)) {
+                            std::set<std::string> formalNames;
+                            for (auto & formal : lambda.formals->formals)
+                                formalNames.insert(formal.name);
+                            throwTypeError(
+                                pos,
+                                Suggestions::bestMatches(formalNames, i.name),
+                                "%1% called with unexpected argument '%2%'",
                                 lambda, i.name, *fun.lambda.env, lambda);
+                        }
                     abort(); // can't happen
                 }
             }
@@ -1664,7 +1672,7 @@ void EvalState::callFunction(Value & fun, size_t nrArgs, Value * * args, Value &
                         makeDebugTraceStacker(*this, *lambda.body, env2, lambda.pos,
                                            "while evaluating %s",
                                            (lambda.name.set()
-                                               ? "'" + (string) lambda.name + "'"
+                                               ? "'" + (std::string) lambda.name + "'"
                                                : "anonymous lambda"))
                         : nullptr;
 
@@ -1673,7 +1681,7 @@ void EvalState::callFunction(Value & fun, size_t nrArgs, Value * * args, Value &
                 if (loggerSettings.showTrace.get()) {
                     addErrorTrace(e, lambda.pos, "while evaluating %s",
                         (lambda.name.set()
-                            ? "'" + (string) lambda.name + "'"
+                            ? "'" + (const std::string &) lambda.name + "'"
                             : "anonymous lambda"));
                     addErrorTrace(e, pos, "from call site%s", "");
                 }
@@ -2175,13 +2183,22 @@ std::string_view EvalState::forceString(Value & v, const Pos & pos)
 
 /* Decode a context string ‘!<name>!<path>’ into a pair <path,
    name>. */
-std::pair<string, string> decodeContext(std::string_view s)
+NixStringContextElem decodeContext(const Store & store, std::string_view s)
 {
     if (s.at(0) == '!') {
         size_t index = s.find("!", 1);
-        return {std::string(s.substr(index + 1)), std::string(s.substr(1, index - 1))};
+        return {
+            store.parseStorePath(s.substr(index + 1)),
+            std::string(s.substr(1, index - 1)),
+        };
     } else
-        return {s.at(0) == '/' ? std::string(s) : std::string(s.substr(1)), ""};
+        return {
+            store.parseStorePath(
+                s.at(0) == '/'
+                ? s
+                : s.substr(1)),
+            "",
+        };
 }
 
 
@@ -2193,13 +2210,13 @@ void copyContext(const Value & v, PathSet & context)
 }
 
 
-std::vector<std::pair<Path, std::string>> Value::getContext()
+NixStringContext Value::getContext(const Store & store)
 {
-    std::vector<std::pair<Path, std::string>> res;
+    NixStringContext res;
     assert(internalType == tString);
     if (string.context)
         for (const char * * p = string.context; *p; ++p)
-            res.push_back(decodeContext(*p));
+            res.push_back(decodeContext(store, *p));
     return res;
 }
 
@@ -2238,7 +2255,7 @@ bool EvalState::isDerivation(Value & v)
 }
 
 
-std::optional<string> EvalState::tryAttrsToString(const Pos & pos, Value & v,
+std::optional<std::string> EvalState::tryAttrsToString(const Pos & pos, Value & v,
     PathSet & context, bool coerceMore, bool copyToStore)
 {
     auto i = v.attrs->find(sToString);
@@ -2293,7 +2310,7 @@ BackedStringView EvalState::coerceToString(const Pos & pos, Value & v, PathSet &
         if (v.type() == nNull) return "";
 
         if (v.isList()) {
-            string result;
+            std::string result;
             for (auto [n, v2] : enumerate(v.listItems())) {
                 result += *coerceToString(pos, *v2, context, coerceMore, copyToStore);
                 if (n < v.listSize() - 1
@@ -2309,7 +2326,7 @@ BackedStringView EvalState::coerceToString(const Pos & pos, Value & v, PathSet &
 }
 
 
-string EvalState::copyPathToStore(PathSet & context, const Path & path)
+std::string EvalState::copyPathToStore(PathSet & context, const Path & path)
 {
     if (nix::isDerivation(path))
         throwEvalError("file names are not allowed to end in '%1%'", drvExtension, *this);
@@ -2335,13 +2352,25 @@ string EvalState::copyPathToStore(PathSet & context, const Path & path)
 
 Path EvalState::coerceToPath(const Pos & pos, Value & v, PathSet & context)
 {
-    string path = coerceToString(pos, v, context, false, false).toOwned();
+    auto path = coerceToString(pos, v, context, false, false).toOwned();
     if (path == "" || path[0] != '/')
         throwEvalError(pos, "string '%1%' doesn't represent an absolute path", path, *this);
     return path;
 }
 
 
+StorePath EvalState::coerceToStorePath(const Pos & pos, Value & v, PathSet & context)
+{
+    auto path = coerceToString(pos, v, context, false, false).toOwned();
+    if (auto storePath = store->maybeParseStorePath(path))
+        return *storePath;
+    throw EvalError({
+        .msg = hintfmt("path '%1%' is not in the Nix store", path),
+        .errPos = pos
+    });
+}
+
+
 bool EvalState::eqValues(Value & v1, Value & v2)
 {
     forceValue(v1, noPos);
@@ -2508,11 +2537,11 @@ void EvalState::printStats()
                 for (auto & i : functionCalls) {
                     auto obj = list.object();
                     if (i.first->name.set())
-                        obj.attr("name", (const string &) i.first->name);
+                        obj.attr("name", (const std::string &) i.first->name);
                     else
                         obj.attr("name", nullptr);
                     if (i.first->pos) {
-                        obj.attr("file", (const string &) i.first->pos.file);
+                        obj.attr("file", (const std::string &) i.first->pos.file);
                         obj.attr("line", i.first->pos.line);
                         obj.attr("column", i.first->pos.column);
                     }
@@ -2524,7 +2553,7 @@ void EvalState::printStats()
                 for (auto & i : attrSelects) {
                     auto obj = list.object();
                     if (i.first) {
-                        obj.attr("file", (const string &) i.first.file);
+                        obj.attr("file", (const std::string &) i.first.file);
                         obj.attr("line", i.first.line);
                         obj.attr("column", i.first.column);
                     }
@@ -2541,7 +2570,7 @@ void EvalState::printStats()
 }
 
 
-string ExternalValueBase::coerceToString(const Pos & pos, PathSet & context, bool copyMore, bool copyToStore) const
+std::string ExternalValueBase::coerceToString(const Pos & pos, PathSet & context, bool copyMore, bool copyToStore) const
 {
     throw TypeError({
         .msg = hintfmt("cannot coerce %1% to a string", showType()),
diff --git a/src/libexpr/eval.hh b/src/libexpr/eval.hh
index 1c569fc36..2ced5bea9 100644
--- a/src/libexpr/eval.hh
+++ b/src/libexpr/eval.hh
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ public:
         sSystem, sOverrides, sOutputs, sOutputName, sIgnoreNulls,
         sFile, sLine, sColumn, sFunctor, sToString,
         sRight, sWrong, sStructuredAttrs, sBuilder, sArgs,
-        sContentAddressed,
+        sContentAddressed, sImpure,
         sOutputHash, sOutputHashAlgo, sOutputHashMode,
         sRecurseForDerivations,
         sDescription, sSelf, sEpsilon, sStartSet, sOperator, sKey, sPath,
@@ -150,9 +150,14 @@ private:
     /* Cache used by prim_match(). */
     std::shared_ptr<RegexCache> regexCache;
 
+#if HAVE_BOEHMGC
     /* Allocation cache for GC'd Value objects. */
     std::shared_ptr<void *> valueAllocCache;
 
+    /* Allocation cache for size-1 Env objects. */
+    std::shared_ptr<void *> env1AllocCache;
+#endif
+
 public:
 
     EvalState(
@@ -161,13 +166,7 @@ public:
         std::shared_ptr<Store> buildStore = nullptr);
     ~EvalState();
 
-    void requireExperimentalFeatureOnEvaluation(
-        const ExperimentalFeature &,
-        const std::string_view fName,
-        const Pos & pos
-    );
-
-    void addToSearchPath(const string & s);
+    void addToSearchPath(const std::string & s);
 
     SearchPath getSearchPath() { return searchPath; }
 
@@ -178,6 +177,9 @@ public:
        the real store path if `store` is a chroot store. */
     void allowPath(const StorePath & storePath);
 
+    /* Allow access to a store path and return it as a string. */
+    void allowAndSetStorePathString(const StorePath & storePath, Value & v);
+
     /* Check whether access to a path is allowed and throw an error if
        not. Otherwise return the canonicalised path. */
     Path checkSourcePath(const Path & path);
@@ -268,7 +270,7 @@ public:
        set with attribute `type = "derivation"'). */
     bool isDerivation(Value & v);
 
-    std::optional<string> tryAttrsToString(const Pos & pos, Value & v,
+    std::optional<std::string> tryAttrsToString(const Pos & pos, Value & v,
         PathSet & context, bool coerceMore = false, bool copyToStore = true);
 
     /* String coercion.  Converts strings, paths and derivations to a
@@ -279,13 +281,16 @@ public:
         bool coerceMore = false, bool copyToStore = true,
         bool canonicalizePath = true);
 
-    string copyPathToStore(PathSet & context, const Path & path);
+    std::string copyPathToStore(PathSet & context, const Path & path);
 
     /* Path coercion.  Converts strings, paths and derivations to a
        path.  The result is guaranteed to be a canonicalised, absolute
        path.  Nothing is copied to the store. */
     Path coerceToPath(const Pos & pos, Value & v, PathSet & context);
 
+    /* Like coerceToPath, but the result must be a store path. */
+    StorePath coerceToStorePath(const Pos & pos, Value & v, PathSet & context);
+
 public:
 
     /* The base environment, containing the builtin functions and
@@ -301,18 +306,18 @@ private:
 
     void createBaseEnv();
 
-    Value * addConstant(const string & name, Value & v);
+    Value * addConstant(const std::string & name, Value & v);
 
-    void addConstant(const string & name, Value * v);
+    void addConstant(const std::string & name, Value * v);
 
-    Value * addPrimOp(const string & name,
+    Value * addPrimOp(const std::string & name,
         size_t arity, PrimOpFun primOp);
 
     Value * addPrimOp(PrimOp && primOp);
 
 public:
 
-    Value & getBuiltin(const string & name);
+    Value & getBuiltin(const std::string & name);
 
     struct Doc
     {
@@ -358,8 +363,8 @@ public:
     void autoCallFunction(Bindings & args, Value & fun, Value & res);
 
     /* Allocation primitives. */
-    Value * allocValue();
-    Env & allocEnv(size_t size);
+    inline Value * allocValue();
+    inline Env & allocEnv(size_t size);
 
     Value * allocAttr(Value & vAttrs, const Symbol & name);
     Value * allocAttr(Value & vAttrs, std::string_view name);
@@ -442,12 +447,12 @@ class DebugTraceStacker {
 };
 
 /* Return a string representing the type of the value `v'. */
-string showType(ValueType type);
-string showType(const Value & v);
+std::string_view showType(ValueType type);
+std::string showType(const Value & v);
 
 /* Decode a context string ‘!<name>!<path>’ into a pair <path,
    name>. */
-std::pair<string, string> decodeContext(std::string_view s);
+NixStringContextElem decodeContext(const Store & store, std::string_view s);
 
