@omgbase/oqx 0.18.0 → 0.21.0

package/dist/parser.js

@@ -17,9 +17,12 @@
 //
 // A `follow` destination is a relation of the current row (a receiver, never
 // an outer reference) or a destination block — a receiver (which MAY be an
-// outer reference, `^people`) immediately followed by `collect`/`first`/
-// `single` [`distinct`] `{ body }`, exactly the select-position directive
-// `tryOp(false)` recognizes, re-evaluated per frontier row (language 0.14).
+// outer reference, `^people`, or a tuple `(a, b)`) followed by `{ body }`, or
+// by `collect`/`first`/`single` [`distinct`] `{ body }`, exactly the
+// select-position directive `tryOp` recognizes, re-evaluated per frontier row.
+// Since 0.20 there is no options block: a brace after ANY destination opens
+// that destination's block, whose body admits two clauses no other block has —
+// `frontier P` and `depth n`, in the clause order after `where`.
 //
 // Every clause is optional except that a top-level body needs `from` (the
 // receiver-plus-consumer form `<receiver> <consumer> { block }` supplies the
@@ -33,8 +36,9 @@
 // out-of-order clause is a parse error naming the order.
 //
 // Sugar (0.17) desugars HERE, to existing nodes: `x { … }` is `x collect { … }`
-// (not in `follow` destination position, where a brace is the options block);
-// `x[p]` is `x first { where p }`, `x[n]` is `x first { offset n }`, with a
+// wherever a value stands (a select item, a where leaf, a follow destination, a
+// call argument — since 0.20 without exception) and `x distinct { … }` is
+// `x collect distinct { … }` (0.20); `x[p]` is `x first { where p }`, `x[n]` is `x first { offset n }`, with a
 // trailing `!` making the first a `single` (predicate) or a `required` (index);
 // `is x` is `!!x`, `not x` is `!x`. Two shapes are new: the postfix `required`
 // (`x!`, tightest) and the identity operators `is` / `is not` (comparison
@@ -57,6 +61,14 @@
 // source, from the first token that produced it to the end of the last; a
 // parenthesized operand's span includes its parentheses (spec/oqx/AST.md).
 //
+// Tuples (0.20): `(e1, e2, …)` with two or more elements is a `tuple` node — a
+// value and a receiver; one expression in parentheses stays grouping.
+//
+// Template literals (0.21): `` `text ${expr} text` `` is a `template` node — a
+// primary value whose interpolations are full expressions read at the current
+// depth (`parseTemplateLiteral`); the lexer balances the braces, so an
+// interpolation may hold a `{ … }` block or another template literal.
+//
 // Principle of least surprise, applied to the grammar: a rule a careful user
 // would not predict is a bug. Hence `!` binds tighter than comparison in every
 // position (`!a == b` is `(!a) == b`, as in C); parentheses in `where` group a
@@ -71,7 +83,16 @@ import { resolveSelect, resolveWhere } from "./resolve.js";
 import { printTemplate } from "./print.js";
 const CONSUMERS = new Set(["collect", "exists", "none", "count", "first", "single"]);
 // The fixed clause order of a body (ADR-020). Each clause appears at most once.
-const CLAUSE_ORDER = ["select", "from", "where", "follow", "order by", "limit", "offset"];
+// `frontier` is a clause of every body that has a `follow` (a destination
+// block's marks the occurrences it reaches, any other body's its seeds — 0.20);
+// `depth` is legal only in a follow destination block, and the order sentence
+// names it only there.
+const CLAUSE_ORDER = ["select", "from", "where", "frontier", "depth", "follow", "order by", "limit", "offset"];
+const DESTINATION_ONLY = new Set(["depth"]);
+// The clauses a body may hold, in order.
