text/abstract_text: Adds the float conversion in exponential hexadecimal notation
[nit.git] / lib / core / text / abstract_text.nit
index 0e02750..0072ec8 100644 (file)
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ in "C" `{
 # High-level abstraction for all text representations
 abstract class Text
        super Comparable
+       super Cloneable
 
        redef type OTHER: Text
 
@@ -33,34 +34,44 @@ abstract class Text
 
        # Gets a view on the chars of the Text object
        #
-       #     assert "hello".chars.to_a == ['h', 'e', 'l', 'l', 'o']
+       # ~~~
+       # assert "hello".chars.to_a == ['h', 'e', 'l', 'l', 'o']
+       # ~~~
        fun chars: SequenceRead[Char] is abstract
 
        # Gets a view on the bytes of the Text object
        #
-       #     assert "hello".bytes.to_a == [104u8, 101u8, 108u8, 108u8, 111u8]
-       fun bytes: SequenceRead[Byte] is abstract
+       # ~~~
+       # assert "hello".bytes.to_a == [104, 101, 108, 108, 111]
+       # ~~~
+       fun bytes: SequenceRead[Int] is abstract
 
        # Number of characters contained in self.
        #
-       #     assert "12345".length == 5
-       #     assert "".length == 0
-       #     assert "あいうえお".length == 5
+       # ~~~
+       # assert "12345".length == 5
+       # assert "".length == 0
+       # assert "あいうえお".length == 5
+       # ~~~
        fun length: Int is abstract
 
        # Number of bytes in `self`
        #
-       #     assert "12345".bytelen == 5
-       #     assert "あいうえお".bytelen == 15
-       fun bytelen: Int is abstract
+       # ~~~
+       # assert "12345".byte_length == 5
+       # assert "あいうえお".byte_length == 15
+       # ~~~
+       fun byte_length: Int is abstract
 
        # Create a substring.
        #
-       #     assert "abcd".substring(1, 2)      ==  "bc"
-       #     assert "abcd".substring(-1, 2)     ==  "a"
-       #     assert "abcd".substring(1, 0)      ==  ""
-       #     assert "abcd".substring(2, 5)      ==  "cd"
-       #     assert "あいうえお".substring(1,3) ==  "いうえ"
+       # ~~~
+       # assert "abcd".substring(1, 2)      ==  "bc"
+       # assert "abcd".substring(-1, 2)     ==  "a"
+       # assert "abcd".substring(1, 0)      ==  ""
+       # assert "abcd".substring(2, 5)      ==  "cd"
+       # assert "あいうえお".substring(1,3) ==  "いうえ"
+       # ~~~
        #
        # A `from` index < 0 will be replaced by 0.
        # Unless a `count` value is > 0 at the same time.
@@ -68,12 +79,14 @@ abstract class Text
        fun substring(from: Int, count: Int): SELFTYPE is abstract
 
        # Iterates on the substrings of self if any
-       fun substrings: Iterator[FlatText] is abstract
+       private fun substrings: Iterator[FlatText] is abstract
 
        # Is the current Text empty (== "")
        #
-       #     assert "".is_empty
-       #     assert not "foo".is_empty
+       # ~~~
+       # assert "".is_empty
+       # assert not "foo".is_empty
+       # ~~~
        fun is_empty: Bool do return self.length == 0
 
        # Returns an empty Text of the right type
@@ -82,38 +95,33 @@ abstract class Text
        # implementation of an empty string.
        protected fun empty: SELFTYPE is abstract
 
+       # Returns a copy of `self` as a Buffer
+       fun to_buffer: Buffer is abstract
+
        # Gets the first char of the Text
-       #
-       # DEPRECATED : Use self.chars.first instead
        fun first: Char do return self.chars[0]
 
        # Access a character at `index` in the string.
        #
-       #     assert "abcd"[2]         == 'c'
-       #
-       # DEPRECATED : Use self.chars.[] instead
+       # ~~~
+       # assert "abcd"[2]         == 'c'
+       # ~~~
        fun [](index: Int): Char do return self.chars[index]
 
        # Gets the index of the first occurence of 'c'
        #
        # Returns -1 if not found
-       #
-       # DEPRECATED : Use self.chars.index_of instead
        fun index_of(c: Char): Int
        do
                return index_of_from(c, 0)
        end
 
        # Gets the last char of self
-       #
-       # DEPRECATED : Use self.chars.last instead
        fun last: Char do return self.chars[length-1]
 
        # Gets the index of the first occurence of ´c´ starting from ´pos´
        #
        # Returns -1 if not found
-       #
-       # DEPRECATED : Use self.chars.index_of_from instead
        fun index_of_from(c: Char, pos: Int): Int
        do
                var iter = self.chars.iterator_from(pos)
@@ -127,38 +135,34 @@ abstract class Text
        # Gets the last index of char ´c´
        #
        # Returns -1 if not found
-       #
-       # DEPRECATED : Use self.chars.last_index_of instead
        fun last_index_of(c: Char): Int
        do
                return last_index_of_from(c, length - 1)
        end
 
        # Return a null terminated char *
-       fun to_cstring: NativeString is abstract
+       fun to_cstring: CString is abstract
 
        # The index of the last occurrence of an element starting from pos (in reverse order).
        #
-       #     var s = "/etc/bin/test/test.nit"
-       #     assert s.last_index_of_from('/', s.length-1) == 13
-       #     assert s.last_index_of_from('/', 12)         == 8
+       # ~~~
+       # var s = "/etc/bin/test/test.nit"
+       # assert s.last_index_of_from('/', s.length-1) == 13
+       # assert s.last_index_of_from('/', 12)         == 8
+       # ~~~
        #
        # Returns -1 if not found
+       fun last_index_of_from(item: Char, pos: Int): Int do return chars.last_index_of_from(item, pos)
+
+       # Concatenates `o` to `self`
        #
-       # DEPRECATED : Use self.chars.last_index_of_from instead
-       fun last_index_of_from(item: Char, pos: Int): Int
-       do
-               var iter = self.chars.reverse_iterator_from(pos)
-               while iter.is_ok do
-                       if iter.item == item then return iter.index
-                       iter.next
-               end
-               return -1
-       end
+       # ~~~
+       # assert "hello" + "world"  == "helloworld"
+       # assert "" + "hello" + ""  == "hello"
+       # ~~~
+       fun +(o: Text): SELFTYPE is abstract
 
        # Gets an iterator on the chars of self
-       #
-       # DEPRECATED : Use self.chars.iterator instead
        fun iterator: Iterator[Char]
        do
                return self.chars.iterator
@@ -166,15 +170,15 @@ abstract class Text
 
 
        # Gets an Array containing the chars of self
-       #
-       # DEPRECATED : Use self.chars.to_a instead
        fun to_a: Array[Char] do return chars.to_a
 
        # Create a substring from `self` beginning at the `from` position
        #
-       #     assert "abcd".substring_from(1)    ==  "bcd"
-       #     assert "abcd".substring_from(-1)   ==  "abcd"
-       #     assert "abcd".substring_from(2)    ==  "cd"
+       # ~~~
+       # assert "abcd".substring_from(1)    ==  "bcd"
+       # assert "abcd".substring_from(-1)   ==  "abcd"
+       # assert "abcd".substring_from(2)    ==  "cd"
+       # ~~~
        #
        # As with substring, a `from` index < 0 will be replaced by 0
        fun substring_from(from: Int): SELFTYPE
@@ -186,8 +190,10 @@ abstract class Text
 
        # Does self have a substring `str` starting from position `pos`?
        #
-       #     assert "abcd".has_substring("bc",1)            ==  true
-       #     assert "abcd".has_substring("bc",2)            ==  false
+       # ~~~
+       # assert "abcd".has_substring("bc",1)        ==  true
+       # assert "abcd".has_substring("bc",2)        ==  false
+       # ~~~
        #
        # Returns true iff all characters of `str` are presents
        # at the expected index in `self.`
@@ -196,13 +202,17 @@ abstract class Text
        #
        # This means that all characters of `str` need to be inside `self`.
        #
-       #     assert "abcd".has_substring("xab", -1)         == false
-       #     assert "abcd".has_substring("cdx", 2)          == false
+       # ~~~
+       # assert "abcd".has_substring("xab", -1)         == false
+       # assert "abcd".has_substring("cdx", 2)          == false
+       # ~~~
        #
        # And that the empty string is always a valid substring.
        #
-       #     assert "abcd".has_substring("", 2)             == true
-       #     assert "abcd".has_substring("", 200)           == true
+       # ~~~
+       # assert "abcd".has_substring("", 2)             == true
+       # assert "abcd".has_substring("", 200)           == true
+       # ~~~
        fun has_substring(str: String, pos: Int): Bool
        do
                if str.is_empty then return true
@@ -220,33 +230,42 @@ abstract class Text
 
        # Is this string prefixed by `prefix`?
        #
-       #     assert "abcd".has_prefix("ab")           ==  true
-       #     assert "abcbc".has_prefix("bc")          ==  false
-       #     assert "ab".has_prefix("abcd")           ==  false
+       # ~~~
+       # assert "abcd".has_prefix("ab")           ==  true
+       # assert "abcbc".has_prefix("bc")          ==  false
+       # assert "ab".has_prefix("abcd")           ==  false
+       # ~~~
        fun has_prefix(prefix: String): Bool do return has_substring(prefix,0)
 
        # Is this string suffixed by `suffix`?
        #
-       #     assert "abcd".has_suffix("abc")        ==  false
-       #     assert "abcd".has_suffix("bcd")        ==  true
+       # ~~~
+       # assert "abcd".has_suffix("abc")            ==  false
+       # assert "abcd".has_suffix("bcd")            ==  true
+       # ~~~
        fun has_suffix(suffix: String): Bool do return has_substring(suffix, length - suffix.length)
 
        # Returns `self` as the corresponding integer
        #
-       #     assert "123".to_i        == 123
-       #     assert "-1".to_i         == -1
-       #     assert "0x64".to_i       == 100
-       #     assert "0b1100_0011".to_i== 195
-       #     assert "--12".to_i       == 12
+       # ~~~
+       # assert "123".to_i        == 123
+       # assert "-1".to_i         == -1
+       # assert "0x64".to_i       == 100
+       # assert "0b1100_0011".to_i== 195
+       # assert "--12".to_i       == 12
+       # assert "+45".to_i        == 45
+       # ~~~
        #
        # REQUIRE: `self`.`is_int`
        fun to_i: Int is abstract
 
        # If `self` contains a float, return the corresponding float
        #
-       #     assert "123".to_f        == 123.0
-       #     assert "-1".to_f         == -1.0
-       #     assert "-1.2e-3".to_f    == -0.0012
+       # ~~~
+       # assert "123".to_f        == 123.0
+       # assert "-1".to_f         == -1.0
+       # assert "-1.2e-3".to_f    == -0.0012
+       # ~~~
        fun to_f: Float
        do
                # Shortcut
@@ -255,27 +274,47 @@ abstract class Text
 
        # If `self` contains only digits and alpha <= 'f', return the corresponding integer.
        #
-       #     assert "ff".to_hex == 255
-       fun to_hex: Int do return a_to(16)
+       # ~~~
+       # assert "ff".to_hex == 255
+       # ~~~
+       fun to_hex(pos, ln: nullable Int): Int do
+               var res = 0
+               if pos == null then pos = 0
+               if ln == null then ln = length - pos
+               var max = pos + ln
+               for i in [pos .. max[ do
+                       res <<= 4
+                       res += self[i].from_hex
+               end
+               return res
+       end
 
        # If `self` contains only digits <= '7', return the corresponding integer.
        #
-       #     assert "714".to_oct == 460
+       # ~~~
+       # assert "714".to_oct == 460
+       # ~~~
        fun to_oct: Int do return a_to(8)
 