 /* If `path' refers to a directory, then append "/default.nix". */
 Path resolveExprPath(Path path);
@@ -531,3 +536,5 @@ extern EvalSettings evalSettings;
 static const std::string corepkgsPrefix{"/__corepkgs__/"};
 
 }
+
+#include "eval-inline.hh"
diff --git a/src/libexpr/flake/config.cc b/src/libexpr/flake/config.cc
index 7ecd61816..a811e59a1 100644
--- a/src/libexpr/flake/config.cc
+++ b/src/libexpr/flake/config.cc
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 #include "flake.hh"
 #include "globals.hh"
+#include "fetch-settings.hh"
 
 #include <nlohmann/json.hpp>
 
@@ -53,7 +54,7 @@ void ConfigFile::apply()
             auto trustedList = readTrustedList();
 
             bool trusted = false;
-            if (nix::settings.acceptFlakeConfig){
+            if (nix::fetchSettings.acceptFlakeConfig){
                 trusted = true;
             } else if (auto saved = get(get(trustedList, name).value_or(std::map<std::string, bool>()), valueS)) {
                 trusted = *saved;
diff --git a/src/libexpr/flake/flake.cc b/src/libexpr/flake/flake.cc
index 9f3b58909..22257c6b3 100644
--- a/src/libexpr/flake/flake.cc
+++ b/src/libexpr/flake/flake.cc
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 #include "store-api.hh"
 #include "fetchers.hh"
 #include "finally.hh"
+#include "fetch-settings.hh"
 
 namespace nix {
 
@@ -254,7 +255,7 @@ 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, string(state.forceStringNoCtx(*setting.value, *setting.pos))});
+                flake.config.settings.insert({setting.name, std::string(state.forceStringNoCtx(*setting.value, *setting.pos))});
             else if (setting.value->type() == nPath) {
                 PathSet emptyContext = {};
                 flake.config.settings.emplace(
@@ -315,7 +316,7 @@ LockedFlake lockFlake(
 
     FlakeCache flakeCache;
 
-    auto useRegistries = lockFlags.useRegistries.value_or(settings.useRegistries);
+    auto useRegistries = lockFlags.useRegistries.value_or(fetchSettings.useRegistries);
 
     auto flake = getFlake(state, topRef, useRegistries, flakeCache);
 
@@ -501,7 +502,7 @@ LockedFlake lockFlake(
                            this input. */
                         debug("creating new input '%s'", inputPathS);
 
-                        if (!lockFlags.allowMutable && !input.ref->input.isImmutable())
+                        if (!lockFlags.allowMutable && !input.ref->input.isLocked())
                             throw Error("cannot update flake input '%s' in pure mode", inputPathS);
 
                         if (input.isFlake) {
@@ -591,7 +592,7 @@ LockedFlake lockFlake(
             if (lockFlags.writeLockFile) {
                 if (auto sourcePath = topRef.input.getSourcePath()) {
                     if (!newLockFile.isImmutable()) {
-                        if (settings.warnDirty)
+                        if (fetchSettings.warnDirty)
                             warn("will not write lock file of flake '%s' because it has a mutable input", topRef);
                     } else {
                         if (!lockFlags.updateLockFile)
@@ -618,7 +619,7 @@ LockedFlake lockFlake(
                         if (lockFlags.commitLockFile) {
                             std::string cm;
 
-                            cm = settings.commitLockFileSummary.get();
+                            cm = fetchSettings.commitLockFileSummary.get();
 
                             if (cm == "") {
                                 cm = fmt("%s: %s", relPath, lockFileExists ? "Update" : "Add");
@@ -650,7 +651,7 @@ LockedFlake lockFlake(
                            now. Corner case: we could have reverted from a
                            dirty to a clean tree! */
                         if (flake.lockedRef.input == prevLockedRef.input
-                            && !flake.lockedRef.input.isImmutable())
+                            && !flake.lockedRef.input.isLocked())
                             throw Error("'%s' did not change after I updated its 'flake.lock' file; is 'flake.lock' under version control?", flake.originalRef);
                     }
                 } else
@@ -705,24 +706,45 @@ void callFlake(EvalState & state,
 
 static void prim_getFlake(EvalState & state, const Pos & pos, Value * * args, Value & v)
 {
-    state.requireExperimentalFeatureOnEvaluation(Xp::Flakes, "builtins.getFlake", pos);
-
-    string flakeRefS(state.forceStringNoCtx(*args[0], pos));
+    std::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);
+    if (evalSettings.pureEval && !flakeRef.input.isLocked())
+        throw Error("cannot call 'getFlake' on unlocked flake reference '%s', at %s (use --impure to override)", flakeRefS, pos);
 
     callFlake(state,
         lockFlake(state, flakeRef,
             LockFlags {
                 .updateLockFile = false,
-                .useRegistries = !evalSettings.pureEval && settings.useRegistries,
+                .useRegistries = !evalSettings.pureEval && fetchSettings.useRegistries,
                 .allowMutable  = !evalSettings.pureEval,
             }),
         v);
 }
 
-static RegisterPrimOp r2("__getFlake", 1, prim_getFlake);
+static RegisterPrimOp r2({
+    .name =  "__getFlake",
+    .args = {"args"},
+    .doc = R"(
+      Fetch a flake from a flake reference, and return its output attributes and some metadata. For example:
+
+      ```nix
+      (builtins.getFlake "nix/55bc52401966fbffa525c574c14f67b00bc4fb3a").packages.x86_64-linux.nix
+      ```
+
+      Unless impure evaluation is allowed (`--impure`), the flake reference
+      must be "locked", e.g. contain a Git revision or content hash. An
+      example of an unlocked usage is:
+
+      ```nix
+      (builtins.getFlake "github:edolstra/dwarffs").rev
+      ```
+
+      This function is only available if you enable the experimental feature
+      `flakes`.
+    )",
+    .fun = prim_getFlake,
+    .experimentalFeature = Xp::Flakes,
+});
 
 }
 
diff --git a/src/libexpr/flake/flakeref.cc b/src/libexpr/flake/flakeref.cc
index 930ed9ccd..c1eae413f 100644
--- a/src/libexpr/flake/flakeref.cc
+++ b/src/libexpr/flake/flakeref.cc
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ std::pair<FlakeRef, std::string> parseFlakeRefWithFragment(
     if (std::regex_match(url, match, flakeRegex)) {
         auto parsedURL = ParsedURL{
             .url = url,
-            .base = "flake:" + std::string(match[1]),
+            .base = "flake:" + match.str(1),
             .scheme = "flake",
             .authority = "",
             .path = match[1],
@@ -106,12 +106,12 @@ std::pair<FlakeRef, std::string> parseFlakeRefWithFragment(
 
         return std::make_pair(
             FlakeRef(Input::fromURL(parsedURL), ""),
-            percentDecode(std::string(match[6])));
+            percentDecode(match.str(6)));
     }
 
     else if (std::regex_match(url, match, pathUrlRegex)) {
         std::string path = match[1];
-        std::string fragment = percentDecode(std::string(match[3]));
+        std::string fragment = percentDecode(match.str(3));
 
         if (baseDir) {
             /* Check if 'url' is a path (either absolute or relative
diff --git a/src/libexpr/flake/lockfile.cc b/src/libexpr/flake/lockfile.cc
index fda340789..60b52d578 100644
--- a/src/libexpr/flake/lockfile.cc
+++ b/src/libexpr/flake/lockfile.cc
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ LockedNode::LockedNode(const nlohmann::json & json)
     , originalRef(getFlakeRef(json, "original", nullptr))
     , isFlake(json.find("flake") != json.end() ? (bool) json["flake"] : true)
 {
-    if (!lockedRef.input.isImmutable())
+    if (!lockedRef.input.isLocked())
         throw Error("lockfile contains mutable lock '%s'",
             fetchers::attrsToJSON(lockedRef.input.toAttrs()));
 }
@@ -220,7 +220,7 @@ bool LockFile::isImmutable() const
     for (auto & i : nodes) {
         if (i == root) continue;
         auto lockedNode = std::dynamic_pointer_cast<const LockedNode>(i);
-        if (lockedNode && !lockedNode->lockedRef.input.isImmutable()) return false;
+        if (lockedNode && !lockedNode->lockedRef.input.isLocked()) return false;
     }
 
     return true;
diff --git a/src/libexpr/get-drvs.cc b/src/libexpr/get-drvs.cc
index 5995a857b..bb7e77b61 100644
--- a/src/libexpr/get-drvs.cc
+++ b/src/libexpr/get-drvs.cc
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 #include "get-drvs.hh"
 #include "util.hh"
 #include "eval-inline.hh"
+#include "derivations.hh"
 #include "store-api.hh"
 #include "path-with-outputs.hh"
 
@@ -11,8 +12,8 @@
 namespace nix {
 
 
-DrvInfo::DrvInfo(EvalState & state, const string & attrPath, Bindings * attrs)
-    : state(&state), attrs(attrs), attrPath(attrPath)
+DrvInfo::DrvInfo(EvalState & state, std::string attrPath, Bindings * attrs)
+    : state(&state), attrs(attrs), attrPath(std::move(attrPath))
 {
 }
 
@@ -22,7 +23,7 @@ DrvInfo::DrvInfo(EvalState & state, ref<Store> store, const std::string & drvPat
 {
     auto [drvPath, selectedOutputs] = parsePathWithOutputs(*store, drvPathWithOutputs);
 
-    this->drvPath = store->printStorePath(drvPath);
+    this->drvPath = drvPath;
 
     auto drv = store->derivationFromPath(drvPath);
 
@@ -41,13 +42,11 @@ DrvInfo::DrvInfo(EvalState & state, ref<Store> store, const std::string & drvPat
         throw Error("derivation '%s' does not have output '%s'", store->printStorePath(drvPath), outputName);
     auto & [outputName, output] = *i;
 
-    auto optStorePath = output.path(*store, drv.name, outputName);
-    if (optStorePath)
-        outPath = store->printStorePath(*optStorePath);
+    outPath = {output.path(*store, drv.name, outputName)};
 }
 
 
-string DrvInfo::queryName() const
+std::string DrvInfo::queryName() const
 {
     if (name == "" && attrs) {
         auto i = attrs->find(state->sName);
@@ -58,7 +57,7 @@ string DrvInfo::queryName() const
 }
 
 
-string DrvInfo::querySystem() const
+std::string DrvInfo::querySystem() const
 {
     if (system == "" && attrs) {
         auto i = attrs->find(state->sSystem);
@@ -68,24 +67,35 @@ string DrvInfo::querySystem() const
 }
 
 
-string DrvInfo::queryDrvPath() const
+std::optional<StorePath> DrvInfo::queryDrvPath() const
 {
-    if (drvPath == "" && attrs) {
+    if (!drvPath && attrs) {
         Bindings::iterator i = attrs->find(state->sDrvPath);
         PathSet context;
-        drvPath = i != attrs->end() ? state->coerceToPath(*i->pos, *i->value, context) : "";
+        if (i == attrs->end())
+            drvPath = {std::nullopt};
+        else
+            drvPath = {state->coerceToStorePath(*i->pos, *i->value, context)};
     }
-    return drvPath;
+    return drvPath.value_or(std::nullopt);
 }
 