+function clausesOf(ctx) {
+    return CLAUSE_ORDER.filter((c) => ctx.destination || !DESTINATION_ONLY.has(c));
+}
 // Contextual clause words lexed as bare idents; an open-ended range must stop
 // before them rather than consume them as its high bound.
 const CLAUSE_WORDS = new Set([
@@ -86,7 +107,7 @@ const MUL_OPS = new Set(["*", "/", "%"]);
 // `true`/`false`/`null` are literals in every position, so they can never name a
 // receiver (`true exists { … }`, `follow null`).
 const LITERAL_WORDS = new Set(["true", "false", "null"]);
-const TOP_CTX = { top: true, op: null, liftsAllowed: false };
+const TOP_CTX = { top: true, op: null, liftsAllowed: false, destination: false };
 /** Parse a tagged-template call into a Query. */
 export function parseTemplate(fragments, values) {
     return new Parser(lexTemplate(fragments, values)).parseQuery();
@@ -140,7 +161,10 @@ class Parser {
         return t.type === "op" && t.value === value;
     }
     fail(msg) {
-        throw new OqxError(`${msg} (at offset ${this.peek().pos})`, "parse");
+        this.failAt(this.peek().pos, msg);
+    }
+    failAt(pos, msg) {
+        throw new OqxError(`${msg} (at offset ${pos})`, "parse");
     }
     /** Code-point offset of the next token (the start of a node about to be parsed). */
     start() { return this.peek().pos; }
@@ -207,6 +231,7 @@ class Parser {
             orderBy: body.orderBy,
             consumer: "collect",
             follow: body.follow,
+            frontier: body.frontier,
             distinct: body.distinct,
             values: body.values,
             limit: body.limit,
@@ -218,7 +243,7 @@ class Parser {
     queryFromOp(e, start) {
         return {
             kind: "query", span: this.sp(start), source: e.receiver, from: e.sub.from, where: e.sub.where, select: e.sub.select,
-            orderBy: e.sub.orderBy, consumer: e.op, follow: e.sub.follow, distinct: e.distinct, values: e.sub.values,
+            orderBy: e.sub.orderBy, consumer: e.op, follow: e.sub.follow, frontier: e.sub.frontier, distinct: e.distinct, values: e.sub.values,
             limit: e.sub.limit, offset: e.sub.offset,
         };
     }
@@ -237,6 +262,8 @@ class Parser {
         let select = [];
         let orderBy = null;
         let follow = null;
+        let frontier = null;
+        let depth = null;
         let distinct = false;
         let values = false;
         let limit = null;
@@ -251,7 +278,7 @@ class Parser {
             if (idx === stage)
                 this.fail(`duplicate \`${clause}\` clause`);
             if (idx < stage) {
-                this.fail(`\`${clause}\` must come before \`${CLAUSE_ORDER[stage]}\` — OQX clause order is ${CLAUSE_ORDER.join(", ")}`);
+                this.fail(`\`${clause}\` must come before \`${CLAUSE_ORDER[stage]}\` — OQX clause order is ${clausesOf(ctx).join(", ")}`);
             }
             stage = idx;
         };
@@ -278,6 +305,28 @@ class Parser {
                 where = this.atDepth(rowDepth, () => this.parseWhere());
                 continue;
             }
+            // `frontier P` (0.20) — in a follow destination block the destination's
+            // own clause, read in the occurrence's scope whose parent is the walk's
+            // enclosing scope: one level OUT of the block's rows (SEMANTICS §20), so
+            // `^` there is the enclosing scope, not the frontier row. In any other
+            // body it marks the seeds of the body's own `follow` (checked below) and
+            // is read in the seed's scope, like `where`.
+            if (this.at("ident", "frontier") && this.startsValue(this.peekAt(1))) {
+                enter("frontier");
+                this.next();
+                frontier = this.atDepth(ctx.destination ? rowDepth - 1 : rowDepth, () => this.parseValueExpr());
+                continue;
+            }
+            // `depth n` — a follow destination block's own clause (0.20).