        # If `self` contains only '0' et '1', return the corresponding integer.
        #
-       #     assert "101101".to_bin == 45
+       # ~~~
+       # assert "101101".to_bin == 45
+       # ~~~
        fun to_bin: Int do return a_to(2)
 
        # If `self` contains only digits '0' .. '9', return the corresponding integer.
        #
-       #     assert "108".to_dec == 108
+       # ~~~
+       # assert "108".to_dec == 108
+       # ~~~
        fun to_dec: Int do return a_to(10)
 
        # If `self` contains only digits and letters, return the corresponding integer in a given base
        #
-       #     assert "120".a_to(3)     == 15
+       # ~~~
+       # assert "120".a_to(3)     == 15
+       # ~~~
        fun a_to(base: Int) : Int
        do
                var i = 0
@@ -303,33 +342,43 @@ abstract class Text
                end
        end
 
-       # Returns `true` if the string contains only Numeric values (and one "," or one "." character)
+       # Is this string in a valid numeric format compatible with `to_f`?
        #
-       #     assert "123".is_numeric  == true
-       #     assert "1.2".is_numeric  == true
-       #     assert "1,2".is_numeric  == true
-       #     assert "1..2".is_numeric == false
+       # ~~~
+       # assert "123".is_numeric  == true
+       # assert "1.2".is_numeric  == true
+       # assert "-1.2".is_numeric == true
+       # assert "-1.23e-2".is_numeric == true
+       # assert "1..2".is_numeric == false
+       # assert "".is_numeric     == false
+       # ~~~
        fun is_numeric: Bool
        do
-               var has_point_or_comma = false
+               var has_point = false
+               var e_index = -1
                for i in [0..length[ do
                        var c = chars[i]
                        if not c.is_numeric then
-                               if (c == '.' or c == ',') and not has_point_or_comma then
-                                       has_point_or_comma = true
+                               if c == '.' and not has_point then
+                                       has_point = true
+                               else if c == 'e' and e_index == -1 and i > 0 and i < length - 1 and chars[i-1] != '-' then
+                                       e_index = i
+                               else if c == '-' and i == e_index + 1 and i < length - 1 then
                                else
                                        return false
                                end
                        end
                end
-               return true
+               return not is_empty
        end
 
        # Returns `true` if the string contains only Hex chars
        #
-       #     assert "048bf".is_hex  == true
-       #     assert "ABCDEF".is_hex  == true
-       #     assert "0G".is_hex == false
+       # ~~~
+       # assert "048bf".is_hex  == true
+       # assert "ABCDEF".is_hex  == true
+       # assert "0G".is_hex == false
+       # ~~~
        fun is_hex: Bool
        do
                for i in [0..length[ do
@@ -343,8 +392,10 @@ abstract class Text
 
        # Returns `true` if the string contains only Binary digits
        #
-       #     assert "1101100".is_bin  == true
-       #     assert "1101020".is_bin  == false
+       # ~~~
+       # assert "1101100".is_bin  == true
+       # assert "1101020".is_bin  == false
+       # ~~~
        fun is_bin: Bool do
                for i in chars do if i != '0' and i != '1' then return false
                return true
@@ -352,8 +403,10 @@ abstract class Text
 
        # Returns `true` if the string contains only Octal digits
        #
-       #     assert "213453".is_oct  == true
-       #     assert "781".is_oct     == false
+       # ~~~
+       # assert "213453".is_oct  == true
+       # assert "781".is_oct     == false
+       # ~~~
        fun is_oct: Bool do
                for i in chars do if i < '0' or i > '7' then return false
                return true
@@ -361,8 +414,10 @@ abstract class Text
 
        # Returns `true` if the string contains only Decimal digits
        #
-       #     assert "10839".is_dec == true
-       #     assert "164F".is_dec  == false
+       # ~~~
+       # assert "10839".is_dec == true
+       # assert "164F".is_dec  == false
+       # ~~~
        fun is_dec: Bool do
                for i in chars do if i < '0' or i > '9' then return false
                return true
@@ -370,10 +425,12 @@ abstract class Text
 
        # Are all letters in `self` upper-case ?
        #
-       #     assert "HELLO WORLD".is_upper == true
-       #     assert "%$&%!".is_upper       == true
-       #     assert "hello world".is_upper == false
-       #     assert "Hello World".is_upper == false
+       # ~~~
+       # assert "HELLO WORLD".is_upper == true
+       # assert "%$&%!".is_upper       == true
+       # assert "hello world".is_upper == false
+       # assert "Hello World".is_upper == false
+       # ~~~
        fun is_upper: Bool
        do
                for i in [0..length[ do
@@ -385,9 +442,11 @@ abstract class Text
 
        # Are all letters in `self` lower-case ?
        #
-       #     assert "hello world".is_lower == true
-       #     assert "%$&%!".is_lower       == true
-       #     assert "Hello World".is_lower == false
+       # ~~~
+       # assert "hello world".is_lower == true
+       # assert "%$&%!".is_lower       == true
+       # assert "Hello World".is_lower == false
+       # ~~~
        fun is_lower: Bool
        do
                for i in [0..length[ do
@@ -399,7 +458,9 @@ abstract class Text
 
        # Removes the whitespaces at the beginning of self
        #
-       #     assert " \n\thello \n\t".l_trim == "hello \n\t"
+       # ~~~
+       # assert " \n\thello \n\t".l_trim == "hello \n\t"
+       # ~~~
        #
        # `Char::is_whitespace` determines what is a whitespace.
        fun l_trim: SELFTYPE
@@ -415,7 +476,9 @@ abstract class Text
 
        # Removes the whitespaces at the end of self
        #
-       #     assert " \n\thello \n\t".r_trim == " \n\thello"
+       # ~~~
+       # assert " \n\thello \n\t".r_trim == " \n\thello"
+       # ~~~
        #
        # `Char::is_whitespace` determines what is a whitespace.
        fun r_trim: SELFTYPE
@@ -431,17 +494,21 @@ abstract class Text
 
        # Trims trailing and preceding white spaces
        #
-       #     assert "  Hello  World !  ".trim   == "Hello  World !"
-       #     assert "\na\nb\tc\t".trim          == "a\nb\tc"
+       # ~~~
+       # assert "  Hello  World !  ".trim   == "Hello  World !"
+       # assert "\na\nb\tc\t".trim          == "a\nb\tc"
+       # ~~~
        #
        # `Char::is_whitespace` determines what is a whitespace.
        fun trim: SELFTYPE do return (self.l_trim).r_trim
 
        # Is the string non-empty but only made of whitespaces?
        #
-       #     assert " \n\t ".is_whitespace    == true
-       #     assert "  hello  ".is_whitespace == false
-       #     assert "".is_whitespace          == false
+       # ~~~
+       # assert " \n\t ".is_whitespace    == true
+       # assert "  hello  ".is_whitespace == false
+       # assert "".is_whitespace          == false
+       # ~~~
        #
        # `Char::is_whitespace` determines what is a whitespace.
        fun is_whitespace: Bool
@@ -455,19 +522,23 @@ abstract class Text
 
        # Returns `self` removed from its last line terminator (if any).
        #
-       #     assert "Hello\n".chomp == "Hello"
-       #     assert "Hello".chomp   == "Hello"
+       # ~~~
+       # assert "Hello\n".chomp == "Hello"
+       # assert "Hello".chomp   == "Hello"
        #
-       #     assert "\n".chomp == ""
-       #     assert "".chomp   == ""
+       # assert "\n".chomp == ""
+       # assert "".chomp   == ""
+       # ~~~
        #
        # Line terminators are `"\n"`, `"\r\n"` and `"\r"`.
        # A single line terminator, the last one, is removed.
        #
-       #     assert "\r\n".chomp     == ""
-       #     assert "\r\n\n".chomp   == "\r\n"
-       #     assert "\r\n\r\n".chomp == "\r\n"
-       #     assert "\r\n\r".chomp   == "\r\n"
+       # ~~~
+       # assert "\r\n".chomp     == ""
+       # assert "\r\n\n".chomp   == "\r\n"
+       # assert "\r\n\r\n".chomp == "\r\n"
+       # assert "\r\n\r".chomp   == "\r\n"
+       # ~~~
        #
        # Note: unlike with most IO methods like `Reader::read_line`,
        # a single `\r` is considered here to be a line terminator and will be removed.
@@ -487,33 +558,41 @@ abstract class Text
                end
        end
 
-       # Justify a self in a space of `length`
+       # Justify `self` in a space of `length`
        #
        # `left` is the space ratio on the left side.
        # * 0.0 for left-justified (no space at the left)
        # * 1.0 for right-justified (all spaces at the left)
        # * 0.5 for centered (half the spaces at the left)
        #
+       # `char`, or `' '` by default, is repeated to pad the empty space.
+       #
        # Examples
        #
-       #     assert "hello".justify(10, 0.0)  == "hello     "
-       #     assert "hello".justify(10, 1.0)  == "     hello"
-       #     assert "hello".justify(10, 0.5)  == "  hello   "
+       # ~~~
+       # assert "hello".justify(10, 0.0)  == "hello     "
+       # assert "hello".justify(10, 1.0)  == "     hello"
+       # assert "hello".justify(10, 0.5)  == "  hello   "
+       # assert "hello".justify(10, 0.5, '.') == "..hello..."
+       # ~~~
        #
        # If `length` is not enough, `self` is returned as is.
        #
-       #     assert "hello".justify(2, 0.0)   == "hello"
+       # ~~~
+       # assert "hello".justify(2, 0.0)   == "hello"
+       # ~~~
        #
        # REQUIRE: `left >= 0.0 and left <= 1.0`
        # ENSURE: `self.length <= length implies result.length == length`
        # ENSURE: `self.length >= length implies result == self`
-       fun justify(length: Int, left: Float): String
+       fun justify(length: Int, left: Float, char: nullable Char): String
        do
+               var pad = (char or else ' ').to_s
                var diff = length - self.length
                if diff <= 0 then return to_s
                assert left >= 0.0 and left <= 1.0
                var before = (diff.to_f * left).to_i
-               return " " * before + self + " " * (diff-before)
+               return pad * before + self + pad * (diff-before)
        end
 
        # Mangle a string to be a unique string only made of alphanumeric characters and underscores.
@@ -526,36 +605,40 @@ abstract class Text
        # * Never ends with an underscore.
        # * Never contains two contiguous underscores.
        #
-       #     assert "42_is/The answer!".to_cmangle == "_52d2_is_47dThe_32danswer_33d"
-       #     assert "__".to_cmangle == "_95d_95d"
-       #     assert "__d".to_cmangle == "_95d_d"
-       #     assert "_d_".to_cmangle == "_d_95d"
-       #     assert "_42".to_cmangle == "_95d42"
-       #     assert "foo".to_cmangle == "foo"
-       #     assert "".to_cmangle == ""
+       # Examples:
+       #
+       # ~~~
+       # assert "42_is/The answer!".to_cmangle == "_52d2_is_47dThe_32danswer_33d"
+       # assert "__".to_cmangle == "_95d_95d"
+       # assert "__d".to_cmangle == "_95d_d"
+       # assert "_d_".to_cmangle == "_d_95d"
+       # assert "_42".to_cmangle == "_95d42"
+       # assert "foo".to_cmangle == "foo"
+       # assert "".to_cmangle == ""
+       # ~~~
        fun to_cmangle: String
        do
                if is_empty then return ""
                var res = new Buffer
                var underscore = false
                var start = 0
-               var c = chars[0]
+               var c = self[0]
 
                if c >= '0' and c <= '9' then
                        res.add('_')
-                       res.append(c.ascii.to_s)
+                       res.append(c.code_point.to_s)
                        res.add('d')
                        start = 1
                end
                for i in [start..length[ do
-                       c = chars[i]
+                       c = self[i]
                        if (c >= 'a' and c <= 'z') or (c >='A' and c <= 'Z') then
                                res.add(c)
                                underscore = false
                                continue
                        end
                        if underscore then
-                               res.append('_'.ascii.to_s)
+                               res.append('_'.code_point.to_s)
                                res.add('d')
                        end
                        if c >= '0' and c <= '9' then
@@ -566,28 +649,35 @@ abstract class Text
                                underscore = true
                        else
                                res.add('_')
-                               res.append(c.ascii.to_s)
+                               res.append(c.code_point.to_s)
                                res.add('d')
                                underscore = false
                        end
                end
                if underscore then
-                       res.append('_'.ascii.to_s)
+                       res.append('_'.code_point.to_s)
                        res.add('d')
                end
                return res.to_s
        end
 