 
-string DrvInfo::queryOutPath() const
+StorePath DrvInfo::requireDrvPath() const
+{
+    if (auto drvPath = queryDrvPath())
+        return *drvPath;
+    throw Error("derivation does not contain a 'drvPath' attribute");
+}
+
+
+StorePath DrvInfo::queryOutPath() const
 {
     if (!outPath && attrs) {
         Bindings::iterator i = attrs->find(state->sOutPath);
         PathSet context;
         if (i != attrs->end())
-            outPath = state->coerceToPath(*i->pos, *i->value, context);
+            outPath = state->coerceToStorePath(*i->pos, *i->value, context);
     }
     if (!outPath)
         throw UnimplementedError("CA derivations are not yet supported");
@@ -93,7 +103,7 @@ string DrvInfo::queryOutPath() const
 }
 
 
-DrvInfo::Outputs DrvInfo::queryOutputs(bool onlyOutputsToInstall)
+DrvInfo::Outputs DrvInfo::queryOutputs(bool withPaths, bool onlyOutputsToInstall)
 {
     if (outputs.empty()) {
         /* Get the ‘outputs’ list. */
@@ -103,20 +113,24 @@ 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));
-                Bindings::iterator out = attrs->find(state->symbols.create(name));
-                if (out == attrs->end()) continue; // FIXME: throw error?
-                state->forceAttrs(*out->value, *i->pos);
-
-                /* And evaluate its ‘outPath’ attribute. */
-                Bindings::iterator outPath = out->value->attrs->find(state->sOutPath);
-                if (outPath == out->value->attrs->end()) continue; // FIXME: throw error?
-                PathSet context;
-                outputs[name] = state->coerceToPath(*outPath->pos, *outPath->value, context);
+                std::string output(state->forceStringNoCtx(*elem, *i->pos));
+
+                if (withPaths) {
+                    /* Evaluate the corresponding set. */
+                    Bindings::iterator out = attrs->find(state->symbols.create(output));
+                    if (out == attrs->end()) continue; // FIXME: throw error?
+                    state->forceAttrs(*out->value, *i->pos);
+
+                    /* And evaluate its ‘outPath’ attribute. */
+                    Bindings::iterator outPath = out->value->attrs->find(state->sOutPath);
+                    if (outPath == out->value->attrs->end()) continue; // FIXME: throw error?
+                    PathSet context;
+                    outputs.emplace(output, state->coerceToStorePath(*outPath->pos, *outPath->value, context));
+                } else
+                    outputs.emplace(output, std::nullopt);
             }
         } else
-            outputs["out"] = queryOutPath();
+            outputs.emplace("out", withPaths ? std::optional{queryOutPath()} : std::nullopt);
     }
     if (!onlyOutputsToInstall || !attrs)
         return outputs;
@@ -138,7 +152,7 @@ DrvInfo::Outputs DrvInfo::queryOutputs(bool onlyOutputsToInstall)
 }
 
 
-string DrvInfo::queryOutputName() const
+std::string DrvInfo::queryOutputName() const
 {
     if (outputName == "" && attrs) {
         Bindings::iterator i = attrs->find(state->sOutputName);
@@ -190,7 +204,7 @@ bool DrvInfo::checkMeta(Value & v)
 }
 
 
-Value * DrvInfo::queryMeta(const string & name)
+Value * DrvInfo::queryMeta(const std::string & name)
 {
     if (!getMeta()) return 0;
     Bindings::iterator a = meta->find(state->symbols.create(name));
@@ -199,7 +213,7 @@ Value * DrvInfo::queryMeta(const string & name)
 }
 
 
-string DrvInfo::queryMetaString(const string & name)
+std::string DrvInfo::queryMetaString(const std::string & name)
 {
     Value * v = queryMeta(name);
     if (!v || v->type() != nString) return "";
@@ -207,7 +221,7 @@ string DrvInfo::queryMetaString(const string & name)
 }
 
 
-NixInt DrvInfo::queryMetaInt(const string & name, NixInt def)
+NixInt DrvInfo::queryMetaInt(const std::string & name, NixInt def)
 {
     Value * v = queryMeta(name);
     if (!v) return def;
@@ -221,7 +235,7 @@ NixInt DrvInfo::queryMetaInt(const string & name, NixInt def)
     return def;
 }
 
-NixFloat DrvInfo::queryMetaFloat(const string & name, NixFloat def)
+NixFloat DrvInfo::queryMetaFloat(const std::string & name, NixFloat def)
 {
     Value * v = queryMeta(name);
     if (!v) return def;
@@ -236,7 +250,7 @@ NixFloat DrvInfo::queryMetaFloat(const string & name, NixFloat def)
 }
 
 
-bool DrvInfo::queryMetaBool(const string & name, bool def)
+bool DrvInfo::queryMetaBool(const std::string & name, bool def)
 {
     Value * v = queryMeta(name);
     if (!v) return def;
@@ -251,7 +265,7 @@ bool DrvInfo::queryMetaBool(const string & name, bool def)
 }
 
 
-void DrvInfo::setMeta(const string & name, Value * v)
+void DrvInfo::setMeta(const std::string & name, Value * v)
 {
     getMeta();
     auto attrs = state->buildBindings(1 + (meta ? meta->size() : 0));
@@ -266,7 +280,7 @@ void DrvInfo::setMeta(const string & name, Value * v)
 
 
 /* Cache for already considered attrsets. */
-typedef set<Bindings *> Done;
+typedef std::set<Bindings *> Done;
 
 
 /* Evaluate value `v'.  If it evaluates to a set of type `derivation',
@@ -274,7 +288,7 @@ typedef set<Bindings *> Done;
    The result boolean indicates whether it makes sense
    for the caller to recursively search for derivations in `v'. */
 static bool getDerivation(EvalState & state, Value & v,
-    const string & attrPath, DrvInfos & drvs, Done & done,
+    const std::string & attrPath, DrvInfos & drvs, Done & done,
     bool ignoreAssertionFailures)
 {
     try {
@@ -311,7 +325,7 @@ std::optional<DrvInfo> getDerivation(EvalState & state, Value & v,
 }
 
 
-static string addToPath(const string & s1, const string & s2)
+static std::string addToPath(const std::string & s1, const std::string & s2)
 {
     return s1.empty() ? s2 : s1 + "." + s2;
 }
@@ -321,7 +335,7 @@ static std::regex attrRegex("[A-Za-z_][A-Za-z0-9-_+]*");
 
 
 static void getDerivations(EvalState & state, Value & vIn,
-    const string & pathPrefix, Bindings & autoArgs,
+    const std::string & pathPrefix, Bindings & autoArgs,
     DrvInfos & drvs, Done & done,
     bool ignoreAssertionFailures)
 {
@@ -346,7 +360,7 @@ static void getDerivations(EvalState & state, Value & vIn,
             debug("evaluating attribute '%1%'", i->name);
             if (!std::regex_match(std::string(i->name), attrRegex))
                 continue;
-            string pathPrefix2 = addToPath(pathPrefix, i->name);
+            std::string pathPrefix2 = addToPath(pathPrefix, i->name);
             if (combineChannels)
                 getDerivations(state, *i->value, pathPrefix2, autoArgs, drvs, done, ignoreAssertionFailures);
             else if (getDerivation(state, *i->value, pathPrefix2, drvs, done, ignoreAssertionFailures)) {
@@ -364,7 +378,7 @@ static void getDerivations(EvalState & state, Value & vIn,
 
     else if (v.type() == nList) {
         for (auto [n, elem] : enumerate(v.listItems())) {
-            string pathPrefix2 = addToPath(pathPrefix, fmt("%d", n));
+            std::string pathPrefix2 = addToPath(pathPrefix, fmt("%d", n));
             if (getDerivation(state, *elem, pathPrefix2, drvs, done, ignoreAssertionFailures))
                 getDerivations(state, *elem, pathPrefix2, autoArgs, drvs, done, ignoreAssertionFailures);
         }
@@ -374,7 +388,7 @@ static void getDerivations(EvalState & state, Value & vIn,
 }
 
 
-void getDerivations(EvalState & state, Value & v, const string & pathPrefix,
+void getDerivations(EvalState & state, Value & v, const std::string & pathPrefix,
     Bindings & autoArgs, DrvInfos & drvs, bool ignoreAssertionFailures)
 {
     Done done;
diff --git a/src/libexpr/get-drvs.hh b/src/libexpr/get-drvs.hh
index 29bb6a660..7cc1abef2 100644
--- a/src/libexpr/get-drvs.hh
+++ b/src/libexpr/get-drvs.hh
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 #pragma once
 
 #include "eval.hh"
+#include "path.hh"
 
 #include <string>
 #include <map>
@@ -12,16 +13,16 @@ namespace nix {
 struct DrvInfo
 {
 public:
-    typedef std::map<string, Path> Outputs;
+    typedef std::map<std::string, std::optional<StorePath>> Outputs;
 
 private:
     EvalState * state;
 
-    mutable string name;
-    mutable string system;
-    mutable string drvPath;
-    mutable std::optional<string> outPath;
-    mutable string outputName;
+    mutable std::string name;
+    mutable std::string system;
+    mutable std::optional<std::optional<StorePath>> drvPath;
+    mutable std::optional<StorePath> outPath;
+    mutable std::string outputName;
     Outputs outputs;
 
     bool failed = false; // set if we get an AssertionError
@@ -33,36 +34,38 @@ private:
     bool checkMeta(Value & v);
 
 public:
-    string attrPath; /* path towards the derivation */
+    std::string attrPath; /* path towards the derivation */
 
     DrvInfo(EvalState & state) : state(&state) { };
-    DrvInfo(EvalState & state, const string & attrPath, Bindings * attrs);
+    DrvInfo(EvalState & state, std::string attrPath, Bindings * attrs);
     DrvInfo(EvalState & state, ref<Store> store, const std::string & drvPathWithOutputs);
 
-    string queryName() const;
-    string querySystem() const;
-    string queryDrvPath() const;
-    string queryOutPath() const;
-    string queryOutputName() const;
-    /** Return the list of outputs. The "outputs to install" are determined by `meta.outputsToInstall`. */
-    Outputs queryOutputs(bool onlyOutputsToInstall = false);
+    std::string queryName() const;
+    std::string querySystem() const;
+    std::optional<StorePath> queryDrvPath() const;
+    StorePath requireDrvPath() const;
+    StorePath queryOutPath() const;
+    std::string queryOutputName() const;
+    /** Return the unordered map of output names to (optional) output paths.
+     * The "outputs to install" are determined by `meta.outputsToInstall`. */
+    Outputs queryOutputs(bool withPaths = true, bool onlyOutputsToInstall = false);
 
     StringSet queryMetaNames();
-    Value * queryMeta(const string & name);
-    string queryMetaString(const string & name);
-    NixInt queryMetaInt(const string & name, NixInt def);
-    NixFloat queryMetaFloat(const string & name, NixFloat def);
-    bool queryMetaBool(const string & name, bool def);
-    void setMeta(const string & name, Value * v);
+    Value * queryMeta(const std::string & name);
+    std::string queryMetaString(const std::string & name);
+    NixInt queryMetaInt(const std::string & name, NixInt def);
+    NixFloat queryMetaFloat(const std::string & name, NixFloat def);
+    bool queryMetaBool(const std::string & name, bool def);
+    void setMeta(const std::string & name, Value * v);
 