+            if (ctx.destination && this.at("ident", "depth") && this.peekAt(1)?.type === "number") {
+                enter("depth");
+                this.next();
+                const v = Number(this.next().value);
+                if (!Number.isInteger(v) || v < 1 || v > 8)
+                    this.fail("follow depth must be an integer between 1 and 8");
+                depth = v;
+                continue;
+            }
             if (this.atFollow()) {
                 enter("follow");
                 follow = this.atDepth(rowDepth, () => this.parseFollow());
@@ -330,7 +379,12 @@ class Parser {
         if (where)
             resolveWhere(select, where, (msg) => this.fail(msg));
         resolveSelect(select, (msg) => this.fail(msg));
-        return { froms, where, select, orderBy, follow, distinct, values, limit, offset };
+        // Outside a destination block `frontier` marks the seeds of this body's walk,
+        // so it needs one.
+        if (frontier && !follow && !ctx.destination) {
+            this.fail("`frontier` needs a `follow` — a body's `frontier <expr>` marks which of its rows (the walk's seeds) are frontiers; a destination block's marks the occurrences reached through it");
+        }
+        return { froms, where, select, orderBy, follow, frontier, depth, distinct, values, limit, offset };
     }
     // The keyword-less run that opens a body. At the top level it is always the
     // projection. In a block it is a `where`-first body when the leading expression
@@ -387,8 +441,8 @@ class Parser {
     // consumer word where a whole-query directive was meant), or a stray token.
     failUnexpectedInBody(stage, ctx) {
         const t = this.peek();
-        const remaining = CLAUSE_ORDER.slice(stage + 1).join("/");
         const last = stage >= 0 ? CLAUSE_ORDER[stage] : null;
+        const remaining = clausesOf(ctx).filter((c) => CLAUSE_ORDER.indexOf(c) > stage).join("/");
         const isWord = t.type === "ident" || t.type === "kw" || t.type === "binding" || t.type === "caret";
         // Punctuation, an operator, or a literal after a complete clause is a stray
         // token, not a misplaced predicate: name where the body ends. (A comma keeps
@@ -408,6 +462,13 @@ class Parser {
             if (t.value === "limit" || t.value === "offset") {
                 this.fail(`unexpected '${t.value}' after \`${last}\` — a bound is a non-negative number literal, a binding, or (inside a block) an outer reference \`^name\``);
             }
+            if (t.value === "depth" && !ctx.destination) {
+                this.fail(`unexpected 'depth' after \`${last}\` — \`depth\` is a clause of a follow destination block only (\`follow <relation> { depth 2 }\`)`);
+            }
+            if (t.value === "depth")
+                this.fail("expected an integer after `depth` (`depth 1`..`depth 8`)");
+            if (t.value === "frontier")
+                this.fail(`unexpected 'frontier' after \`${last}\` — \`frontier\` takes an expression (\`frontier <expr>\`) and belongs to a body that has a \`follow\``);
         }
         if (last === "from" && t.type === "ident" && CONSUMERS.has(t.value)) {
             this.fail(`unexpected \`${t.value}\` after \`from\` — a whole-query consumer is written \`<collection> ${t.value} { … }\`; to project a field named ${t.value} write \`select ${t.value} from …\`; a predicate needs \`where\``);
@@ -477,11 +538,12 @@ class Parser {
         if (!this.at("ident", "follow"))
             return false;
         const nx = this.peekAt(1);
-        return !!nx && (nx.type === "ident" || nx.type === "binding" || this.atScopeRefAt(1));
+        return !!nx && (nx.type === "ident" || nx.type === "binding" || nx.type === "lparen" || this.atScopeRefAt(1));
     }
-    // Whether the cursor is at something that can begin a `follow` destination.
+    // Whether the cursor is at something that can begin a `follow` destination:
+    // a name, a binding, a scope reference, or a tuple's `(`.
     atDestinationStart() {
-        return this.at("ident") || this.at("binding") || this.atScopeRefAt(0);
+        return this.at("ident") || this.at("binding") || this.at("lparen") || this.atScopeRefAt(0);
     }
     // ---- follow ---------------------------------------------------------------
     parseFollow() {
@@ -505,93 +567,30 @@ class Parser {
             }
             destinations.push(this.parseFollowDestination());
         }
-        const follow = { kind: "follow", span: this.sp(start), destinations, distinct, where: null, frontier: null, depth: null, by: null };
-        if (!this.at("lbrace"))
-            return follow;
-        this.next(); // '{'
-        while (!this.at("eof") && !this.at("rbrace")) {
-            if (this.at("kw", "where")) {
-                if (follow.where)
-                    this.fail("duplicate `where` in follow clause");
-                this.next();
-                // Read in the successor's scope, one deeper than the frontier row.