-       # Escape " \ ' and non printable characters using the rules of literal C strings and characters
+       # Escape `"` `\` `'`, trigraphs and non printable characters using the rules of literal C strings and characters
        #
-       #     assert "abAB12<>&".escape_to_c         == "abAB12<>&"
-       #     assert "\n\"'\\".escape_to_c         == "\\n\\\"\\'\\\\"
+       # ~~~
+       # assert "abAB12<>&".escape_to_c       == "abAB12<>&"
+       # assert "\n\"'\\".escape_to_c         == "\\n\\\"\\'\\\\"
+       # assert "allo???!".escape_to_c        == "allo??\\?!"
+       # assert "??=??/??'??(??)".escape_to_c == "?\\?=?\\?/??\\'?\\?(?\\?)"
+       # assert "??!??<??>??-".escape_to_c    == "?\\?!?\\?<?\\?>?\\?-"
+       # ~~~
        #
        # Most non-printable characters (bellow ASCII 32) are escaped to an octal form `\nnn`.
        # Three digits are always used to avoid following digits to be interpreted as an element
        # of the octal sequence.
        #
-       #     assert "{0.ascii}{1.ascii}{8.ascii}{31.ascii}{32.ascii}".escape_to_c == "\\000\\001\\010\\037 "
+       # ~~~
+       # assert "{0.code_point}{1.code_point}{8.code_point}{31.code_point}{32.code_point}".escape_to_c == "\\000\\001\\010\\037 "
+       # ~~~
        #
        # The exceptions are the common `\t` and `\n`.
        fun escape_to_c: String
@@ -605,9 +695,27 @@ abstract class Text
                                b.append("\\\'")
                        else if c == '\\' then
                                b.append("\\\\")
-                       else if c.ascii < 32 then
+                       else if c == '?' then
+                               # Escape if it is the last question mark of a ANSI C trigraph.
+                               var j = i + 1
+                               if j < length then
+                                       var next = chars[j]
+                                       # We ignore `??'` because it will be escaped as `??\'`.
+                                       if
+                                               next == '!' or
+                                               next == '(' or
+                                               next == ')' or
+                                               next == '-' or
+                                               next == '/' or
+                                               next == '<' or
+                                               next == '=' or
+                                               next == '>'
+                                       then b.add('\\')
+                               end
+                               b.add('?')
+                       else if c.code_point < 32 then
                                b.add('\\')
-                               var oct = c.ascii.to_base(8, false)
+                               var oct = c.code_point.to_base(8)
                                # Force 3 octal digits since it is the
                                # maximum allowed in the C specification
                                if oct.length == 1 then
@@ -627,7 +735,10 @@ abstract class Text
        # Escape additionnal characters
        # The result might no be legal in C but be used in other languages
        #
-       #     assert "ab|\{\}".escape_more_to_c("|\{\}") == "ab\\|\\\{\\\}"
+       # ~~~
+       # assert "ab|\{\}".escape_more_to_c("|\{\}") == "ab\\|\\\{\\\}"
+       # assert "allo???!".escape_more_to_c("")     == "allo??\\?!"
+       # ~~~
        fun escape_more_to_c(chars: String): String
        do
                var b = new Buffer
@@ -642,14 +753,18 @@ abstract class Text
 
        # Escape to C plus braces
        #
-       #     assert "\n\"'\\\{\}".escape_to_nit      == "\\n\\\"\\'\\\\\\\{\\\}"
+       # ~~~
+       # assert "\n\"'\\\{\}".escape_to_nit      == "\\n\\\"\\'\\\\\\\{\\\}"
+       # ~~~
        fun escape_to_nit: String do return escape_more_to_c("\{\}")
 
        # Escape to POSIX Shell (sh).
        #
        # Abort if the text contains a null byte.
        #
-       #     assert "\n\"'\\\{\}0".escape_to_sh == "'\n\"'\\''\\\{\}0'"
+       # ~~~
+       # assert "\n\"'\\\{\}0".escape_to_sh == "'\n\"'\\''\\\{\}0'"
+       # ~~~
        fun escape_to_sh: String do
                var b = new Buffer
                b.chars.add '\''
@@ -680,8 +795,8 @@ abstract class Text
                        else if c == ':' or c == ' ' or c == '#' then
                                b.add('\\')
                                b.add(c)
-                       else if c.ascii < 32 or c == ';' or c == '|' or c == '\\' or c == '=' then
-                               b.append("?{c.ascii.to_base(16, false)}")
+                       else if c.code_point < 32 or c == ';' or c == '|' or c == '\\' then
+                               b.append("?{c.code_point.to_base(16)}")
                        else
                                b.add(c)
                        end
@@ -691,11 +806,13 @@ abstract class Text
 
        # Return a string where Nit escape sequences are transformed.
        #
-       #     var s = "\\n"
-       #     assert s.length        ==  2
-       #     var u = s.unescape_nit
-       #     assert u.length        ==  1
-       #     assert u.chars[0].ascii      ==  10 # (the ASCII value of the "new line" character)
+       # ~~~
+       # var s = "\\n"
+       # assert s.length        ==  2
+       # var u = s.unescape_nit
+       # assert u.length        ==  1
+       # assert u.chars[0].code_point      ==  10 # (the ASCII value of the "new line" character)
+       # ~~~
        fun unescape_nit: String
        do
                var res = new Buffer.with_cap(self.length)
@@ -726,11 +843,63 @@ abstract class Text
                return res.to_s
        end
 
+       # Returns `self` with all characters escaped with their UTF-16 representation
+       #
+       # ~~~
+       # assert "Aèあ𐏓".escape_to_utf16 == "\\u0041\\u00e8\\u3042\\ud800\\udfd3"
+       # ~~~
+       fun escape_to_utf16: String do
+               var buf = new Buffer
+               for i in chars do buf.append i.escape_to_utf16
+               return buf.to_s
+       end
+
+       # Returns the Unicode char escaped by `self`
+       #
+       # ~~~
+       # assert "\\u0041".from_utf16_escape == 'A'
+       # assert "\\ud800\\udfd3".from_utf16_escape == '𐏓'
+       # assert "\\u00e8".from_utf16_escape == 'è'
+       # assert "\\u3042".from_utf16_escape == 'あ'
+       # ~~~
+       fun from_utf16_escape(pos, ln: nullable Int): Char do
+               if pos == null then pos = 0
+               if ln == null then ln = length - pos
+               if ln < 6 then return 0xFFFD.code_point
+               var cp = from_utf16_digit(pos + 2).to_u32
+               if cp < 0xD800u32 then return cp.code_point
+               if cp > 0xDFFFu32 then return cp.code_point
+               if cp > 0xDBFFu32 then return 0xFFFD.code_point
+               if ln == 6 then return 0xFFFD.code_point
+               if ln < 12 then return 0xFFFD.code_point
+               cp <<= 16
+               cp += from_utf16_digit(pos + 8).to_u32
+               var cplo = cp & 0xFFFFu32
+               if cplo < 0xDC00u32 then return 0xFFFD.code_point
+               if cplo > 0xDFFFu32 then return 0xFFFD.code_point
+               return cp.from_utf16_surr.code_point
+       end
+
+       # Returns a UTF-16 escape value
+       #
+       # ~~~
+       # var s = "\\ud800\\udfd3"
+       # assert s.from_utf16_digit(2) == 0xD800
+       # assert s.from_utf16_digit(8) == 0xDFD3
+       # ~~~
+       fun from_utf16_digit(pos: nullable Int): Int do
+               if pos == null then pos = 0
+               return to_hex(pos, 4)
+       end
+
        # Encode `self` to percent (or URL) encoding
        #
-       #     assert "aBc09-._~".to_percent_encoding == "aBc09-._~"
-       #     assert "%()< >".to_percent_encoding == "%25%28%29%3c%20%3e"
-       #     assert ".com/post?e=asdf&f=123".to_percent_encoding == ".com%2fpost%3fe%3dasdf%26f%3d123"
+       # ~~~
+       # assert "aBc09-._~".to_percent_encoding == "aBc09-._~"
+       # assert "%()< >".to_percent_encoding == "%25%28%29%3c%20%3e"
+       # assert ".com/post?e=asdf&f=123".to_percent_encoding == ".com%2fpost%3fe%3dasdf%26f%3d123"
+       # assert "éあいう".to_percent_encoding == "%c3%a9%e3%81%82%e3%81%84%e3%81%86"
+       # ~~~
        fun to_percent_encoding: String
        do
                var buf = new Buffer
@@ -744,7 +913,10 @@ abstract class Text
                           c == '_' or c == '~'
                        then
                                buf.add c
-                       else buf.append "%{c.ascii.to_hex}"
+                       else
+                               var bytes = c.to_s.bytes
+                               for b in bytes do buf.append "%{b.to_i.to_hex}"
+                       end
                end
 
                return buf.to_s
@@ -752,91 +924,124 @@ abstract class Text
 
        # Decode `self` from percent (or URL) encoding to a clear string
        #
-       # Replace invalid use of '%' with '?'.
+       # Invalid '%' are not decoded.
        #
-       #     assert "aBc09-._~".from_percent_encoding == "aBc09-._~"
-       #     assert "%25%28%29%3c%20%3e".from_percent_encoding == "%()< >"
-       #     assert ".com%2fpost%3fe%3dasdf%26f%3d123".from_percent_encoding == ".com/post?e=asdf&f=123"
-       #     assert "%25%28%29%3C%20%3E".from_percent_encoding == "%()< >"
-       #     assert "incomplete %".from_percent_encoding == "incomplete ?"
-       #     assert "invalid % usage".from_percent_encoding == "invalid ? usage"
+       # ~~~
+       # assert "aBc09-._~".from_percent_encoding == "aBc09-._~"
+       # assert "%25%28%29%3c%20%3e".from_percent_encoding == "%()< >"
+       # assert ".com%2fpost%3fe%3dasdf%26f%3d123".from_percent_encoding == ".com/post?e=asdf&f=123"
+       # assert "%25%28%29%3C%20%3E".from_percent_encoding == "%()< >"
+       # assert "incomplete %".from_percent_encoding == "incomplete %"
+       # assert "invalid % usage".from_percent_encoding == "invalid % usage"
+       # assert "%c3%a9%e3%81%82%e3%81%84%e3%81%86".from_percent_encoding == "éあいう"
+       # assert "%1 %A %C3%A9A9".from_percent_encoding == "%1 %A éA9"
+       # ~~~
        fun from_percent_encoding: String
        do
-               var buf = new Buffer
+               var len = byte_length
+               var has_percent = false
+               for c in chars do
+                       if c == '%' then
+                               len -= 2
+                               has_percent = true
+                       end
+               end
+
+               # If no transformation is needed, return self as a string
+               if not has_percent then return to_s
 