     /*
     MetaInfo queryMetaInfo(EvalState & state) const;
     MetaValue queryMetaInfo(EvalState & state, const string & name) const;
     */
 
-    void setName(const string & s) { name = s; }
-    void setDrvPath(const string & s) { drvPath = s; }
-    void setOutPath(const string & s) { outPath = s; }
+    void setName(const std::string & s) { name = s; }
+    void setDrvPath(StorePath path) { drvPath = {{std::move(path)}}; }
+    void setOutPath(StorePath path) { outPath = {{std::move(path)}}; }
 
     void setFailed() { failed = true; };
     bool hasFailed() { return failed; };
@@ -70,9 +73,9 @@ public:
 
 
 #if HAVE_BOEHMGC
-typedef list<DrvInfo, traceable_allocator<DrvInfo> > DrvInfos;
+typedef std::list<DrvInfo, traceable_allocator<DrvInfo> > DrvInfos;
 #else
-typedef list<DrvInfo> DrvInfos;
+typedef std::list<DrvInfo> DrvInfos;
 #endif
 
 
@@ -81,7 +84,7 @@ typedef list<DrvInfo> DrvInfos;
 std::optional<DrvInfo> getDerivation(EvalState & state,
     Value & v, bool ignoreAssertionFailures);
 
-void getDerivations(EvalState & state, Value & v, const string & pathPrefix,
+void getDerivations(EvalState & state, Value & v, const std::string & pathPrefix,
     Bindings & autoArgs, DrvInfos & drvs,
     bool ignoreAssertionFailures);
 
diff --git a/src/libexpr/lexer.l b/src/libexpr/lexer.l
index e276b0467..d574121b0 100644
--- a/src/libexpr/lexer.l
+++ b/src/libexpr/lexer.l
@@ -28,6 +28,13 @@ using namespace nix;
 
 namespace nix {
 
+static inline Pos makeCurPos(const YYLTYPE & loc, ParseData * data)
+{
+    return Pos(data->origin, data->file, loc.first_line, loc.first_column);
+}
+
+#define CUR_POS makeCurPos(*yylloc, data)
+
 // backup to recover from yyless(0)
 YYLTYPE prev_yylloc;
 
@@ -37,7 +44,6 @@ static void initLoc(YYLTYPE * loc)
     loc->first_column = loc->last_column = 1;
 }
 
-
 static void adjustLoc(YYLTYPE * loc, const char * s, size_t len)
 {
     prev_yylloc = *loc;
@@ -147,14 +153,20 @@ or          { return OR_KW; }
               try {
                   yylval->n = boost::lexical_cast<int64_t>(yytext);
               } catch (const boost::bad_lexical_cast &) {
-                  throw ParseError("invalid integer '%1%'", yytext);
+                  throw ParseError({
+                      .msg = hintfmt("invalid integer '%1%'", yytext),
+                      .errPos = CUR_POS,
+                  });
               }
               return INT;
             }
 {FLOAT}     { errno = 0;
               yylval->nf = strtod(yytext, 0);
               if (errno != 0)
-                  throw ParseError("invalid float '%1%'", yytext);
+                  throw ParseError({
+                      .msg = hintfmt("invalid float '%1%'", yytext),
+                      .errPos = CUR_POS,
+                  });
               return FLOAT;
             }
 
@@ -280,7 +292,10 @@ or          { return OR_KW; }
 
 <INPATH_SLASH>{ANY} |
 <INPATH_SLASH><<EOF>> {
-  throw ParseError("path has a trailing slash");
+  throw ParseError({
+      .msg = hintfmt("path has a trailing slash"),
+      .errPos = CUR_POS,
+  });
 }
 
 {SPATH}     { yylval->path = {yytext, (size_t) yyleng}; return SPATH; }
diff --git a/src/libexpr/nixexpr.cc b/src/libexpr/nixexpr.cc
index add65c1a2..51b05de60 100644
--- a/src/libexpr/nixexpr.cc
+++ b/src/libexpr/nixexpr.cc
@@ -18,10 +18,10 @@ std::ostream & operator << (std::ostream & str, const Expr & e)
     return str;
 }
 
-static void showString(std::ostream & str, const string & s)
+static void showString(std::ostream & str, std::string_view s)
 {
     str << '"';
-    for (auto c : (string) s)
+    for (auto c : s)
         if (c == '"' || c == '\\' || c == '$') str << "\\" << c;
         else if (c == '\n') str << "\\n";
         else if (c == '\r') str << "\\r";
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ static void showString(std::ostream & str, const string & s)
     str << '"';
 }
 
-static void showId(std::ostream & str, const string & s)
+static void showId(std::ostream & str, std::string_view s)
 {
     if (s.empty())
         str << "\"\"";
@@ -105,11 +105,18 @@ void ExprAttrs::show(std::ostream & str) const
 {
     if (recursive) str << "rec ";
     str << "{ ";
-    for (auto & i : attrs)
-        if (i.second.inherited)
-            str << "inherit " << i.first << " " << "; ";
+    typedef const decltype(attrs)::value_type * Attr;
+    std::vector<Attr> sorted;
+    for (auto & i : attrs) sorted.push_back(&i);
+        std::sort(sorted.begin(), sorted.end(), [](Attr a, Attr b) {
+            return (const std::string &) a->first < (const std::string &) b->first;
+        });
+    for (auto & i : sorted) {
+        if (i->second.inherited)
+            str << "inherit " << i->first << " " << "; ";
         else
-            str << i.first << " = " << *i.second.e << "; ";
+            str << i->first << " = " << *i->second.e << "; ";
+    }
     for (auto & i : dynamicAttrs)
         str << "\"${" << *i.nameExpr << "}\" = " << *i.valueExpr << "; ";
     str << "}";
@@ -213,7 +220,7 @@ std::ostream & operator << (std::ostream & str, const Pos & pos)
         auto f = format(ANSI_BOLD "%1%" ANSI_NORMAL ":%2%:%3%");
         switch (pos.origin) {
             case foFile:
-                f % (string) pos.file;
+                f % (const std::string &) pos.file;
                 break;
             case foStdin:
             case foString:
@@ -229,7 +236,7 @@ std::ostream & operator << (std::ostream & str, const Pos & pos)
 }
 
 
-string showAttrPath(const AttrPath & attrPath)
+std::string showAttrPath(const AttrPath & attrPath)
 {
     std::ostringstream out;
     bool first = true;
@@ -518,9 +525,9 @@ void ExprLambda::setName(Symbol & name)
 }
 
 
-string ExprLambda::showNamePos() const
+std::string ExprLambda::showNamePos() const
 {
-    return (format("%1% at %2%") % (name.set() ? "'" + (string) name + "'" : "anonymous function") % pos).str();
+    return fmt("%1% at %2%", name.set() ? "'" + (std::string) name + "'" : "anonymous function", pos);
 }
 
 
diff --git a/src/libexpr/nixexpr.hh b/src/libexpr/nixexpr.hh
index 6419f882a..db210e07b 100644
--- a/src/libexpr/nixexpr.hh
+++ b/src/libexpr/nixexpr.hh
@@ -24,21 +24,23 @@ extern std::function<void(const Error * error, const Env & env, const Expr & exp
 
 struct Pos
 {
-    FileOrigin origin;
     Symbol file;
-    unsigned int line, column;
-    Pos() : origin(foString), line(0), column(0) { };
-    Pos(FileOrigin origin, const Symbol & file, unsigned int line, unsigned int column)
-        : origin(origin), file(file), line(line), column(column) { };
+    uint32_t line;
+    FileOrigin origin:2;
+    uint32_t column:30;
+    Pos() : line(0), origin(foString), column(0) { };
+    Pos(FileOrigin origin, const Symbol & file, uint32_t line, uint32_t column)
+        : file(file), line(line), origin(origin), column(column) { };
     operator bool() const
     {
         return line != 0;
     }
+
     bool operator < (const Pos & p2) const
     {
         if (!line) return p2.line;
         if (!p2.line) return false;
-        int d = ((string) file).compare((string) p2.file);
+        int d = ((const std::string &) file).compare((const std::string &) p2.file);
         if (d < 0) return true;
         if (d > 0) return false;
         if (line < p2.line) return true;
@@ -69,7 +71,7 @@ struct AttrName
 
 typedef std::vector<AttrName> AttrPath;
 
-string showAttrPath(const AttrPath & attrPath);
+std::string showAttrPath(const AttrPath & attrPath);
 
 
 /* Abstract syntax of Nix expressions. */
@@ -116,7 +118,7 @@ struct ExprFloat : Expr
 
 struct ExprString : Expr
 {
-    string s;
+    std::string s;
     Value v;
     ExprString(std::string s) : s(std::move(s)) { v.mkString(this->s.data()); };
     Value * maybeThunk(EvalState & state, Env & env);
@@ -126,9 +128,9 @@ struct ExprString : Expr
 
 struct ExprPath : Expr
 {
-    string s;
+    std::string s;
     Value v;
-    ExprPath(const string & s) : s(s) { v.mkPath(this->s.c_str()); };
+    ExprPath(std::string s) : s(std::move(s)) { v.mkPath(this->s.c_str()); };
     Value * maybeThunk(EvalState & state, Env & env);
     const Pos* getPos() const { return 0; }
     COMMON_METHODS
@@ -262,7 +264,7 @@ struct ExprLambda : Expr
     {
     };
     void setName(Symbol & name);
-    string showNamePos() const;
+    std::string showNamePos() const;
     inline bool hasFormals() const { return formals != nullptr; }
     const Pos* getPos() const { return &pos; }
     COMMON_METHODS
@@ -356,8 +358,8 @@ struct ExprConcatStrings : Expr
 {
     Pos pos;
     bool forceString;
-    vector<std::pair<Pos, Expr *> > * es;
-    ExprConcatStrings(const Pos & pos, bool forceString, vector<std::pair<Pos, Expr *> > * es)
+    std::vector<std::pair<Pos, Expr *> > * es;
+    ExprConcatStrings(const Pos & pos, bool forceString, std::vector<std::pair<Pos, Expr *> > * es)
         : pos(pos), forceString(forceString), es(es) { };
     const Pos* getPos() const { return &pos; }
     COMMON_METHODS
@@ -390,15 +392,19 @@ struct StaticEnv
 
     void sort()
     {
-        std::sort(vars.begin(), vars.end(),
+        std::stable_sort(vars.begin(), vars.end(),
             [](const Vars::value_type & a, const Vars::value_type & b) { return a.first < b.first; });
     }
 
     void deduplicate()
     {
-        const auto last = std::unique(vars.begin(), vars.end(),
-            [] (const Vars::value_type & a, const Vars::value_type & b) { return a.first == b.first; });
-        vars.erase(last, vars.end());
+        auto it = vars.begin(), jt = it, end = vars.end();
+        while (jt != end) {
+            *it = *jt++;
+            while (jt != end && it->first == jt->first) *it = *jt++;
+            it++;
+        }
+        vars.erase(it, end);
     }
 