-                follow.where = this.atDepth(this.depth + 1, () => this.parseValueExpr());
-            }
-            else if (this.at("ident", "frontier")) {
-                if (follow.frontier)
-                    this.fail("duplicate `frontier` in follow clause");
-                this.next();
-                follow.frontier = this.parseValueExpr();
-            }
-            else if (this.at("ident", "by")) {
-                if (follow.by !== null)
-                    this.fail("duplicate `by` in follow clause");
-                this.next();
-                follow.by = this.parseValueExpr();
-            }
-            else if (this.at("ident", "depth")) {
-                if (follow.depth !== null)
-                    this.fail("duplicate `depth` in follow clause");
-                this.next();
-                if (!this.at("number"))
-                    this.fail("expected an integer after `depth`");
-                const v = Number(this.next().value);
-                if (!Number.isInteger(v) || v < 1 || v > 8)
-                    this.fail("follow depth must be an integer between 1 and 8");
-                follow.depth = v;
-            }
-            else {
-                this.fail(`unexpected ${this.tokDesc()} in follow block — expected where/frontier/depth/by (a brace after the last destination is the options block; a destination block needs its consumer: \`follow <relation> collect { … }\`)`);
-            }
-        }
-        if (!this.at("rbrace"))
-            this.fail("expected '}' to close the follow block");
-        this.next();
-        follow.span = this.sp(start);
-        return follow;
+        return { kind: "follow", span: this.sp(start), destinations, distinct };
     }
-    // One `follow` destination. The lookahead mirrors `tryOp`: a receiver (binding,
-    // or carets + a dotted name) followed by a consumer word and `{` / `distinct {`
-    // is a destination block, parsed by `tryOp(false)` itself — but only the
-    // select-position consumers (collect/first/single) yield rows to walk; the
-    // where-position tests are rejected by name before their body is read. With
-    // no directive the tokens are re-read as a plain relation of the current row,
-    // where an outer reference is still an error (a `^name` head only makes sense
-    // as the receiver of a block, since the block is what varies per row).
+    // One `follow` destination: a receiver (a binding, a dotted name — headed by a
+    // bare name, an outer reference or a free-function call — or a tuple) that is
+    // either a plain relation of the current row or, when a block follows, a
+    // destination block. The block is what `tryOp` recognizes in select position
+    // — `{ … }` (the implicit `collect`), `distinct { … }`, or a consumer word and
+    // `{` / `distinct {` — read with the destination flag so its body admits
+    // `frontier` and `depth`. Only collect/first/single yield rows to walk; the
+    // where-position tests are rejected by name. A receiver headed by an outer
+    // reference can never be a plain destination (plain destinations are relations
+    // of the current row), so without a block it is an error naming the block
+    // spellings.