+               var buf = new CString(len)
                var i = 0
+               var l = 0
                while i < length do
                        var c = chars[i]
                        if c == '%' then
                                if i + 2 >= length then
                                        # What follows % has been cut off
-                                       buf.add '?'
+                                       buf[l] = u'%'
                                else
                                        i += 1
                                        var hex_s = substring(i, 2)
                                        if hex_s.is_hex then
                                                var hex_i = hex_s.to_hex
-                                               buf.add hex_i.ascii
+                                               buf[l] = hex_i
                                                i += 1
                                        else
                                                # What follows a % is not Hex
-                                               buf.add '?'
+                                               buf[l] = u'%'
                                                i -= 1
                                        end
                                end
-                       else buf.add c
+                       else buf[l] = c.code_point
 
                        i += 1
+                       l += 1
                end
 
-               return buf.to_s
+               return buf.to_s_unsafe(l, copy=false)
        end
 
        # Escape the characters `<`, `>`, `&`, `"`, `'` and `/` as HTML/XML entity references.
        #
-       #     assert "a&b-<>\"x\"/'".html_escape      ==  "a&amp;b-&lt;&gt;&#34;x&#34;&#47;&#39;"
+       # ~~~
+       # assert "a&b-<>\"x\"/'".html_escape      ==  "a&amp;b-&lt;&gt;&#34;x&#34;&#47;&#39;"
+       # ~~~
        #
        # SEE: <https://www.owasp.org/index.php/XSS_%28Cross_Site_Scripting%29_Prevention_Cheat_Sheet#RULE_.231_-_HTML_Escape_Before_Inserting_Untrusted_Data_into_HTML_Element_Content>
        fun html_escape: String
        do
-               var buf = new Buffer
+               var buf: nullable Buffer = null
 
                for i in [0..length[ do
                        var c = chars[i]
+                       var sub = null
                        if c == '&' then
-                               buf.append "&amp;"
+                               sub = "&amp;"
                        else if c == '<' then
-                               buf.append "&lt;"
+                               sub = "&lt;"
                        else if c == '>' then
-                               buf.append "&gt;"
+                               sub = "&gt;"
                        else if c == '"' then
-                               buf.append "&#34;"
+                               sub = "&#34;"
                        else if c == '\'' then
-                               buf.append "&#39;"
+                               sub = "&#39;"
                        else if c == '/' then
-                               buf.append "&#47;"
-                       else buf.add c
+                               sub = "&#47;"
+                       else
+                               if buf != null then buf.add c
+                               continue
+                       end
+                       if buf == null then
+                               buf = new Buffer
+                               for j in [0..i[ do buf.add chars[j]
+                       end
+                       buf.append sub
                end
 
+               if buf == null then return self.to_s
                return buf.to_s
        end
 
        # Equality of text
        # Two pieces of text are equals if thez have the same characters in the same order.
        #
-       #     assert "hello" == "hello"
-       #     assert "hello" != "HELLO"
-       #     assert "hello" == "hel"+"lo"
+       # ~~~
+       # assert "hello" == "hello"
+       # assert "hello" != "HELLO"
+       # assert "hello" == "hel"+"lo"
+       # ~~~
        #
        # Things that are not Text are not equal.
        #
-       #     assert "9" != '9'
-       #     assert "9" != ['9']
-       #     assert "9" != 9
+       # ~~~
+       # assert "9" != '9'
+       # assert "9" != ['9']
+       # assert "9" != 9
        #
-       #     assert "9".chars.first == '9'   # equality of Char
-       #     assert "9".chars       == ['9'] # equality of Sequence
-       #     assert "9".to_i        == 9     # equality of Int
+       # assert "9".chars.first == '9'   # equality of Char
+       # assert "9".chars       == ['9'] # equality of Sequence
+       # assert "9".to_i        == 9     # equality of Int
+       # ~~~
        redef fun ==(o)
        do
                if o == null then return false
@@ -848,8 +1053,10 @@ abstract class Text
 
        # Lexicographical comparaison
        #
-       #     assert "abc" < "xy"
-       #     assert "ABC" < "abc"
+       # ~~~
+       # assert "abc" < "xy"
+       # assert "ABC" < "abc"
+       # ~~~
        redef fun <(other)
        do
                var self_chars = self.chars.iterator
@@ -871,7 +1078,9 @@ abstract class Text
 
        # Escape string used in labels for graphviz
        #
-       #   assert ">><<".escape_to_dot == "\\>\\>\\<\\<"
+       # ~~~
+       # assert ">><<".escape_to_dot == "\\>\\>\\<\\<"
+       # ~~~
        fun escape_to_dot: String
        do
                return escape_more_to_c("|\{\}<>")
@@ -887,7 +1096,7 @@ abstract class Text
 
                        for i in [0..length[ do
                                var char = chars[i]
-                               h = (h << 5) + h + char.ascii
+                               h = (h << 5) + h + char.code_point
                        end
 
                        hash_cache = h
@@ -895,36 +1104,48 @@ abstract class Text
                return hash_cache.as(not null)
        end
 
-       # Gives the formatted string back as a Nit string with `args` in place
+       # Format `self` by replacing each `%n` with the `n`th item of `args`
        #
-       #     assert "This %1 is a %2.".format("String", "formatted String") == "This String is a formatted String."
-       #     assert "\\%1 This string".format("String") == "\\%1 This string"
+       # The character `%` followed by something other than a number are left as is.
+       # To represent a `%` followed by a number, double the `%`, as in `%%7`.
+       #
+       # ~~~
+       # assert "This %0 is a %1.".format("String", "formatted String") == "This String is a formatted String."
+       # assert "Do not escape % nor %%1".format("unused") == "Do not escape % nor %1"
+       # ~~~
        fun format(args: Object...): String do
                var s = new Array[Text]
                var curr_st = 0
                var i = 0
                while i < length do
-                       # Skip escaped characters
-                       if self[i] == '\\' then
-                               i += 1
-                       # In case of format
-                       else if self[i] == '%' then
+                       if self[i] == '%' then
                                var fmt_st = i
                                i += 1
                                var ciph_st = i
                                while i < length and self[i].is_numeric do
                                        i += 1
                                end
-                               i -= 1
-                               var fmt_end = i
-                               var ciph_len = fmt_end - ciph_st + 1
 
-                               var arg_index = substring(ciph_st, ciph_len).to_i - 1
+                               var ciph_len = i - ciph_st
+                               if ciph_len == 0 then
+                                       # What follows '%' is not a number.
+                                       s.push substring(curr_st, i - curr_st)
+                                       if i < length and self[i] == '%' then
+                                               # Skip the next `%`
+                                               i += 1
+                                       end
+                                       curr_st = i
+                                       continue
+                               end
+
+                               var arg_index = substring(ciph_st, ciph_len).to_i
                                if arg_index >= args.length then continue
 
                                s.push substring(curr_st, fmt_st - curr_st)
                                s.push args[arg_index].to_s
-                               curr_st = i + 1
+
+                               curr_st = i
+                               i -= 1
                        end
                        i += 1
                end
@@ -932,17 +1153,77 @@ abstract class Text
                return s.plain_to_s
        end
 
+       # Return the Levenshtein distance between two strings
+       #
+       # ~~~
+       # assert "abcd".levenshtein_distance("abcd") == 0
+       # assert "".levenshtein_distance("abcd")     == 4
+       # assert "abcd".levenshtein_distance("")     == 4
+       # assert "abcd".levenshtein_distance("xyz")  == 4
+       # assert "abcd".levenshtein_distance("xbdy") == 3
+       # ~~~
+       fun levenshtein_distance(other: String): Int
+       do
+               var slen = self.length
+               var olen = other.length
+
+               # fast cases
+               if slen == 0 then return olen
+               if olen == 0 then return slen
+               if self == other then return 0
+
+               # previous row of distances
+               var v0 = new Array[Int].with_capacity(olen+1)
+
+               # current row of distances
+               var v1 = new Array[Int].with_capacity(olen+1)
+
+               for j in [0..olen] do
+                       # prefix insert cost
+                       v0[j] = j
+               end
+
+               for i in [0..slen[ do
+
+                       # prefix delete cost
+                       v1[0] = i + 1
+
+                       for j in [0..olen[ do
+                               # delete cost
+                               var cost1 = v1[j] + 1
+                               # insert cost
+                               var cost2 = v0[j + 1] + 1
+                               # same char cost (+0)
+                               var cost3 = v0[j]
+                               # change cost
+                               if self[i] != other[j] then cost3 += 1
+                               # keep the min
+                               v1[j+1] = cost1.min(cost2).min(cost3)
+                       end
+
+                       # Switch columns:
+                       # * v1 become v0 in the next iteration
+                       # * old v0 is reused as the new v1
+                       var tmp = v1
+                       v1 = v0
+                       v0 = tmp
+               end
+
+               return v0[olen]
+       end
+
        # Copies `n` bytes from `self` at `src_offset` into `dest` starting at `dest_offset`
        #
-       # Basically a high-level synonym of NativeString::copy_to
+       # Basically a high-level synonym of CString::copy_to
        #
        # REQUIRE: `n` must be large enough to contain `len` bytes
        #
-       #       var ns = new NativeString(8)
-       #       "Text is String".copy_to_native(ns, 8, 2, 0)
-       #       assert ns.to_s_with_length(8) == "xt is St"
-       #
-       fun copy_to_native(dest: NativeString, n, src_offset, dest_offset: Int) do
+       # ~~~
+       # var ns = new CString(8)
+       # "Text is String".copy_to_native(ns, 8, 2, 0)
+       # assert ns.to_s_with_length(8) == "xt is St"
+       # ~~~
+       fun copy_to_native(dest: CString, n, src_offset, dest_offset: Int) do
                var mypos = src_offset
                var itspos = dest_offset
                while n > 0 do
@@ -953,266 +1234,284 @@ abstract class Text
                end
        end
 
-end
-
-# All kinds of array-based text representations.
-abstract class FlatText
-       super Text
-
-       # Underlying C-String (`char*`)
+       # Packs the content of a string in packs of `ln` chars.
+       # This variant ensures that only the last element might be smaller than `ln`
        #
-       # Warning : Might be void in some subclasses, be sure to check
-       # if set before using it.
-       private var items: NativeString is noinit
-
-       # Real items, used as cache for to_cstring is called
-       private var real_items: nullable NativeString = null
+       # ~~~
+       # var s = "abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz"
+       # assert s.pack_l(4) == ["abcd","efgh","ijkl","mnop","qrst","uvwx","yz"]
+       # ~~~
+       fun pack_l(ln: Int): Array[Text] do
+               var st = 0
+               var retarr = new Array[Text].with_capacity(length / ln + length % ln)
+               while st < length do
+                       retarr.add(substring(st, ln))
+                       st += ln
+               end
+               return retarr
+       end
 
-       # Returns a char* starting at position `first_byte`
-       #
-       # WARNING: If you choose to use this service, be careful of the following.
-       #
-       # Strings and NativeString are *ideally* always allocated through a Garbage Collector.
-       # Since the GC tracks the use of the pointer for the beginning of the char*, it may be
-       # deallocated at any moment, rendering the pointer returned by this function invalid.
-       # Any access to freed memory may very likely cause undefined behaviour or a crash.
-       # (Failure to do so will most certainly result in long and painful debugging hours)
+       # Packs the content of a string in packs of `ln` chars.
+       # This variant ensures that only the first element might be smaller than `ln`
        #
-       # The only safe use of this pointer is if it is ephemeral (e.g. read in a C function
-       # then immediately return).
-       #
-       # As always, do not modify the content of the String in C code, if this is what you want
-       # copy locally the char* as Nit Strings are immutable.
-       private fun fast_cstring: NativeString is abstract
-
-       redef var length = 0
-
-       redef var bytelen = 0
-
-       redef fun output
-       do
-               var i = 0
-               while i < length do
-                       items[i].output
-                       i += 1
+       # ~~~
+       # var s = "abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz"
+       # assert s.pack_r(4) == ["ab","cdef","ghij","klmn","opqr","stuv","wxyz"]
+       # ~~~
+       fun pack_r(ln: Int): Array[Text] do
+               var st = length
+               var retarr = new Array[Text].with_capacity(length / ln + length % ln)
+               while st >= 0 do
+                       retarr.add(substring(st - ln, ln))
+                       st -= ln
                end
+               return retarr.reversed
        end
 