     Vars::const_iterator find(const Symbol & name) const
diff --git a/src/libexpr/parser.y b/src/libexpr/parser.y
index 184fba03e..4182f36d5 100644
--- a/src/libexpr/parser.y
+++ b/src/libexpr/parser.y
@@ -194,7 +194,7 @@ static Formals * toFormals(ParseData & data, ParserFormals * formals,
 
 
 static Expr * stripIndentation(const Pos & pos, SymbolTable & symbols,
-    vector<std::pair<Pos, std::variant<Expr *, StringToken> > > & es)
+    std::vector<std::pair<Pos, std::variant<Expr *, StringToken> > > & es)
 {
     if (es.empty()) return new ExprString("");
 
@@ -234,7 +234,7 @@ static Expr * stripIndentation(const Pos & pos, SymbolTable & symbols,
     }
 
     /* Strip spaces from each line. */
-    vector<std::pair<Pos, Expr *> > * es2 = new vector<std::pair<Pos, Expr *> >;
+    std::vector<std::pair<Pos, Expr *> > * es2 = new std::vector<std::pair<Pos, Expr *> >;
     atStartOfLine = true;
     size_t curDropped = 0;
     size_t n = es.size();
@@ -245,7 +245,7 @@ static Expr * stripIndentation(const Pos & pos, SymbolTable & symbols,
         es2->emplace_back(i->first, e);
     };
     const auto trimString = [&] (const StringToken & t) {
-        string s2;
+        std::string s2;
         for (size_t j = 0; j < t.l; ++j) {
             if (atStartOfLine) {
                 if (t.p[j] == ' ') {
@@ -269,9 +269,9 @@ static Expr * stripIndentation(const Pos & pos, SymbolTable & symbols,
         /* Remove the last line if it is empty and consists only of
            spaces. */
         if (n == 1) {
-            string::size_type p = s2.find_last_of('\n');
-            if (p != string::npos && s2.find_first_not_of(' ', p + 1) == string::npos)
-                s2 = string(s2, 0, p + 1);
+            std::string::size_type p = s2.find_last_of('\n');
+            if (p != std::string::npos && s2.find_first_not_of(' ', p + 1) == std::string::npos)
+                s2 = std::string(s2, 0, p + 1);
         }
 
         es2->emplace_back(i->first, new ExprString(s2));
@@ -416,7 +416,7 @@ expr_op
   | expr_op UPDATE expr_op { $$ = new ExprOpUpdate(CUR_POS, $1, $3); }
   | expr_op '?' attrpath { $$ = new ExprOpHasAttr($1, *$3); }
   | expr_op '+' expr_op
-    { $$ = new ExprConcatStrings(CUR_POS, false, new vector<std::pair<Pos, Expr *> >({{makeCurPos(@1, data), $1}, {makeCurPos(@3, data), $3}})); }
+    { $$ = new ExprConcatStrings(CUR_POS, false, new std::vector<std::pair<Pos, Expr *> >({{makeCurPos(@1, data), $1}, {makeCurPos(@3, data), $3}})); }
   | expr_op '-' expr_op { $$ = new ExprCall(CUR_POS, new ExprVar(data->symbols.create("__sub")), {$1, $3}); }
   | expr_op '*' expr_op { $$ = new ExprCall(CUR_POS, new ExprVar(data->symbols.create("__mul")), {$1, $3}); }
   | expr_op '/' expr_op { $$ = new ExprCall(CUR_POS, new ExprVar(data->symbols.create("__div")), {$1, $3}); }
@@ -467,7 +467,7 @@ expr_simple
       $$ = new ExprConcatStrings(CUR_POS, false, $2);
   }
   | SPATH {
-      string path($1.p + 1, $1.l - 2);
+      std::string path($1.p + 1, $1.l - 2);
       $$ = new ExprCall(CUR_POS,
           new ExprVar(data->symbols.create("__findFile")),
           {new ExprVar(data->symbols.create("__nixPath")),
@@ -480,7 +480,7 @@ expr_simple
               .msg = hintfmt("URL literals are disabled"),
               .errPos = CUR_POS
           });
-      $$ = new ExprString(string($1));
+      $$ = new ExprString(std::string($1));
   }
   | '(' expr ')' { $$ = $2; }
   /* Let expressions `let {..., body = ...}' are just desugared
@@ -495,19 +495,19 @@ expr_simple
   ;
 
 string_parts
-  : STR { $$ = new ExprString(string($1)); }
+  : STR { $$ = new ExprString(std::string($1)); }
   | string_parts_interpolated { $$ = new ExprConcatStrings(CUR_POS, true, $1); }
   | { $$ = new ExprString(""); }
   ;
 
 string_parts_interpolated
   : string_parts_interpolated STR
-  { $$ = $1; $1->emplace_back(makeCurPos(@2, data), new ExprString(string($2))); }
+  { $$ = $1; $1->emplace_back(makeCurPos(@2, data), new ExprString(std::string($2))); }
   | string_parts_interpolated DOLLAR_CURLY expr '}' { $$ = $1; $1->emplace_back(makeCurPos(@2, data), $3); }
-  | DOLLAR_CURLY expr '}' { $$ = new vector<std::pair<Pos, Expr *> >; $$->emplace_back(makeCurPos(@1, data), $2); }
+  | DOLLAR_CURLY expr '}' { $$ = new std::vector<std::pair<Pos, Expr *> >; $$->emplace_back(makeCurPos(@1, data), $2); }
   | STR DOLLAR_CURLY expr '}' {
-      $$ = new vector<std::pair<Pos, Expr *> >;
-      $$->emplace_back(makeCurPos(@1, data), new ExprString(string($1)));
+      $$ = new std::vector<std::pair<Pos, Expr *> >;
+      $$->emplace_back(makeCurPos(@1, data), new ExprString(std::string($1)));
       $$->emplace_back(makeCurPos(@2, data), $3);
     }
   ;
@@ -521,7 +521,7 @@ path_start
     $$ = new ExprPath(path);
   }
   | HPATH {
-    Path path(getHome() + string($1.p + 1, $1.l - 1));
+    Path path(getHome() + std::string($1.p + 1, $1.l - 1));
     $$ = new ExprPath(path);
   }
   ;
@@ -529,7 +529,7 @@ path_start
 ind_string_parts
   : ind_string_parts IND_STR { $$ = $1; $1->emplace_back(makeCurPos(@2, data), $2); }
   | ind_string_parts DOLLAR_CURLY expr '}' { $$ = $1; $1->emplace_back(makeCurPos(@2, data), $3); }
-  | { $$ = new vector<std::pair<Pos, std::variant<Expr *, StringToken> > >; }
+  | { $$ = new std::vector<std::pair<Pos, std::variant<Expr *, StringToken> > >; }
   ;
 
 binds
@@ -583,9 +583,9 @@ attrpath
       } else
           $$->push_back(AttrName($3));
     }
-  | attr { $$ = new vector<AttrName>; $$->push_back(AttrName(data->symbols.create($1))); }
+  | attr { $$ = new std::vector<AttrName>; $$->push_back(AttrName(data->symbols.create($1))); }
   | string_attr
-    { $$ = new vector<AttrName>;
+    { $$ = new std::vector<AttrName>;
       ExprString *str = dynamic_cast<ExprString *>($1);
       if (str) {
           $$->push_back(AttrName(data->symbols.create(str->s)));
@@ -739,16 +739,16 @@ Expr * EvalState::parseStdin()
 }
 
 
-void EvalState::addToSearchPath(const string & s)
+void EvalState::addToSearchPath(const std::string & s)
 {
     size_t pos = s.find('=');
-    string prefix;
+    std::string prefix;
     Path path;
-    if (pos == string::npos) {
+    if (pos == std::string::npos) {
         path = s;
     } else {
-        prefix = string(s, 0, pos);
-        path = string(s, pos + 1);
+        prefix = std::string(s, 0, pos);
+        path = std::string(s, pos + 1);
     }
 
     searchPath.emplace_back(prefix, path);
diff --git a/src/libexpr/primops.cc b/src/libexpr/primops.cc
index 9a26bae71..c40c54247 100644
--- a/src/libexpr/primops.cc
+++ b/src/libexpr/primops.cc
@@ -43,8 +43,8 @@ StringMap EvalState::realiseContext(const PathSet & context)
     StringMap res;
 
     for (auto & i : context) {
-        auto [ctxS, outputName] = decodeContext(i);
-        auto ctx = store->parseStorePath(ctxS);
+        auto [ctx, outputName] = decodeContext(*store, i);
+        auto ctxS = store->printStorePath(ctx);
         if (!store->isValidPath(ctx))
             debug_throw(InvalidPathError(store->printStorePath(ctx)));
         if (!outputName.empty() && ctx.isDerivation()) {
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@ static void mkOutputString(
     BindingsBuilder & attrs,
     const StorePath & drvPath,
     const BasicDerivation & drv,
-    const std::pair<string, DerivationOutput> & o)
+    const std::pair<std::string, DerivationOutput> & o)
 {
     auto optOutputPath = o.second.path(*state.store, drv.name, o.first);
     attrs.alloc(o.first).mkString(
@@ -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));
+    std::string sym(state.forceStringNoCtx(*args[1], pos));
 
     void *handle = dlopen(path.c_str(), RTLD_LAZY | RTLD_LOCAL);
     if (!handle)
@@ -386,7 +386,7 @@ void prim_exec(EvalState & state, const Pos & pos, Value * * args, Value & v)
 static void prim_typeOf(EvalState & state, const Pos & pos, Value * * args, Value & v)
 {
     state.forceValue(*args[0], pos);
-    string t;
+    std::string t;
     switch (args[0]->type()) {
         case nInt: t = "int"; break;
         case nBool: t = "bool"; break;
@@ -575,9 +575,9 @@ struct CompareValues
 
 
 #if HAVE_BOEHMGC
-typedef list<Value *, gc_allocator<Value *> > ValueList;
+typedef std::list<Value *, gc_allocator<Value *> > ValueList;
 #else
-typedef list<Value *> ValueList;
+typedef std::list<Value *> ValueList;
 #endif
 
 
@@ -655,7 +655,7 @@ static void prim_genericClosure(EvalState & state, const Pos & pos, Value * * ar
     // `doneKeys' doesn't need to be a GC root, because its values are
     // reachable from res.
     auto cmp = CompareValues(state);
-    set<Value *, decltype(cmp)> doneKeys(cmp);
+    std::set<Value *, decltype(cmp)> doneKeys(cmp);
     while (!workSet.empty()) {
         Value * e = *(workSet.begin());
         workSet.pop_front();
@@ -695,7 +695,32 @@ static void prim_genericClosure(EvalState & state, const Pos & pos, Value * * ar
 
 static RegisterPrimOp primop_genericClosure(RegisterPrimOp::Info {
     .name = "__genericClosure",
+    .args = {"attrset"},
     .arity = 1,
+    .doc = R"(
+      Take an *attrset* with values named `startSet` and `operator` in order to
+      return a *list of attrsets* by starting with the `startSet`, recursively
+      applying the `operator` function to each element. The *attrsets* in the
+      `startSet` and produced by the `operator` must each contain value named
+      `key` which are comparable to each other. The result is produced by
+      repeatedly calling the operator for each element encountered with a
+      unique key, terminating when no new elements are produced. For example,
+
+      ```
+      builtins.genericClosure {
+        startSet = [ {key = 5;} ];
+        operator = item: [{
+          key = if (item.key / 2 ) * 2 == item.key
+               then item.key / 2
+               else 3 * item.key + 1;
+        }];
+      }
+      ```
+      evaluates to
+      ```
+      [ { key = 5; } { key = 16; } { key = 8; } { key = 4; } { key = 2; } { key = 1; } ]
+      ```
+      )",
     .fun = prim_genericClosure,
 });
 
