1 files changed, 48 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/src/libexpr/print.hh b/src/libexpr/print.hh
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f9cfc3964
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/libexpr/print.hh
@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+#pragma once
+/**
+ * @file
+ * @brief Common printing functions for the Nix language
+ *
+ * While most types come with their own methods for printing, they share some
+ * functions that are placed here.
+ */
+
+#include <iostream>
+
+namespace nix {
+    /**
+     * Print a string as a Nix string literal.
+     *
+     * Quotes and fairly minimal escaping are added.
+     *
+     * @param s The logical string
+     */
+    std::ostream & printLiteralString(std::ostream & o, std::string_view s);
+    inline std::ostream & printLiteralString(std::ostream & o, const char * s) {
+        return printLiteralString(o, std::string_view(s));
+    }
+    inline std::ostream & printLiteralString(std::ostream & o, const std::string & s) {
+        return printLiteralString(o, std::string_view(s));
+    }
+
+    /** Print `true` or `false`. */
+    std::ostream & printLiteralBool(std::ostream & o, bool b);
+
+    /**
+     * Print a string as an attribute name in the Nix expression language syntax.
+     *
+     * Prints a quoted string if necessary.
+     */
+    std::ostream & printAttributeName(std::ostream & o, std::string_view s);
+
+    /**
+     * Print a string as an identifier in the Nix expression language syntax.
+     *
+     * FIXME: "identifier" is ambiguous. Identifiers do not have a single
+     *        textual representation. They can be used in variable references,
+     *        let bindings, left-hand sides or attribute names in a select
+     *        expression, or something else entirely, like JSON. Use one of the
+     *        `print*` functions instead.
+     */
+    std::ostream & printIdentifier(std::ostream & o, std::string_view s);
+}