-       redef fun copy_to_native(dest, n, src_offset, dest_offset) do
-               items.copy_to(dest, n, src_offset, dest_offset)
-       end
-end
+       # Concatenates self `i` times
+       #
+       # ~~~
+       # assert "abc" * 4 == "abcabcabcabc"
+       # assert "abc" * 1 == "abc"
+       # assert "abc" * 0 == ""
+       # var b = new Buffer
+       # b.append("天地")
+       # b = b * 4
+       # assert b == "天地天地天地天地"
+       # ~~~
+       fun *(i: Int): SELFTYPE is abstract
 
-# Abstract class for the SequenceRead compatible
-# views on the chars of any Text
-private abstract class StringCharView
-       super SequenceRead[Char]
+       # Insert `s` at `pos`.
+       #
+       # ~~~
+       # assert "helloworld".insert_at(" ", 5) == "hello world"
+       # var b = new Buffer
+       # b.append("Hello世界")
+       # b = b.insert_at(" beautiful ", 5)
+       # assert b == "Hello beautiful 世界"
+       # ~~~
+       fun insert_at(s: String, pos: Int): SELFTYPE is abstract
 
-       type SELFTYPE: Text
+       # Returns a reversed version of self
+       #
+       # ~~~
+       # assert "hello".reversed  == "olleh"
+       # assert "bob".reversed    == "bob"
+       # assert "".reversed       == ""
+       # ~~~
+       fun reversed: SELFTYPE is abstract
 
-       var target: SELFTYPE
-
-       redef fun is_empty do return target.is_empty
-
-       redef fun length do return target.length
-
-       redef fun iterator: IndexedIterator[Char] do return self.iterator_from(0)
-
-       redef fun reverse_iterator do return self.reverse_iterator_from(self.length - 1)
-end
-
-# Abstract class for the SequenceRead compatible
-# views on the bytes of any Text
-private abstract class StringByteView
-       super SequenceRead[Byte]
-
-       type SELFTYPE: Text
-
-       var target: SELFTYPE
-
-       redef fun is_empty do return target.is_empty
-
-       redef fun length do return target.length
-
-       redef fun iterator do return self.iterator_from(0)
-
-       redef fun reverse_iterator do return self.reverse_iterator_from(target.bytelen - 1)
-end
-
-# Immutable sequence of characters.
-#
-# String objects may be created using literals.
-#
-#     assert "Hello World!" isa String
-abstract class String
-       super Text
-
-       redef type SELFTYPE: String is fixed
-
-       redef fun to_s do return self
-
-       # Concatenates `o` to `self`
-       #
-       #     assert "hello" + "world"  == "helloworld"
-       #     assert "" + "hello" + ""  == "hello"
-       fun +(o: Text): SELFTYPE is abstract
-
-       # Concatenates self `i` times
-       #
-       #     assert "abc" * 4 == "abcabcabcabc"
-       #     assert "abc" * 1 == "abc"
-       #     assert "abc" * 0 == ""
-       fun *(i: Int): SELFTYPE is abstract
-
-       # Insert `s` at `pos`.
-       #
-       #     assert "helloworld".insert_at(" ", 5)     == "hello world"
-       fun insert_at(s: String, pos: Int): SELFTYPE is abstract
-
-       redef fun substrings is abstract
-
-       # Returns a reversed version of self
-       #
-       #     assert "hello".reversed  == "olleh"
-       #     assert "bob".reversed    == "bob"
-       #     assert "".reversed       == ""
-       fun reversed: SELFTYPE is abstract
-
-       # A upper case version of `self`
-       #
-       #     assert "Hello World!".to_upper     == "HELLO WORLD!"
-       fun to_upper: SELFTYPE is abstract
+       # A upper case version of `self`
+       #
+       # ~~~
+       # assert "Hello World!".to_upper     == "HELLO WORLD!"
+       # ~~~
+       fun to_upper: SELFTYPE is abstract
 
        # A lower case version of `self`
        #
-       #     assert "Hello World!".to_lower     == "hello world!"
+       # ~~~
+       # assert "Hello World!".to_lower     == "hello world!"
+       # ~~~
        fun to_lower : SELFTYPE is abstract
 
        # Takes a camel case `self` and converts it to snake case
        #
-       #     assert "randomMethodId".to_snake_case == "random_method_id"
+       # ~~~
+       # assert "randomMethodId".to_snake_case == "random_method_id"
+       # ~~~
        #
        # The rules are the following:
        #
        # An uppercase is always converted to a lowercase
        #
-       #     assert "HELLO_WORLD".to_snake_case == "hello_world"
+       # ~~~
+       # assert "HELLO_WORLD".to_snake_case == "hello_world"
+       # ~~~
        #
        # An uppercase that follows a lowercase is prefixed with an underscore
        #
-       #     assert "HelloTheWORLD".to_snake_case == "hello_the_world"
+       # ~~~
+       # assert "HelloTheWORLD".to_snake_case == "hello_the_world"
+       # ~~~
        #
        # An uppercase that follows an uppercase and is followed by a lowercase, is prefixed with an underscore
        #
-       #     assert "HelloTHEWorld".to_snake_case == "hello_the_world"
+       # ~~~
+       # assert "HelloTHEWorld".to_snake_case == "hello_the_world"
+       # ~~~
        #
        # All other characters are kept as is; `self` does not need to be a proper CamelCased string.
        #
-       #     assert "=-_H3ll0Th3W0rld_-=".to_snake_case == "=-_h3ll0th3w0rld_-="
-       fun to_snake_case: SELFTYPE
-       do
-               if self.is_lower then return self
-
-               var new_str = new Buffer.with_cap(self.length)
-               var prev_is_lower = false
-               var prev_is_upper = false
-
-               for i in [0..length[ do
-                       var char = chars[i]
-                       if char.is_lower then
-                               new_str.add(char)
-                               prev_is_lower = true
-                               prev_is_upper = false
-                       else if char.is_upper then
-                               if prev_is_lower then
-                                       new_str.add('_')
-                               else if prev_is_upper and i+1 < length and chars[i+1].is_lower then
-                                       new_str.add('_')
-                               end
-                               new_str.add(char.to_lower)
-                               prev_is_lower = false
-                               prev_is_upper = true
-                       else
-                               new_str.add(char)
-                               prev_is_lower = false
-                               prev_is_upper = false
-                       end
-               end
-
-               return new_str.to_s
-       end
+       # ~~~
+       # assert "=-_H3ll0Th3W0rld_-=".to_snake_case == "=-_h3ll0th3w0rld_-="
+       # ~~~
+       fun to_snake_case: SELFTYPE is abstract
 
        # Takes a snake case `self` and converts it to camel case
        #
-       #     assert "random_method_id".to_camel_case == "randomMethodId"
+       # ~~~
+       # assert "random_method_id".to_camel_case == "randomMethodId"
+       # ~~~
        #
        # If the identifier is prefixed by an underscore, the underscore is ignored
        #
-       #     assert "_private_field".to_camel_case == "_privateField"
+       # ~~~
+       # assert "_private_field".to_camel_case == "_privateField"
+       # ~~~
        #
        # If `self` is upper, it is returned unchanged
        #
-       #     assert "RANDOM_ID".to_camel_case == "RANDOM_ID"
+       # ~~~
+       # assert "RANDOM_ID".to_camel_case == "RANDOM_ID"
+       # ~~~
        #
        # If there are several consecutive underscores, they are considered as a single one
        #
-       #     assert "random__method_id".to_camel_case == "randomMethodId"
-       fun to_camel_case: SELFTYPE
-       do
-               if self.is_upper then return self
-
-               var new_str = new Buffer
-               var is_first_char = true
-               var follows_us = false
-
-               for i in [0..length[ do
-                       var char = chars[i]
-                       if is_first_char then
-                               new_str.add(char)
-                               is_first_char = false
-                       else if char == '_' then
-                               follows_us = true
-                       else if follows_us then
-                               new_str.add(char.to_upper)
-                               follows_us = false
-                       else
-                               new_str.add(char)
-                       end
-               end
-
-               return new_str.to_s
-       end
+       # ~~~
+       # assert "random__method_id".to_camel_case == "randomMethodId"
+       # ~~~
+       fun to_camel_case: SELFTYPE is abstract
 
        # Returns a capitalized `self`
        #
        # Letters that follow a letter are lowercased
        # Letters that follow a non-letter are upcased.
        #
+       # If `keep_upper = true`, already uppercase letters are not lowercased.
+       #
        # SEE : `Char::is_letter` for the definition of letter.
        #
-       #     assert "jAVASCRIPT".capitalized == "Javascript"
-       #     assert "i am root".capitalized == "I Am Root"
-       #     assert "ab_c -ab0c ab\nc".capitalized == "Ab_C -Ab0C Ab\nC"
-       fun capitalized: SELFTYPE do
+       # ~~~
+       # assert "jAVASCRIPT".capitalized == "Javascript"
+       # assert "i am root".capitalized == "I Am Root"
+       # assert "ab_c -ab0c ab\nc".capitalized == "Ab_C -Ab0C Ab\nC"
+       # assert "preserve my ACRONYMS".capitalized(keep_upper=true) == "Preserve My ACRONYMS"
+       # ~~~
+       fun capitalized(keep_upper: nullable Bool): SELFTYPE do
                if length == 0 then return self
 
                var buf = new Buffer.with_cap(length)
+               buf.capitalize(keep_upper=keep_upper, src=self)
+               return buf.to_s
+       end
+end
 
-               var curr = chars[0].to_upper
-               var prev = curr
-               buf[0] = curr
+# All kinds of array-based text representations.
+abstract class FlatText
+       super Text
 
-               for i in [1 .. length[ do
-                       prev = curr
-                       curr = self[i]
-                       if prev.is_letter then
-                               buf[i] = curr.to_lower
-                       else
-                               buf[i] = curr.to_upper
-                       end
+       # Underlying CString (`char*`)
+       #
+       # Warning: Might be void in some subclasses, be sure to check
+       # if set before using it.
+       var items: CString is noinit
+
+       # Returns a char* starting at position `first_byte`
+       #
+       # WARNING: If you choose to use this service, be careful of the following.
+       #
+       # Strings and CString are *ideally* always allocated through a Garbage Collector.
+       # Since the GC tracks the use of the pointer for the beginning of the char*, it may be
+       # deallocated at any moment, rendering the pointer returned by this function invalid.
+       # Any access to freed memory may very likely cause undefined behaviour or a crash.
+       # (Failure to do so will most certainly result in long and painful debugging hours)
+       #
+       # The only safe use of this pointer is if it is ephemeral (e.g. read in a C function
+       # then immediately return).
+       #
+       # As always, do not modify the content of the String in C code, if this is what you want
+       # copy locally the char* as Nit Strings are immutable.
+       fun fast_cstring: CString is abstract
+
+       redef var length = 0
+
+       redef var byte_length = 0
+
+       redef fun output
+       do
+               var i = 0
+               while i < length do
+                       items[i].output
+                       i += 1
                end
+       end
 