@@ -742,7 +767,7 @@ static RegisterPrimOp primop_abort({
     .fun = [](EvalState & state, const Pos & pos, Value * * args, Value & v)
     {
         PathSet context;
-        string s = state.coerceToString(pos, *args[0], context).toOwned();
+        auto s = state.coerceToString(pos, *args[0], context).toOwned();
         state.debug_throw(Abort("evaluation aborted with the following error message: '%1%'", s));
     }
 });
@@ -760,7 +785,7 @@ static RegisterPrimOp primop_throw({
     .fun = [](EvalState & state, const Pos & pos, Value * * args, Value & v)
     {
       PathSet context;
-      string s = state.coerceToString(pos, *args[0], context).toOwned();
+      auto s = state.coerceToString(pos, *args[0], context).toOwned();
       state.debug_throw(ThrownError(s));
     }
 });
@@ -861,7 +886,7 @@ 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));
+    std::string name(state.forceStringNoCtx(*args[0], pos));
     v.mkString(evalSettings.restrictEval || evalSettings.pureEval ? "" : getEnv(name).value_or(""));
 }
 
@@ -970,7 +995,7 @@ static void prim_derivationStrict(EvalState & state, const Pos & pos, Value * *
         pos
     );
 
-    string drvName;
+    std::string drvName;
     Pos & posDrvName(*attr->pos);
     try {
         drvName = state.forceStringNoCtx(*attr->value, pos);
@@ -999,16 +1024,17 @@ static void prim_derivationStrict(EvalState & state, const Pos & pos, Value * *
     PathSet context;
 
     bool contentAddressed = false;
+    bool isImpure = false;
     std::optional<std::string> outputHash;
     std::string outputHashAlgo;
-    auto ingestionMethod = FileIngestionMethod::Flat;
+    std::optional<FileIngestionMethod> ingestionMethod;
 
     StringSet outputs;
     outputs.insert("out");
 
     for (auto & i : args[0]->attrs->lexicographicOrder()) {
         if (i->name == state.sIgnoreNulls) continue;
-        const string & key = i->name;
+        const std::string & key = i->name;
         vomit("processing attribute '%1%'", key);
 
         auto handleHashMode = [&](const std::string_view s) {
@@ -1061,12 +1087,18 @@ static void prim_derivationStrict(EvalState & state, const Pos & pos, Value * *
                     settings.requireExperimentalFeature(Xp::CaDerivations);
             }
 
+            else if (i->name == state.sImpure) {
+                isImpure = state.forceBool(*i->value, pos);
+                if (isImpure)
+                    settings.requireExperimentalFeature(Xp::ImpureDerivations);
+            }
+
             /* The `args' attribute is special: it supplies the
                command-line arguments to the builder. */
             else if (i->name == state.sArgs) {
                 state.forceList(*i->value, pos);
                 for (auto elem : i->value->listItems()) {
-                    string s = state.coerceToString(posDrvName, *elem, context, true).toOwned();
+                    auto s = state.coerceToString(posDrvName, *elem, context, true).toOwned();
                     drv.args.push_back(s);
                 }
             }
@@ -1153,8 +1185,8 @@ static void prim_derivationStrict(EvalState & state, const Pos & pos, Value * *
 
         /* Handle derivation outputs of the form ‘!<name>!<path>’. */
         else if (path.at(0) == '!') {
-            std::pair<string, string> ctx = decodeContext(path);
-            drv.inputDrvs[state.store->parseStorePath(ctx.first)].insert(ctx.second);
+            auto ctx = decodeContext(*state.store, path);
+            drv.inputDrvs[ctx.first].insert(ctx.second);
         }
 
         /* Otherwise it's a source file. */
@@ -1193,31 +1225,44 @@ static void prim_derivationStrict(EvalState & state, const Pos & pos, Value * *
                 .errPos = posDrvName
             }));
 
-        std::optional<HashType> ht = parseHashTypeOpt(outputHashAlgo);
-        Hash h = newHashAllowEmpty(*outputHash, ht);
+        auto h = newHashAllowEmpty(*outputHash, parseHashTypeOpt(outputHashAlgo));
 
-        auto outPath = state.store->makeFixedOutputPath(ingestionMethod, h, drvName);
+        auto method = ingestionMethod.value_or(FileIngestionMethod::Flat);
+        auto outPath = state.store->makeFixedOutputPath(method, h, drvName);
         drv.env["out"] = state.store->printStorePath(outPath);
-        drv.outputs.insert_or_assign("out", DerivationOutput {
-                .output = DerivationOutputCAFixed {
-                    .hash = FixedOutputHash {
-                        .method = ingestionMethod,
-                        .hash = std::move(h),
-                    },
+        drv.outputs.insert_or_assign("out",
+            DerivationOutput::CAFixed {
+                .hash = FixedOutputHash {
+                    .method = method,
+                    .hash = std::move(h),
                 },
-        });
+            });
     }
 
-    else if (contentAddressed) {
-        HashType ht = parseHashType(outputHashAlgo);
+    else if (contentAddressed || isImpure) {
+        if (contentAddressed && isImpure)
+            throw EvalError({
+                .msg = hintfmt("derivation cannot be both content-addressed and impure"),
+                .errPos = posDrvName
+            });
+
+        auto ht = parseHashTypeOpt(outputHashAlgo).value_or(htSHA256);
+        auto method = ingestionMethod.value_or(FileIngestionMethod::Recursive);
+
         for (auto & i : outputs) {
             drv.env[i] = hashPlaceholder(i);
-            drv.outputs.insert_or_assign(i, DerivationOutput {
-                .output = DerivationOutputCAFloating {
-                    .method = ingestionMethod,
-                    .hashType = ht,
-                },
-            });
+            if (isImpure)
+                drv.outputs.insert_or_assign(i,
+                    DerivationOutput::Impure {
+                        .method = method,
+                        .hashType = ht,
+                    });
+            else
+                drv.outputs.insert_or_assign(i,
+                    DerivationOutput::CAFloating {
+                        .method = method,
+                        .hashType = ht,
+                    });
         }
     }
 
@@ -1231,44 +1276,29 @@ static void prim_derivationStrict(EvalState & state, const Pos & pos, Value * *
         for (auto & i : outputs) {
             drv.env[i] = "";
             drv.outputs.insert_or_assign(i,
-                DerivationOutput {
-                    .output = DerivationOutputInputAddressed {
-                        .path = StorePath::dummy,
-                    },
-                });
+                DerivationOutput::Deferred { });
         }
 
-        // Regular, non-CA derivation should always return a single hash and not
-        // hash per output.
         auto hashModulo = hashDerivationModulo(*state.store, Derivation(drv), true);
-        std::visit(overloaded {
-            [&](Hash & h) {
-                for (auto & i : outputs) {
-                    auto outPath = state.store->makeOutputPath(i, h, drvName);
-                    drv.env[i] = state.store->printStorePath(outPath);
-                    drv.outputs.insert_or_assign(i,
-                        DerivationOutput {
-                            .output = DerivationOutputInputAddressed {
-                                .path = std::move(outPath),
-                            },
-                        });
-                }
-            },
-            [&](CaOutputHashes &) {
-                // Shouldn't happen as the toplevel derivation is not CA.
-                assert(false);
-            },
-            [&](DeferredHash &) {
-                for (auto & i : outputs) {
-                    drv.outputs.insert_or_assign(i,
-                        DerivationOutput {
-                            .output = DerivationOutputDeferred{},
-                        });
-                }
-            },
-        },
-        hashModulo);
-
+        switch (hashModulo.kind) {
+        case DrvHash::Kind::Regular:
+            for (auto & i : outputs) {
+                auto h = hashModulo.hashes.at(i);
+                auto outPath = state.store->makeOutputPath(i, h, drvName);
+                drv.env[i] = state.store->printStorePath(outPath);
+                drv.outputs.insert_or_assign(
+                    i,
+                    DerivationOutputInputAddressed {
+                        .path = std::move(outPath),
+                    });
+            }
+            break;
+            ;
+        case DrvHash::Kind::Deferred:
+            for (auto & i : outputs) {
+                drv.outputs.insert_or_assign(i, DerivationOutputDeferred {});
+            }
+        }
     }
 
     /* Write the resulting term into the Nix store directory. */
@@ -1279,12 +1309,9 @@ static void prim_derivationStrict(EvalState & state, const Pos & pos, Value * *
 
     /* Optimisation, but required in read-only mode! because in that
        case we don't actually write store derivations, so we can't
-       read them later.
-
-       However, we don't bother doing this for floating CA derivations because
-       their "hash modulo" is indeterminate until built. */
-    if (drv.type() != DerivationType::CAFloating) {
-        auto h = hashDerivationModulo(*state.store, Derivation(drv), false);
+       read them later. */
+    {
+        auto h = hashDerivationModulo(*state.store, drv, false);
         drvHashes.lock()->insert_or_assign(drvPath, h);
     }
 
@@ -1475,8 +1502,8 @@ static RegisterPrimOp primop_dirOf({
 static void prim_readFile(EvalState & state, const Pos & pos, Value * * args, Value & v)
 {
     auto path = realisePath(state, pos, *args[0]);
-    string s = readFile(path);
-    if (s.find((char) 0) != string::npos)
+    auto s = readFile(path);
+    if (s.find((char) 0) != std::string::npos)
         state.debug_throw(Error("the contents of the file '%1%' cannot be represented as a Nix string", path));
     StorePathSet refs;
     if (state.store->isInStore(path)) {
@@ -1509,7 +1536,7 @@ static void prim_findFile(EvalState & state, const Pos & pos, Value * * args, Va
     for (auto v2 : args[0]->listItems()) {
         state.forceAttrs(*v2, pos);
 
-        string prefix;
+        std::string prefix;
         Bindings::iterator i = v2->attrs->find(state.sPrefix);
         if (i != v2->attrs->end())
             prefix = state.forceStringNoCtx(*i->value, pos);
@@ -1523,7 +1550,7 @@ static void prim_findFile(EvalState & state, const Pos & pos, Value * * args, Va
         );
 
         PathSet context;
-        string path = state.coerceToString(pos, *i->value, context, false, false).toOwned();
+        auto path = state.coerceToString(pos, *i->value, context, false, false).toOwned();
 
         try {
             auto rewrites = state.realiseContext(context);
@@ -1789,8 +1816,8 @@ 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 contents(state.forceString(*args[1], context, pos));
+    std::string name(state.forceStringNoCtx(*args[0], pos));
+    std::string contents(state.forceString(*args[1], context, pos));
 
     StorePathSet refs;
 
@@ -1898,7 +1925,7 @@ static RegisterPrimOp primop_toFile({
 static void addPath(
     EvalState & state,
     const Pos & pos,
-    const string & name,
+    const std::string & name,
     Path path,
     Value * filterFun,
     FileIngestionMethod method,
@@ -1954,20 +1981,15 @@ static void addPath(
         if (expectedHash)
             expectedStorePath = state.store->makeFixedOutputPath(method, *expectedHash, name);
 
