`use` statements

use brings a name from another namespace into the current file’s scope, so you can reference it by bare name instead of by fully qualified path.

Two forms

Single:

use net::limits::Port

Port HTTP_PORT = 8080

Brace group:

use net::limits::{Port, IP, CIDR}

Port HTTP_PORT = 8080
IP   FALLBACK  = "10.0.0.1"

Both forms are equivalent for resolution; brace is just shorthand for multiple use lines from the same path.

Placement

use statements appear after the optional namespace line and before any other declarations:

namespace api::v2          // optional override

use net::limits::{Port, IP}
use core::types::LogLevel

Port      HTTP_PORT     = 8080
LogLevel  DEFAULT_LEVEL = Info

Out-of-order use statements (e.g. interleaved with constants) are a parse error.

Resolution

When you write a bare type name like Port in a file with use net::limits::Port, primate resolves it as if you’d written net::limits::Port. The resolution order in a file is:

The current file.
Sibling files in the same namespace.
Names brought into scope by use statements.
(Otherwise: unknown-type error. Use a fully qualified path.)

Diagnostics

Code	Triggered when
`unresolved-import`	`use a::b::C` where `a::b::C` doesn’t exist.
`import-collision`	A `use` brings in a name that collides with a same-namespace declaration, or with another `use`.

Formatter behavior

primate fmt normalizes the use block at the top of the file. The rules:

A single-item brace group collapses: use a::b::{X} → use a::b::X.
Multiple use statements with the same path merge: use a::b::X + use a::b::{Y, Z} → use a::b::{X, Y, Z}.
Top-level use lines sort lexicographically by path.
Items inside a brace group sort lexicographically.

Example:

// Before
use core::types::LogLevel
use net::limits::{Port}
use net::limits::{IP, CIDR}
use core::types::Status

// After `primate fmt`
use core::types::{LogLevel, Status}
use net::limits::{CIDR, IP, Port}

A /// or // comment immediately above a use line pins it: sort and merge happen within contiguous comment-free runs only. This avoids silently moving a comment away from the line it annotates.

Effect on generated code

use is a source-only ergonomic. Generators don’t see imports — they work off fully resolved IR types. So use net::Port followed by Port HTTP_PORT = 8080 generates the same output as net::Port HTTP_PORT = 8080.

Keyboard shortcuts

primate