-               return buf.to_s
+       redef fun copy_to_native(dest, n, src_offset, dest_offset) do
+               items.copy_to(dest, n, src_offset, dest_offset)
+       end
+end
+
+# Abstract class for the SequenceRead compatible
+# views on the chars of any Text
+private abstract class StringCharView
+       super SequenceRead[Char]
+
+       type SELFTYPE: Text
+
+       var target: SELFTYPE
+
+       redef fun is_empty do return target.is_empty
+
+       redef fun length do return target.length
+
+       redef fun iterator: IndexedIterator[Char] do return self.iterator_from(0)
+
+       redef fun reverse_iterator do return self.reverse_iterator_from(self.length - 1)
+end
+
+# Abstract class for the SequenceRead compatible
+# views on the bytes of any Text
+private abstract class StringByteView
+       super SequenceRead[Int]
+
+       type SELFTYPE: Text
+
+       var target: SELFTYPE
+
+       redef fun is_empty do return target.is_empty
+
+       redef fun length do return target.byte_length
+
+       redef fun iterator do return self.iterator_from(0)
+
+       redef fun reverse_iterator do return self.reverse_iterator_from(target.byte_length - 1)
+end
+
+# Immutable sequence of characters.
+#
+# String objects may be created using literals.
+#
+# ~~~
+# assert "Hello World!" isa String
+# ~~~
+abstract class String
+       super Text
+
+       redef type SELFTYPE: String is fixed
+
+       redef fun to_s do return self
+
+       redef fun clone do return self
+
+       redef fun to_buffer do return new Buffer.from_text(self)
+
+       redef fun to_camel_case do
+               if self.is_upper then return self
+
+               var new_str = new Buffer.with_cap(length)
+               new_str.append self
+               new_str.camel_case
+               return new_str.to_s
+       end
+
+       redef fun to_snake_case do
+               if self.is_lower then return self
+
+               var new_str = new Buffer.with_cap(self.length)
+               new_str.append self
+               new_str.snake_case
+               return new_str.to_s
        end
 end
 
@@ -1226,10 +1525,14 @@ abstract class Buffer
        # Returns an instance of a subclass of `Buffer` with `i` base capacity
        new with_cap(i: Int) is abstract
 
-       redef type SELFTYPE: Buffer is fixed
+       # Returns an instance of a subclass of `Buffer` with `t` as content
+       new from_text(t: Text) do
+               var ret = new Buffer.with_cap(t.byte_length)
+               ret.append t
+               return ret
+       end
 
-       # Specific implementations MUST set this to `true` in order to invalidate caches
-       protected var is_dirty = true
+       redef type SELFTYPE: Buffer is fixed
 
        # Copy-On-Write flag
        #
@@ -1240,22 +1543,34 @@ abstract class Buffer
        protected var written = false
 
        # Modifies the char contained at pos `index`
-       #
-       # DEPRECATED : Use self.chars.[]= instead
        fun []=(index: Int, item: Char) is abstract
 
+       redef fun to_buffer do return clone
+
+       # ~~~
+       # var b = new Buffer
+       # b.append("Buffer!")
+       # var c = b.clone
+       # assert b == c
+       # ~~~
+       redef fun clone do
+               var cln = new Buffer.with_cap(byte_length)
+               cln.append self
+               return cln
+       end
+
        # Adds a char `c` at the end of self
-       #
-       # DEPRECATED : Use self.chars.add instead
        fun add(c: Char) is abstract
 
        # Clears the buffer
        #
-       #     var b = new Buffer
-       #     b.append "hello"
-       #     assert not b.is_empty
-       #     b.clear
-       #     assert b.is_empty
+       # ~~~
+       # var b = new Buffer
+       # b.append "hello"
+       # assert not b.is_empty
+       # b.clear
+       # assert b.is_empty
+       # ~~~
        fun clear is abstract
 
        # Enlarges the subsequent array containing the chars of self
@@ -1263,42 +1578,52 @@ abstract class Buffer
 
        # Adds the content of text `s` at the end of self
        #
-       #     var b = new Buffer
-       #     b.append "hello"
-       #     b.append "world"
-       #     assert b == "helloworld"
+       # ~~~
+       # var b = new Buffer
+       # b.append "hello"
+       # b.append "world"
+       # assert b == "helloworld"
+       # ~~~
        fun append(s: Text) is abstract
 
        # `self` is appended in such a way that `self` is repeated `r` times
        #
-       #     var b = new Buffer
-       #     b.append "hello"
-       #     b.times 3
-       #     assert b == "hellohellohello"
+       # ~~~
+       # var b = new Buffer
+       # b.append "hello"
+       # b.times 3
+       # assert b == "hellohellohello"
+       # ~~~
        fun times(r: Int) is abstract
 
        # Reverses itself in-place
        #
-       #     var b = new Buffer
-       #     b.append("hello")
-       #     b.reverse
-       #     assert b == "olleh"
+       # ~~~
+       # var b = new Buffer
+       # b.append("hello")
+       # b.reverse
+       # assert b == "olleh"
+       # ~~~
        fun reverse is abstract
 
        # Changes each lower-case char in `self` by its upper-case variant
        #
-       #     var b = new Buffer
-       #     b.append("Hello World!")
-       #     b.upper
-       #     assert b == "HELLO WORLD!"
+       # ~~~
+       # var b = new Buffer
+       # b.append("Hello World!")
+       # b.upper
+       # assert b == "HELLO WORLD!"
+       # ~~~
        fun upper is abstract
 
        # Changes each upper-case char in `self` by its lower-case variant
        #
-       #     var b = new Buffer
-       #     b.append("Hello World!")
-       #     b.lower
-       #     assert b == "hello world!"
+       # ~~~
+       # var b = new Buffer
+       # b.append("Hello World!")
+       # b.lower
+       # assert b == "hello world!"
+       # ~~~
        fun lower is abstract
 
        # Capitalizes each word in `self`
@@ -1306,42 +1631,238 @@ abstract class Buffer
        # Letters that follow a letter are lowercased
        # Letters that follow a non-letter are upcased.
        #
+       # If `keep_upper = true`, uppercase letters are not lowercased.
+       #
+       # When `src` is specified, this method reads from `src` instead of `self`
+       # but it still writes the result to the beginning of `self`.
+       # This requires `self` to have the capacity to receive all of the
+       # capitalized content of `src`.
+       #
        # SEE: `Char::is_letter` for the definition of a letter.
        #
-       #     var b = new FlatBuffer.from("jAVAsCriPt")
-       #     b.capitalize
-       #     assert b == "Javascript"
-       #     b = new FlatBuffer.from("i am root")
-       #     b.capitalize
-       #     assert b == "I Am Root"
-       #     b = new FlatBuffer.from("ab_c -ab0c ab\nc")
-       #     b.capitalize
-       #     assert b == "Ab_C -Ab0C Ab\nC"
-       fun capitalize do
+       # ~~~
+       # var b = new FlatBuffer.from("jAVAsCriPt")
+       # b.capitalize
+       # assert b == "Javascript"
+       # b = new FlatBuffer.from("i am root")
+       # b.capitalize
+       # assert b == "I Am Root"
+       # b = new FlatBuffer.from("ab_c -ab0c ab\nc")
+       # b.capitalize
+       # assert b == "Ab_C -Ab0C Ab\nC"
+       #
+       # b = new FlatBuffer.from("12345")
+       # b.capitalize(src="foo")
+       # assert b == "Foo45"
+       #
+       # b = new FlatBuffer.from("preserve my ACRONYMS")
+       # b.capitalize(keep_upper=true)
+       # assert b == "Preserve My ACRONYMS"
+       # ~~~
+       fun capitalize(keep_upper: nullable Bool, src: nullable Text) do
+               src = src or else self
+               var length = src.length
                if length == 0 then return
-               var c = self[0].to_upper
+               keep_upper = keep_upper or else false
+
+               var c = src[0].to_upper
                self[0] = c
                var prev = c
                for i in [1 .. length[ do
                        prev = c
-                       c = self[i]
+                       c = src[i]
                        if prev.is_letter then
-                               self[i] = c.to_lower
+                               if keep_upper then
+                                       self[i] = c
+                               else
+                                       self[i] = c.to_lower
+                               end
                        else
                                self[i] = c.to_upper
                        end
                end
        end
 
-       redef fun hash
-       do
-               if is_dirty then hash_cache = null
-               return super
-       end
-
        # In Buffers, the internal sequence of character is mutable
        # Thus, `chars` can be used to modify the buffer.
        redef fun chars: Sequence[Char] is abstract
+
+       # Appends `length` chars from `s` starting at index `from`
+       #
+       # ~~~
+       # var b = new Buffer
+       # b.append_substring("abcde", 1, 2)
+       # assert b == "bc"
+       # b.append_substring("vwxyz", 2, 3)
+       # assert b == "bcxyz"
+       # b.append_substring("ABCDE", 4, 300)
+       # assert b == "bcxyzE"
+       # b.append_substring("VWXYZ", 400, 1)
+       # assert b == "bcxyzE"
+       # ~~~
+       fun append_substring(s: Text, from, length: Int) do
+               if from < 0 then
+                       length += from
+                       from = 0
+               end
+               var ln = s.length
+               if (length + from) > ln then length = ln - from
+               if length <= 0 then return
+               append_substring_impl(s, from, length)
+       end
+
+       # Unsafe version of `append_substring` for performance
+       #
+       # NOTE: Use only if sure about `from` and `length`, no checks
+       # or bound recalculation is done
+       fun append_substring_impl(s: Text, from, length: Int) do
+               var max = from + length
+               for i in [from .. max[ do add s[i]
+       end
+
+       redef fun *(i) do
+               var ret = new Buffer.with_cap(byte_length * i)
+               for its in [0 .. i[ do ret.append self
+               return ret
+       end
+
+       redef fun insert_at(s, pos) do
+               var obuf = new Buffer.with_cap(byte_length + s.byte_length)
+               obuf.append_substring(self, 0, pos)
+               obuf.append s
+               obuf.append_substring(self, pos, length - pos)
+               return obuf
+       end
+
+       # Inserts `s` at position `pos`
+       #
+       # ~~~
+       # var b = new Buffer
+       # b.append "美しい世界"
+       # b.insert(" nit ", 3)
+       # assert b == "美しい nit 世界"
+       # ~~~
+       fun insert(s: Text, pos: Int) is abstract
+
+       # Inserts `c` at position `pos`
+       #
+       # ~~~
+       # var b = new Buffer
+       # b.append "美しい世界"
+       # b.insert_char(' ', 3)
+       # assert b == "美しい 世界"
+       # ~~~
+       fun insert_char(c: Char, pos: Int) is abstract
+
+       # Removes a substring from `self` at position `pos`
+       #
+       # NOTE: `length` defaults to 1, expressed in chars
+       #
+       # ~~~
+       # var b = new Buffer
+       # b.append("美しい 世界")
+       # b.remove_at(3)
+       # assert b == "美しい世界"
+       # b.remove_at(1, 2)
+       # assert b == "美世界"
+       # ~~~
+       fun remove_at(pos: Int, length: nullable Int) is abstract
+
+       redef fun reversed do
+               var ret = clone
+               ret.reverse
+               return ret
+       end
+
+       redef fun to_upper do
+               var ret = clone
+               ret.upper
+               return ret
+       end
+
+       redef fun to_lower do
+               var ret = clone
+               ret.lower
+               return ret
+       end
+
+       redef fun to_snake_case do
+               var ret = clone
+               ret.snake_case
+               return ret
+       end
+
+       # Takes a camel case `self` and converts it to snake case
+       #
+       # SEE: `to_snake_case`
+       fun snake_case do
+               if self.is_lower then return
+               var prev_is_lower = false
+               var prev_is_upper = false
+
+               var i = 0
+               while i < length do
+                       var char = chars[i]
+                       if char.is_lower then
+                               prev_is_lower = true
+                               prev_is_upper = false
+                       else if char.is_upper then
+                               if prev_is_lower then
+                                       insert_char('_', i)
+                                       i += 1
+                               else if prev_is_upper and i + 1 < length and self[i + 1].is_lower then
+                                       insert_char('_', i)
+                                       i += 1
+                               end
+                               self[i] = char.to_lower
+                               prev_is_lower = false
+                               prev_is_upper = true
+                       else
+                               prev_is_lower = false
+                               prev_is_upper = false
+                       end
+                       i += 1
+               end
+       end
+
+       redef fun to_camel_case
+       do
+               var new_str = clone
+               new_str.camel_case
+               return new_str
+       end
+
+       # Takes a snake case `self` and converts it to camel case
+       #
+       # SEE: `to_camel_case`
+       fun camel_case do
+               if is_upper then return
+
+               var underscore_count = 0
+
+               var pos = 1
+               while pos < length do
+                       var char = self[pos]
+                       if char == '_' then
+                               underscore_count += 1
+                       else if underscore_count > 0 then
+                               pos -= underscore_count
+                               remove_at(pos, underscore_count)
+                               self[pos] = char.to_upper
+                               underscore_count = 0
+                       end
+                       pos += 1
+               end
+               if underscore_count > 0 then remove_at(pos - underscore_count - 1, underscore_count)
+       end
+
+       redef fun capitalized(keep_upper) do
+               if length == 0 then return self
+
+               var buf = new Buffer.with_cap(byte_length)
+               buf.capitalize(keep_upper=keep_upper, src=self)
+               return buf
+       end
 end
 