-        Path dstPath;
         if (!expectedHash || !state.store->isValidPath(*expectedStorePath)) {
-            dstPath = state.store->printStorePath(settings.readOnlyMode
+            StorePath dstPath = settings.readOnlyMode
                 ? state.store->computeStorePathForPath(name, path, method, htSHA256, filter).first
-                : state.store->addToStore(name, path, method, htSHA256, filter, state.repair, refs));
-            if (expectedHash && expectedStorePath != state.store->parseStorePath(dstPath))
+                : state.store->addToStore(name, path, method, htSHA256, filter, state.repair, refs);
+            if (expectedHash && expectedStorePath != dstPath)
                 state.debug_throw(Error("store path mismatch in (possibly filtered) path added from '%s'", path));
+            state.allowAndSetStorePathString(dstPath, v);
         } else
-            dstPath = state.store->printStorePath(*expectedStorePath);
-
-        v.mkString(dstPath, {dstPath});
-
-        state.allowPath(dstPath);
-
+            state.allowAndSetStorePathString(*expectedStorePath, v);
     } catch (Error & e) {
         e.addTrace(pos, "while adding path '%s'", path);
         throw;
@@ -2051,14 +2073,14 @@ static void prim_path(EvalState & state, const Pos & pos, Value * * args, Value
 {
     state.forceAttrs(*args[0], pos);
     Path path;
-    string name;
+    std::string name;
     Value * filterFun = nullptr;
     auto method = FileIngestionMethod::Recursive;
     std::optional<Hash> expectedHash;
     PathSet context;
 
     for (auto & attr : *args[0]->attrs) {
-        const string & n(attr.name);
+        auto & n(attr.name);
         if (n == "path")
             path = state.coerceToPath(*attr.pos, *attr.value, context);
         else if (attr.name == state.sName)
@@ -3651,7 +3673,7 @@ static void prim_concatStringsSep(EvalState & state, const Pos & pos, Value * *
     auto sep = state.forceString(*args[0], context, pos);
     state.forceList(*args[1], pos);
 
-    string res;
+    std::string res;
     res.reserve((args[1]->listSize() + 32) * sep.size());
     bool first = true;
 
@@ -3684,12 +3706,12 @@ static void prim_replaceStrings(EvalState & state, const Pos & pos, Value * * ar
             .errPos = pos
         }));
 
-    vector<string> from;
+    std::vector<std::string> from;
     from.reserve(args[0]->listSize());
     for (auto elem : args[0]->listItems())
         from.emplace_back(state.forceString(*elem, pos));
 
-    vector<std::pair<string, PathSet>> to;
+    std::vector<std::pair<std::string, PathSet>> to;
     to.reserve(args[1]->listSize());
     for (auto elem : args[1]->listItems()) {
         PathSet ctx;
@@ -3700,7 +3722,7 @@ static void prim_replaceStrings(EvalState & state, const Pos & pos, Value * * ar
     PathSet context;
     auto s = state.forceString(*args[2], context, pos);
 
-    string res;
+    std::string res;
     // Loops one past last character to handle the case where 'from' contains an empty string.
     for (size_t p = 0; p <= s.size(); ) {
         bool found = false;
@@ -3841,7 +3863,7 @@ RegisterPrimOp::RegisterPrimOp(std::string name, size_t arity, PrimOpFun fun)
         .name = name,
         .args = {},
         .arity = arity,
-        .fun = fun
+        .fun = fun,
     });
 }
 
@@ -3913,13 +3935,17 @@ void EvalState::createBaseEnv()
 
     if (RegisterPrimOp::primOps)
         for (auto & primOp : *RegisterPrimOp::primOps)
-            addPrimOp({
-                .fun = primOp.fun,
-                .arity = std::max(primOp.args.size(), primOp.arity),
-                .name = symbols.create(primOp.name),
-                .args = primOp.args,
-                .doc = primOp.doc,
-            });
+            if (!primOp.experimentalFeature
+                || settings.isExperimentalFeatureEnabled(*primOp.experimentalFeature))
+            {
+                addPrimOp({
+                    .fun = primOp.fun,
+                    .arity = std::max(primOp.args.size(), primOp.arity),
+                    .name = symbols.create(primOp.name),
+                    .args = primOp.args,
+                    .doc = primOp.doc,
+                });
+            }
 
     /* Add a wrapper around the derivation primop that computes the
        `drvPath' and `outPath' attributes lazily. */
diff --git a/src/libexpr/primops.hh b/src/libexpr/primops.hh
index 5b16e075f..905bd0366 100644
--- a/src/libexpr/primops.hh
+++ b/src/libexpr/primops.hh
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ struct RegisterPrimOp
         size_t arity = 0;
         const char * doc;
         PrimOpFun fun;
+        std::optional<ExperimentalFeature> experimentalFeature;
     };
 
     typedef std::vector<Info> PrimOps;
@@ -35,6 +36,7 @@ struct RegisterPrimOp
 /* These primops are disabled without enableNativeCode, but plugins
    may wish to use them in limited contexts without globally enabling
    them. */
+
 /* Load a ValueInitializer from a DSO and return whatever it initializes */
 void prim_importNative(EvalState & state, const Pos & pos, Value * * args, Value & v);
 
diff --git a/src/libexpr/primops/context.cc b/src/libexpr/primops/context.cc
index 654251c23..cc74c7f58 100644
--- a/src/libexpr/primops/context.cc
+++ b/src/libexpr/primops/context.cc
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 #include "primops.hh"
 #include "eval-inline.hh"
+#include "derivations.hh"
 #include "store-api.hh"
 
 namespace nix {
@@ -37,7 +38,7 @@ static void prim_unsafeDiscardOutputDependency(EvalState & state, const Pos & po
 
     PathSet context2;
     for (auto & p : context)
-        context2.insert(p.at(0) == '=' ? string(p, 1) : p);
+        context2.insert(p.at(0) == '=' ? std::string(p, 1) : p);
 
     v.mkString(*s, context2);
 }
@@ -76,14 +77,14 @@ static void prim_getContext(EvalState & state, const Pos & pos, Value * * args,
     auto contextInfos = std::map<Path, ContextInfo>();
     for (const auto & p : context) {
         Path drv;
-        string output;
+        std::string output;
         const Path * path = &p;
         if (p.at(0) == '=') {
-            drv = string(p, 1);
+            drv = std::string(p, 1);
             path = &drv;
         } else if (p.at(0) == '!') {
-            std::pair<string, string> ctx = decodeContext(p);
-            drv = ctx.first;
+            NixStringContextElem ctx = decodeContext(*state.store, p);
+            drv = state.store->printStorePath(ctx.first);
             output = ctx.second;
             path = &drv;
         }
@@ -166,7 +167,7 @@ static void prim_appendContext(EvalState & state, const Pos & pos, Value * * arg
                         .errPos = *i.pos
                     });
                 }
-                context.insert("=" + string(i.name));
+                context.insert("=" + std::string(i.name));
             }
         }
 
diff --git a/src/libexpr/primops/fetchClosure.cc b/src/libexpr/primops/fetchClosure.cc
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..821eba698
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/libexpr/primops/fetchClosure.cc
@@ -0,0 +1,161 @@
+#include "primops.hh"
+#include "store-api.hh"
+#include "make-content-addressed.hh"
+#include "url.hh"
+
+namespace nix {
+
+static void prim_fetchClosure(EvalState & state, const Pos & pos, Value * * args, Value & v)
+{
+    state.forceAttrs(*args[0], pos);
+
+    std::optional<std::string> fromStoreUrl;
+    std::optional<StorePath> fromPath;
+    bool toCA = false;
+    std::optional<StorePath> toPath;
+
+    for (auto & attr : *args[0]->attrs) {
+        if (attr.name == "fromPath") {
+            PathSet context;
+            fromPath = state.coerceToStorePath(*attr.pos, *attr.value, context);
+        }
+
+        else if (attr.name == "toPath") {
+            state.forceValue(*attr.value, *attr.pos);
+            toCA = true;
+            if (attr.value->type() != nString || attr.value->string.s != std::string("")) {
+                PathSet context;
+                toPath = state.coerceToStorePath(*attr.pos, *attr.value, context);
+            }
+        }
+
+        else if (attr.name == "fromStore")
+            fromStoreUrl = state.forceStringNoCtx(*attr.value, *attr.pos);
+
+        else
+            throw Error({
+                .msg = hintfmt("attribute '%s' isn't supported in call to 'fetchClosure'", attr.name),
+                .errPos = pos
+            });
+    }
+
+    if (!fromPath)
+        throw Error({
+            .msg = hintfmt("attribute '%s' is missing in call to 'fetchClosure'", "fromPath"),
+            .errPos = pos
+        });
+
+    if (!fromStoreUrl)
+        throw Error({
+            .msg = hintfmt("attribute '%s' is missing in call to 'fetchClosure'", "fromStore"),
+            .errPos = pos
+        });
+
+    auto parsedURL = parseURL(*fromStoreUrl);
+
+    if (parsedURL.scheme != "http" &&
+        parsedURL.scheme != "https" &&
+        !(getEnv("_NIX_IN_TEST").has_value() && parsedURL.scheme == "file"))
+        throw Error({
+            .msg = hintfmt("'fetchClosure' only supports http:// and https:// stores"),
+            .errPos = pos
+        });
+
+    if (!parsedURL.query.empty())
+        throw Error({
+            .msg = hintfmt("'fetchClosure' does not support URL query parameters (in '%s')", *fromStoreUrl),
+            .errPos = pos
+        });
+
+    auto fromStore = openStore(parsedURL.to_string());
+
+    if (toCA) {
+        if (!toPath || !state.store->isValidPath(*toPath)) {
+            auto remappings = makeContentAddressed(*fromStore, *state.store, { *fromPath });
+            auto i = remappings.find(*fromPath);
+            assert(i != remappings.end());
+            if (toPath && *toPath != i->second)
+                throw Error({
+                    .msg = hintfmt("rewriting '%s' to content-addressed form yielded '%s', while '%s' was expected",
+                        state.store->printStorePath(*fromPath),
+                        state.store->printStorePath(i->second),
+                        state.store->printStorePath(*toPath)),
+                    .errPos = pos
+                });
+            if (!toPath)
+                throw Error({
+                    .msg = hintfmt(
+                        "rewriting '%s' to content-addressed form yielded '%s'; "
+                        "please set this in the 'toPath' attribute passed to 'fetchClosure'",
+                        state.store->printStorePath(*fromPath),
+                        state.store->printStorePath(i->second)),
+                    .errPos = pos
+                });
+        }
+    } else {
+        if (!state.store->isValidPath(*fromPath))
+            copyClosure(*fromStore, *state.store, RealisedPath::Set { *fromPath });
+        toPath = fromPath;
+    }
+
+    /* In pure mode, require a CA path. */
+    if (evalSettings.pureEval) {
+        auto info = state.store->queryPathInfo(*toPath);
+        if (!info->isContentAddressed(*state.store))
+            throw Error({
+                .msg = hintfmt("in pure mode, 'fetchClosure' requires a content-addressed path, which '%s' isn't",
+                    state.store->printStorePath(*toPath)),
+                .errPos = pos
+            });
+    }
+
+    auto toPathS = state.store->printStorePath(*toPath);
+    v.mkString(toPathS, {toPathS});
+}
+
+static RegisterPrimOp primop_fetchClosure({
+    .name = "__fetchClosure",
+    .args = {"args"},
+    .doc = R"(
+      Fetch a Nix store closure from a binary cache, rewriting it into
+      content-addressed form. For example,
+
+      ```nix
+      builtins.fetchClosure {
+        fromStore = "https://cache.nixos.org";
+        fromPath = /nix/store/r2jd6ygnmirm2g803mksqqjm4y39yi6i-git-2.33.1;
+        toPath = /nix/store/ldbhlwhh39wha58rm61bkiiwm6j7211j-git-2.33.1;
+      }
+      ```
+
+      fetches `/nix/store/r2jd...` from the specified binary cache,
+      and rewrites it into the content-addressed store path
+      `/nix/store/ldbh...`.
+
+      If `fromPath` is already content-addressed, or if you are
+      allowing impure evaluation (`--impure`), then `toPath` may be
+      omitted.
+
+      To find out the correct value for `toPath` given a `fromPath`,
+      you can use `nix store make-content-addressed`:
+
+      ```console
+      # nix store make-content-addressed --from https://cache.nixos.org /nix/store/r2jd6ygnmirm2g803mksqqjm4y39yi6i-git-2.33.1
+      rewrote '/nix/store/r2jd6ygnmirm2g803mksqqjm4y39yi6i-git-2.33.1' to '/nix/store/ldbhlwhh39wha58rm61bkiiwm6j7211j-git-2.33.1'
+      ```
+
+      This function is similar to `builtins.storePath` in that it
+      allows you to use a previously built store path in a Nix
+      expression. However, it is more reproducible because it requires
+      specifying a binary cache from which the path can be fetched.
+      Also, requiring a content-addressed final store path avoids the
+      need for users to configure binary cache public keys.
+
+      This function is only available if you enable the experimental
+      feature `fetch-closure`.
+    )",
+    .fun = prim_fetchClosure,
+    .experimentalFeature = Xp::FetchClosure,
+});
+
+}
diff --git a/src/libexpr/primops/fetchMercurial.cc b/src/libexpr/primops/fetchMercurial.cc
index c4e1a7bf0..b7f715859 100644
--- a/src/libexpr/primops/fetchMercurial.cc
+++ b/src/libexpr/primops/fetchMercurial.cc
@@ -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", string(name));
+    attrs.insert_or_assign("name", std::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));
diff --git a/src/libexpr/primops/fetchTree.cc b/src/libexpr/primops/fetchTree.cc
index c9fcbb8f5..bae0fb1e4 100644
--- a/src/libexpr/primops/fetchTree.cc
+++ b/src/libexpr/primops/fetchTree.cc
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ void emitTreeAttrs(
     bool emptyRevFallback,
     bool forceDirty)
 {
-    assert(input.isImmutable());
+    assert(input.isLocked());
 