 # View for chars on Buffer objects, extends Sequence
@@ -1366,12 +1887,14 @@ redef class Object
        # User readable representation of `self`.
        fun to_s: String do return inspect
 
-       # The class name of the object in NativeString format.
-       private fun native_class_name: NativeString is intern
+       # The class name of the object in CString format.
+       private fun native_class_name: CString is intern
 
        # The class name of the object.
        #
-       #     assert 5.class_name == "Int"
+       # ~~~
+       # assert 5.class_name == "Int"
+       # ~~~
        fun class_name: String do return native_class_name.to_s
 
        # Developer readable representation of `self`.
@@ -1390,8 +1913,10 @@ redef class Object
 end
 
 redef class Bool
-       #     assert true.to_s         == "true"
-       #     assert false.to_s        == "false"
+       # ~~~
+       # assert true.to_s         == "true"
+       # assert false.to_s        == "false"
+       # ~~~
        redef fun to_s
        do
                if self then
@@ -1403,40 +1928,42 @@ redef class Bool
 end
 
 redef class Byte
-       # C function to calculate the length of the `NativeString` to receive `self`
+       # C function to calculate the length of the `CString` to receive `self`
        private fun byte_to_s_len: Int `{
                return snprintf(NULL, 0, "0x%02x", self);
        `}
 
-       # C function to convert an nit Int to a NativeString (char*)
-       private fun native_byte_to_s(nstr: NativeString, strlen: Int) `{
+       # C function to convert an nit Int to a CString (char*)
+       private fun native_byte_to_s(nstr: CString, strlen: Int) `{
                snprintf(nstr, strlen, "0x%02x", self);
        `}
 
        # Displayable byte in its hexadecimal form (0x..)
        #
-       #     assert 1.to_b.to_s       == "0x01"
-       #     assert (-123).to_b.to_s  == "0x85"
+       # ~~~
+       # assert 1.to_b.to_s       == "0x01"
+       # assert (-123).to_b.to_s  == "0x85"
+       # ~~~
        redef fun to_s do
                var nslen = byte_to_s_len
-               var ns = new NativeString(nslen + 1)
-               ns[nslen] = 0u8
+               var ns = new CString(nslen + 1)
+               ns[nslen] = 0
                native_byte_to_s(ns, nslen + 1)
-               return ns.to_s_with_length(nslen)
+               return ns.to_s_unsafe(nslen, copy=false, clean=false)
        end
 end
 
 redef class Int
 
        # Wrapper of strerror C function
-       private fun strerror_ext: NativeString `{ return strerror(self); `}
+       private fun strerror_ext: CString `{ return strerror((int)self); `}
 
        # Returns a string describing error number
        fun strerror: String do return strerror_ext.to_s
 
-       # Fill `s` with the digits in base `base` of `self` (and with the '-' sign if 'signed' and negative).
+       # Fill `s` with the digits in base `base` of `self` (and with the '-' sign if negative).
        # assume < to_c max const of char
-       private fun fill_buffer(s: Buffer, base: Int, signed: Bool)
+       private fun fill_buffer(s: Buffer, base: Int)
        do
                var n: Int
                # Sign
@@ -1458,35 +1985,55 @@ redef class Int
                end
        end
 
-       # C function to calculate the length of the `NativeString` to receive `self`
+       # C function to calculate the length of the `CString` to receive `self`
        private fun int_to_s_len: Int `{
                return snprintf(NULL, 0, "%ld", self);
        `}
 
-       # C function to convert an nit Int to a NativeString (char*)
-       private fun native_int_to_s(nstr: NativeString, strlen: Int) `{
+       # C function to convert an nit Int to a CString (char*)
+       private fun native_int_to_s(nstr: CString, strlen: Int) `{
                snprintf(nstr, strlen, "%ld", self);
        `}
 
-       # return displayable int in base base and signed
-       fun to_base(base: Int, signed: Bool): String is abstract
+       # String representation of `self` in the given `base`
+       #
+       # ~~~
+       # assert 15.to_base(10) == "15"
+       # assert 15.to_base(16) == "f"
+       # assert 15.to_base(2) == "1111"
+       # assert (-10).to_base(3) == "-101"
+       # ~~~
+       fun to_base(base: Int): String
+       do
+               var l = digit_count(base)
+               var s = new Buffer
+               s.enlarge(l)
+               for x in [0..l[ do s.add(' ')
+               fill_buffer(s, base)
+               return s.to_s
+       end
+
 
        # return displayable int in hexadecimal
        #
-       #     assert 1.to_hex  == "1"
-       #     assert (-255).to_hex  == "-ff"
-       fun to_hex: String do return to_base(16,false)
+       # ~~~
+       # assert 1.to_hex  == "1"
+       # assert (-255).to_hex  == "-ff"
+       # ~~~
+       fun to_hex: String do return to_base(16)
 end
 
 redef class Float
        # Pretty representation of `self`, with decimals as needed from 1 to a maximum of 3
        #
-       #     assert 12.34.to_s       == "12.34"
-       #     assert (-0120.030).to_s == "-120.03"
+       # ~~~
+       # assert 12.34.to_s       == "12.34"
+       # assert (-0120.030).to_s == "-120.03"
+       # ~~~
        #
        # see `to_precision` for a custom precision.
        redef fun to_s do
-               var str = to_precision( 3 )
+               var str = to_precision(3)
                if is_inf != 0 or is_nan then return str
                var len = str.length
                for i in [0..len-1] do
@@ -1505,12 +2052,14 @@ redef class Float
 
        # `String` representation of `self` with the given number of `decimals`
        #
-       #     assert 12.345.to_precision(0)    == "12"
-       #     assert 12.345.to_precision(3)    == "12.345"
-       #     assert (-12.345).to_precision(3) == "-12.345"
-       #     assert (-0.123).to_precision(3)  == "-0.123"
-       #     assert 0.999.to_precision(2)     == "1.00"
-       #     assert 0.999.to_precision(4)     == "0.9990"
+       # ~~~
+       # assert 12.345.to_precision(0)    == "12"
+       # assert 12.345.to_precision(3)    == "12.345"
+       # assert (-12.345).to_precision(3) == "-12.345"
+       # assert (-0.123).to_precision(3)  == "-0.123"
+       # assert 0.999.to_precision(2)     == "1.00"
+       # assert 0.999.to_precision(4)     == "0.9990"
+       # ~~~
        fun to_precision(decimals: Int): String
        do
                if is_nan then return "nan"
@@ -1522,42 +2071,80 @@ redef class Float
                        return  "-inf"
                end
 
-               if decimals == 0 then return self.to_i.to_s
-               var f = self
-               for i in [0..decimals[ do f = f * 10.0
-               if self > 0.0 then
-                       f = f + 0.5
-               else
-                       f = f - 0.5
-               end
-               var i = f.to_i
-               if i == 0 then return "0." + "0"*decimals
-
-               # Prepare both parts of the float, before and after the "."
-               var s = i.abs.to_s
-               var sl = s.length
-               var p1
-               var p2
-               if sl > decimals then
-                       # Has something before the "."
-                       p1 = s.substring(0, sl-decimals)
-                       p2 = s.substring(sl-decimals, decimals)
-               else
-                       p1 = "0"
-                       p2 = "0"*(decimals-sl) + s
-               end
-
-               if i < 0 then p1 = "-" + p1
+               var size = to_precision_size(decimals)
+               var cstr = new CString(size + 1)
+               to_precision_fill(decimals, size + 1, cstr)
+               return cstr.to_s_unsafe(byte_length = size, copy = false)
+       end
 
-               return p1 + "." + p2
+       # Returns the hexadecimal (`String`) representation of `self` in exponential notation
+       #
+       # ~~~
+       # assert 12.345.to_hexa_exponential_notation    == "0x1.8b0a3d70a3d71p+3"
+       # assert 12.345.to_hexa_exponential_notation.to_f == 12.345
+       # ~~~
+       fun to_hexa_exponential_notation: String
+       do
+               var size = to_precision_size_hexa
+               var cstr = new CString(size + 1)
+               to_precision_fill_hexa(size + 1, cstr)
+               return cstr.to_s_unsafe(byte_length = size, copy = false)
        end
+
+       # Required string length to hold `self` with `nb` decimals
+       #
+       # The length does not include the terminating null byte.
+       private fun to_precision_size(nb: Int): Int `{
+               return snprintf(NULL, 0, "%.*f", (int)nb, self);
+       `}
+
+       # Fill `cstr` with `self` and `nb` decimals
+       private fun to_precision_fill(nb, size: Int, cstr: CString) `{
+               snprintf(cstr, size, "%.*f", (int)nb, self);
+       `}
+
+       # The lenght of `self` in exponential hexadecimal notation
+       private fun to_precision_size_hexa: Int`{
+               return snprintf(NULL, 0, "%a", self);
+       `}
+
+       # Fill `cstr` with `self` in exponential hexadecimal notation
+       private fun to_precision_fill_hexa(size: Int, cstr: CString) `{
+               snprintf(cstr, size, "%a", self);
+       `}
 end
 
 redef class Char
 
+       # Returns a sequence with the UTF-8 bytes of `self`
+       #
+       # ~~~
+       # assert 'a'.bytes == [0x61]
+       # assert 'ま'.bytes == [0xE3, 0x81, 0xBE]
+       # ~~~
+       fun bytes: SequenceRead[Int] do return to_s.bytes
+
+       # Is `self` an UTF-16 surrogate pair ?
+       fun is_surrogate: Bool do
+               var cp = code_point
+               return cp >= 0xD800 and cp <= 0xDFFF
+       end
+
+       # Is `self` a UTF-16 high surrogate ?
+       fun is_hi_surrogate: Bool do
+               var cp = code_point
+               return cp >= 0xD800 and cp <= 0xDBFF
+       end
+
+       # Is `self` a UTF-16 low surrogate ?
+       fun is_lo_surrogate: Bool do
+               var cp = code_point
+               return cp >= 0xDC00 and cp <= 0xDFFF
+       end
+
        # Length of `self` in a UTF-8 String
-       private fun u8char_len: Int do
-               var c = self.ascii
+       fun u8char_len: Int do
+               var c = self.code_point
                if c < 0x80 then return 1
                if c <= 0x7FF then return 2
                if c <= 0xFFFF then return 3
@@ -1566,15 +2153,59 @@ redef class Char
                return 1
        end
 
-       #     assert 'x'.to_s    == "x"
+       # ~~~
+       # assert 'x'.to_s    == "x"
+       # ~~~
        redef fun to_s do
                var ln = u8char_len
-               var ns = new NativeString(ln + 1)
+               var ns = new CString(ln + 1)
                u8char_tos(ns, ln)
-               return ns.to_s_with_length(ln)
+               return ns.to_s_unsafe(ln, copy=false, clean=false)
+       end
+
+       # Returns `self` escaped to UTF-16
+       #
+       # i.e. Represents `self`.`code_point` using UTF-16 codets escaped
+       # with a `\u`
+       #
+       # ~~~
+       # assert 'A'.escape_to_utf16 == "\\u0041"
+       # assert 'è'.escape_to_utf16 == "\\u00e8"
+       # assert 'あ'.escape_to_utf16 == "\\u3042"
+       # assert '𐏓'.escape_to_utf16 == "\\ud800\\udfd3"
+       # ~~~
+       fun escape_to_utf16: String do
+               var cp = code_point
+               var buf: Buffer
+               if cp < 0xD800 or (cp >= 0xE000 and cp <= 0xFFFF) then
+                       buf = new Buffer.with_cap(6)
+                       buf.append("\\u0000")
+                       var hx = cp.to_hex
+                       var outid = 5
+                       for i in hx.chars.reverse_iterator do
+                               buf[outid] = i
+                               outid -= 1
+                       end
+               else
+                       buf = new Buffer.with_cap(12)
+                       buf.append("\\u0000\\u0000")
+                       var lo = (((cp - 0x10000) & 0x3FF) + 0xDC00).to_hex
+                       var hi = ((((cp - 0x10000) & 0xFFC00) >> 10) + 0xD800).to_hex
+                       var out = 2
+                       for i in hi do
+                               buf[out] = i
+                               out += 1
+                       end
+                       out = 8
+                       for i in lo do
+                               buf[out] = i
+                               out += 1
+                       end
+               end
+               return buf.to_s
        end
 
-       private fun u8char_tos(r: NativeString, len: Int) `{
+       private fun u8char_tos(r: CString, len: Int) `{
                r[len] = '\0';
                switch(len){
                        case 1:
@@ -1600,10 +2231,12 @@ redef class Char
 
        # Returns true if the char is a numerical digit
        #
-       #     assert '0'.is_numeric
-       #     assert '9'.is_numeric
-       #     assert not 'a'.is_numeric
-       #     assert not '?'.is_numeric
+       # ~~~
+       # assert '0'.is_numeric
+       # assert '9'.is_numeric
+       # assert not 'a'.is_numeric
+       # assert not '?'.is_numeric
+       # ~~~
        #
        # FIXME: Works on ASCII-range only
        fun is_numeric: Bool
@@ -1613,10 +2246,12 @@ redef class Char
 
        # Returns true if the char is an alpha digit
        #
-       #     assert 'a'.is_alpha
-       #     assert 'Z'.is_alpha
-       #     assert not '0'.is_alpha
-       #     assert not '?'.is_alpha
+       # ~~~
+       # assert 'a'.is_alpha
+       # assert 'Z'.is_alpha
+       # assert not '0'.is_alpha
+       # assert not '?'.is_alpha
+       # ~~~
        #
        # FIXME: Works on ASCII-range only
        fun is_alpha: Bool
@@ -1624,19 +2259,46 @@ redef class Char
                return (self >= 'a' and self <= 'z') or (self >= 'A' and self <= 'Z')
        end
 
+       # Is `self` an hexadecimal digit ?
+       #
+       # ~~~
+       # assert 'A'.is_hexdigit
+       # assert not 'G'.is_hexdigit
+       # assert 'a'.is_hexdigit
+       # assert not 'g'.is_hexdigit
+       # assert '5'.is_hexdigit
+       # ~~~
+       fun is_hexdigit: Bool do return (self >= '0' and self <= '9') or (self >= 'A' and self <= 'F') or
+                                       (self >= 'a' and self <= 'f')
+
        # Returns true if the char is an alpha or a numeric digit
        #
-       #     assert 'a'.is_alphanumeric
-       #     assert 'Z'.is_alphanumeric
-       #     assert '0'.is_alphanumeric
-       #     assert '9'.is_alphanumeric
-       #     assert not '?'.is_alphanumeric
+       # ~~~
+       # assert 'a'.is_alphanumeric
+       # assert 'Z'.is_alphanumeric
+       # assert '0'.is_alphanumeric
+       # assert '9'.is_alphanumeric
+       # assert not '?'.is_alphanumeric
+       # ~~~
        #
        # FIXME: Works on ASCII-range only
        fun is_alphanumeric: Bool
        do
                return self.is_numeric or self.is_alpha
        end
+
+       # Returns `self` to its int value
+       #
+       # REQUIRE: `is_hexdigit`
+       fun from_hex: Int do
+               if self >= '0' and self <= '9' then return code_point - 0x30
+               if self >= 'A' and self <= 'F' then return code_point - 0x37
+               if self >= 'a' and self <= 'f' then return code_point - 0x57
+               # Happens if self is not a hexdigit
+               assert self.is_hexdigit
+               # To make flow analysis happy
+               abort
+       end
 end
 
 redef class Collection[E]
@@ -1674,10 +2336,18 @@ redef class Collection[E]
        #
        # Only concatenate if `separator == null`.
        #
-       #     assert [1, 2, 3].join(":")    == "1:2:3"
-       #     assert [1..3].join(":")       == "1:2:3"
-       #     assert [1..3].join            == "123"
-       fun join(separator: nullable Text): String
+       # ~~~
+       # assert [1, 2, 3].join(":")    == "1:2:3"
+       # assert [1..3].join(":")       == "1:2:3"
+       # assert [1..3].join            == "123"
+       # ~~~
+       #
+       # if `last_separator` is given, then it is used to separate the last element.
+       #
+       # ~~~
+       # assert [1, 2, 3, 4].join(", ", " and ")    == "1, 2, 3 and 4"
+       # ~~~
+       fun join(separator: nullable Text, last_separator: nullable Text): String
        do
                if is_empty then return ""
 
@@ -1688,13 +2358,19 @@ redef class Collection[E]
                var e = i.item
                if e != null then s.append(e.to_s)
 
+               if last_separator == null then last_separator = separator
+
                # Concat other items
                i.next
                while i.is_ok do
-                       if separator != null then s.append(separator)
                        e = i.item
-                       if e != null then s.append(e.to_s)
                        i.next
+                       if i.is_ok then
+                               if separator != null then s.append(separator)
+                       else
+                               if last_separator != null then s.append(last_separator)
+                       end
+                       if e != null then s.append(e.to_s)
                end
                return s.to_s
        end
@@ -1705,10 +2381,12 @@ redef class Map[K,V]
        # Key and value are separated by `couple_sep`.
        # Couples are separated by `sep`.
        #
-       #     var m = new HashMap[Int, String]
-       #     m[1] = "one"
-       #     m[10] = "ten"
-       #     assert m.join("; ", "=") == "1=one; 10=ten"
+       # ~~~
+       # var m = new HashMap[Int, String]
+       # m[1] = "one"
+       # m[10] = "ten"
+       # assert m.join("; ", "=") == "1=one; 10=ten"
+       # ~~~
        fun join(sep, couple_sep: String): String is abstract
 end
 
@@ -1745,16 +2423,18 @@ redef class Sys
        private fun native_argc: Int is intern
 
        # Second argument of the main C function.
-       private fun native_argv(i: Int): NativeString is intern
+       private fun native_argv(i: Int): CString is intern
 end
 
 # Comparator that efficienlty use `to_s` to compare things
 #
 # The comparaison call `to_s` on object and use the result to order things.
 #
-#     var a = [1, 2, 3, 10, 20]
-#     (new CachedAlphaComparator).sort(a)
-#     assert a == [1, 10, 2, 20, 3]
+# ~~~
+# var a = [1, 2, 3, 10, 20]
+# (new CachedAlphaComparator).sort(a)
+# assert a == [1, 10, 2, 20, 3]
+# ~~~
 #
 # Internally the result of `to_s` is cached in a HashMap to counter
 # uneficient implementation of `to_s`.
@@ -1781,7 +2461,12 @@ end
 # see `alpha_comparator`
 private class AlphaComparator
        super Comparator
-       redef fun compare(a, b) do return a.to_s <=> b.to_s
+       redef fun compare(a, b) do
+               if a == b then return 0
+               if a == null then return -1
+               if b == null then return 1
+               return a.to_s <=> b.to_s
+       end
 end
 
 # Stateless comparator that naively use `to_s` to compare things.
@@ -1789,9 +2474,11 @@ end
 # Note: the result of `to_s` is not cached, thus can be invoked a lot
 # on a single instace. See `CachedAlphaComparator` as an alternative.
 #
-#     var a = [1, 2, 3, 10, 20]
-#     alpha_comparator.sort(a)
-#     assert a == [1, 10, 2, 20, 3]
+# ~~~
+# var a = [1, 2, 3, 10, 20]
+# alpha_comparator.sort(a)
+# assert a == [1, 10, 2, 20, 3]
+# ~~~
 fun alpha_comparator: Comparator do return once new AlphaComparator
 
 # The arguments of the program as given by the OS
@@ -1800,18 +2487,41 @@ do
        return sys.program_args
 end
 
-redef class NativeString
-       # Returns `self` as a new String.
-       fun to_s_with_copy: String is abstract
+redef class CString
 
-       # Returns `self` as a String of `length`.
-       fun to_s_with_length(length: Int): String is abstract
+       # Get a `String` from the data at `self` (with unsafe options)
+       #
+       # The default behavior is the safest and equivalent to `to_s`.
+       #
+       # Options:
+       #
+       # * Set `byte_length` to the number of bytes to use as data.
+       #   Otherwise, this method searches for a terminating null byte.
+       #
+       # * Set `char_length` to the number of Unicode character in the string.
+       #   Otherwise, the data is read to count the characters.
+       #   Ignored if `clean == true`.
+       #
+       # * If `copy == true`, the default, copies the data at `self` in the
+       #   Nit GC allocated memory. Otherwise, the return may still point to
+       #   the data at `self`.
+       #
+       # * If `clean == true`, the default, the string is cleaned of invalid UTF-8
+       #   characters. If cleaning is necessary, the data is copied into Nit GC
+       #   managed memory, whether or not `copy == true`.
+       #   Don't clean only when the data has already been verified as valid UTF-8,
+       #   other library services rely on UTF-8 compliant characters.
+       fun to_s_unsafe(byte_length, char_length: nullable Int, copy, clean: nullable Bool): String is abstract
+
+       # Retro-compatibility service use by execution engines
+       #
+       # TODO remove this method at the next c_src regen.
+       private fun to_s_full(byte_length, char_length: Int): String do return to_s_unsafe(byte_length, char_length, false, false)
 
-       # Returns `self` as a String with `bytelen` and `length` set
+       # Copies the content of `src` to `self`
        #
-       # SEE: `abstract_text::Text` for more infos on the difference
-       # between `Text::bytelen` and `Text::length`
-       fun to_s_full(bytelen, unilen: Int): String is abstract
+       # NOTE: `self` must be large enough to contain `self.byte_length` bytes
+       fun fill_from(src: Text) do src.copy_to_native(self, src.byte_length, 0, 0)
 end
 
 redef class NativeArray[E]