     auto attrs = state.buildBindings(8);
 
@@ -166,8 +166,8 @@ static void fetchTree(
     if (!evalSettings.pureEval && !input.isDirect())
         input = lookupInRegistries(state.store, input).first;
 
-    if (evalSettings.pureEval && !input.isImmutable())
-        state.debug_throw(EvalError("in pure evaluation mode, 'fetchTree' requires an immutable input, at %s", pos));
+    if (evalSettings.pureEval && !input.isLocked())
+        state.debug_throw(EvalError("in pure evaluation mode, 'fetchTree' requires a locked input, at %s", pos));
 
     auto [tree, input2] = input.fetch(state.store);
 
@@ -186,7 +186,7 @@ static void prim_fetchTree(EvalState & state, const Pos & pos, Value * * args, V
 static RegisterPrimOp primop_fetchTree("fetchTree", 1, prim_fetchTree);
 
 static void fetch(EvalState & state, const Pos & pos, Value * * args, Value & v,
-    const string & who, bool unpack, std::string name)
+    const std::string & who, bool unpack, std::string name)
 {
     std::optional<std::string> url;
     std::optional<Hash> expectedHash;
@@ -198,7 +198,7 @@ static void fetch(EvalState & state, const Pos & pos, Value * * args, Value & v,
         state.forceAttrs(*args[0], pos);
 
         for (auto & attr : *args[0]->attrs) {
-            string n(attr.name);
+            std::string n(attr.name);
             if (n == "url")
                 url = state.forceStringNoCtx(*attr.value, *attr.pos);
             else if (n == "sha256")
@@ -230,6 +230,21 @@ static void fetch(EvalState & state, const Pos & pos, Value * * args, Value & v,
     if (evalSettings.pureEval && !expectedHash)
         state.debug_throw(EvalError("in pure evaluation mode, '%s' requires a 'sha256' argument", who));
 
+    // early exit if pinned and already in the store
+    if (expectedHash && expectedHash->type == htSHA256) {
+        auto expectedPath =
+            unpack
+            ? state.store->makeFixedOutputPath(FileIngestionMethod::Recursive, *expectedHash, name, {})
+            : state.store->makeFixedOutputPath(FileIngestionMethod::Flat, *expectedHash, name, {});
+
+        if (state.store->isValidPath(expectedPath)) {
+            state.allowAndSetStorePathString(expectedPath, v);
+            return;
+        }
+    }
+
+    // TODO: fetching may fail, yet the path may be substitutable.
+    //       https://github.com/NixOS/nix/issues/4313
     auto storePath =
         unpack
         ? fetchers::downloadTarball(state.store, *url, name, (bool) expectedHash).first.storePath
@@ -244,10 +259,7 @@ static void fetch(EvalState & state, const Pos & pos, Value * * args, Value & v,
                 *url, expectedHash->to_string(Base32, true), hash.to_string(Base32, true)));
     }
 
-    state.allowPath(storePath);
-
-    auto path = state.store->printStorePath(storePath);
-    v.mkString(path, PathSet({path}));
+    state.allowAndSetStorePathString(storePath, v);
 }
 
 static void prim_fetchurl(EvalState & state, const Pos & pos, Value * * args, Value & v)
@@ -317,7 +329,7 @@ static RegisterPrimOp primop_fetchTarball({
     .fun = prim_fetchTarball,
 });
 
-static void prim_fetchGit(EvalState &state, const Pos &pos, Value **args, Value &v)
+static void prim_fetchGit(EvalState & state, const Pos & pos, Value * * args, Value & v)
 {
     fetchTree(state, pos, args, v, "git", FetchTreeParams { .emptyRevFallback = true, .allowNameArgument = true });
 }
diff --git a/src/libexpr/primops/fromTOML.cc b/src/libexpr/primops/fromTOML.cc
index c0e858b61..dd4280030 100644
--- a/src/libexpr/primops/fromTOML.cc
+++ b/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(string{toml});
+    std::istringstream tomlStream(std::string{toml});
 
     std::function<void(Value &, toml::value)> visit;
 
diff --git a/src/libexpr/symbol-table.hh b/src/libexpr/symbol-table.hh
index a090ebae5..48d20c29d 100644
--- a/src/libexpr/symbol-table.hh
+++ b/src/libexpr/symbol-table.hh
@@ -17,8 +17,8 @@ namespace nix {
 class Symbol
 {
 private:
-    const string * s; // pointer into SymbolTable
-    Symbol(const string * s) : s(s) { };
+    const std::string * s; // pointer into SymbolTable
+    Symbol(const std::string * s) : s(s) { };
     friend class SymbolTable;
 
 public:
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ class SymbolTable
 {
 private:
     std::unordered_map<std::string_view, Symbol> symbols;
-    std::list<string> store;
+    std::list<std::string> store;
 
 public:
     Symbol create(std::string_view s)
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ public:
         auto it = symbols.find(s);
         if (it != symbols.end()) return it->second;
 
-        const string & rawSym = store.emplace_back(s);
+        auto & rawSym = store.emplace_back(s);
         return symbols.emplace(rawSym, Symbol(&rawSym)).first->second;
     }
 
diff --git a/src/libexpr/value-to-xml.cc b/src/libexpr/value-to-xml.cc
index a9fb60b0e..afeaf5694 100644
--- a/src/libexpr/value-to-xml.cc
+++ b/src/libexpr/value-to-xml.cc
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
 namespace nix {
 
 
-static XMLAttrs singletonAttrs(const string & name, const string & value)
+static XMLAttrs singletonAttrs(const std::string & name, const std::string & value)
 {
     XMLAttrs attrs;
     attrs[name] = value;
diff --git a/src/libexpr/value.hh b/src/libexpr/value.hh
index bef5cd6bd..3d07c3198 100644
--- a/src/libexpr/value.hh
+++ b/src/libexpr/value.hh
@@ -57,6 +57,8 @@ struct ExprLambda;
 struct PrimOp;
 class Symbol;
 struct Pos;
+class StorePath;
+class Store;
 class EvalState;
 class XMLWriter;
 class JSONPlaceholder;
@@ -64,6 +66,8 @@ class JSONPlaceholder;
 
 typedef int64_t NixInt;
 typedef double NixFloat;
+typedef std::pair<StorePath, std::string> NixStringContextElem;
+typedef std::vector<NixStringContextElem> NixStringContext;
 
 /* External values must descend from ExternalValueBase, so that
  * type-agnostic nix functions (e.g. showType) can be implemented
@@ -77,20 +81,20 @@ class ExternalValueBase
 
     public:
     /* Return a simple string describing the type */
-    virtual string showType() const = 0;
+    virtual std::string showType() const = 0;
 
     /* Return a string to be used in builtins.typeOf */
-    virtual string typeOf() const = 0;
+    virtual std::string typeOf() const = 0;
 
     /* Coerce the value to a string. Defaults to uncoercable, i.e. throws an
-     * error
+     * error.
      */
-    virtual string coerceToString(const Pos & pos, PathSet & context, bool copyMore, bool copyToStore) const;
+    virtual std::string coerceToString(const Pos & pos, PathSet & context, bool copyMore, bool copyToStore) const;
 
     /* Compare to another value of the same type. Defaults to uncomparable,
      * i.e. always false.
      */
-    virtual bool operator==(const ExternalValueBase & b) const;
+    virtual bool operator ==(const ExternalValueBase & b) const;
 
     /* Print the value as JSON. Defaults to unconvertable, i.e. throws an error */
     virtual void printValueAsJSON(EvalState & state, bool strict,
@@ -114,11 +118,14 @@ struct Value
 private:
     InternalType internalType;
 
-friend std::string showType(const Value & v);
-friend void printValue(std::ostream & str, std::set<const Value *> & active, const Value & v);
+    friend std::string showType(const Value & v);
+
+    void print(std::ostream & str, std::set<const void *> * seen) const;
 
 public:
 
+    void print(std::ostream & str, bool showRepeated = false) const;
+
     // Functions needed to distinguish the type
     // These should be removed eventually, by putting the functionality that's
     // needed by callers into methods of this type
@@ -368,7 +375,7 @@ public:
        non-trivial. */
     bool isTrivial() const;
 
-    std::vector<std::pair<Path, std::string>> getContext();
+    NixStringContext getContext(const Store &);
 
     auto listItems()
     {