     parseFollowDestination() {
-        const start = this.pos;
-        let isReceiver = false;
-        if (this.at("binding")) {
-            this.next();
-            isReceiver = true;
-        }
-        else if (this.at("ident") || this.atScopeRefAt(0)) {
-            const startPos = this.start();
-            this.parseScopeRef();
-            if (this.at("ident")) {
-                this.parseNavFrom(this.next(), 0, startPos);
-                isReceiver = true;
-            }
-        }
-        if (isReceiver && this.at("ident") && CONSUMERS.has(this.peek().value)) {
-            const op = this.peek().value;
-            const after = this.peekAt(1);
-            const opThenBrace = after?.type === "lbrace";
-            const opDistinctBrace = after?.type === "ident" && after.value === "distinct" && this.peekAt(2)?.type === "lbrace";
-            if (opThenBrace || opDistinctBrace) {
-                if (op !== "collect" && op !== "first" && op !== "single") {
-                    this.fail(`a follow destination must use collect/first/single, not \`${op}\` (exists/none/count are where-position tests)`);
-                }
-                this.pos = start;
-                const block = this.tryOp(false);
-                if (!block)
-                    this.fail("expected a destination block (`<receiver> collect { … }`) after `follow`");
-                return block;
+        const outer = this.atScopeRefAt(0);
+        const op = this.tryOp(false, true);
+        if (op) {
+            if (op.op !== "collect" && op.op !== "first" && op.op !== "single") {
+                this.fail(`a follow destination must use collect/first/single, not \`${op.op}\` (exists/none/count are where-position tests)`);
             }
+            return op;
         }
-        this.pos = start;
-        if (this.atScopeRefAt(0)) {
-            this.fail("`follow` takes a relation of the current row (`follow <relation>`); an outer reference `^name` is not allowed there — it may only head a destination block (`follow ^name collect { … }`)");
+        if (outer) {
+            this.fail("`follow` takes a relation of the current row (`follow <relation>`); an outer reference walks a root collection only as a destination block — `follow ^docs { where … }` or `follow ^docs collect { … }`");
         }
         return this.parseReceiver();
     }
@@ -603,6 +602,12 @@ class Parser {
     parseReceiver() {
         if (this.at("binding"))
             return this.bindingNode(this.next());
+        if (this.at("lparen")) {
+            const t = this.tryTuple();
+            if (t)
+                return t;
+            this.fail("expected a collection navigation (a property/relation name) or a tuple `(a, b)`");
+        }
         const start = this.start();
         const levels = this.parseScopeRef();
         if (!this.at("ident"))
@@ -812,6 +817,18 @@ class Parser {
                 break;
         }
         if (this.at("lparen")) {
+            // A tuple (0.20) is a value, not a group: the receiver of a consumer test
+            // (`(a, b) exists { }`) or a scalar operand (`(a, b).size() > 1`).
+            const tuple = this.tryTuple();
+            if (tuple) {
+                if (this.atBlock())
+                    return wrapNot(this.finishWhereOp(this.parseConsumerBlock(tuple, this.atBlock(), true)), notStarts);
+                let e = this.parsePostfix(tuple);
+                for (let i = notStarts.length - 1; i >= 0; i--)
+                    e = { kind: "unary", span: [notStarts[i], e.span[1]], op: "!", expr: e };
+                const expr = this.parseCmp(e);
+                return { kind: "scalar", span: expr.span, expr };
+            }
             const lparen = this.next().pos;
             const inner = this.parseWhere();
             if (!this.at("rparen"))
@@ -925,9 +942,11 @@ class Parser {
         return op;
     }
     // Detect + parse a postfix consumer op `<receiver> <consumer> { <sub> }` — or
-    // its implicit-`collect` form `<receiver> { <sub> }`. Returns null (rewinding)
-    // when the lookahead is not a directive.
-    tryOp(inWhere) {
+    // its implicit-`collect` forms `<receiver> { <sub> }` and `<receiver> distinct
+    // { <sub> }` (0.20). Returns null (rewinding) when the lookahead is not a
+    // directive. `destination` marks a follow destination block (its body admits
+    // `frontier`/`depth`).
+    tryOp(inWhere, destination = false) {
         const start = this.pos;
         const startPos = this.start();
         let receiver;
@@ -939,6 +958,16 @@ class Parser {
         let scopeErr = null;
         if (this.at("binding"))
             receiver = this.bindingNode(this.next());
+        else if (this.at("lparen")) {
+            // A tuple receiver, `(a, b) { … }`; a single parenthesized expression is
+            // grouping and never a receiver.
+            const t = this.tryTuple();
+            if (!t) {
+                this.pos = start;
+                return null;
+            }
+            receiver = t;
+        }
         else if (this.at("ident") || this.atScopeRefAt(0)) {
             let levels = 0;
             try {
@@ -960,21 +989,31 @@ class Parser {
         }
         else
             return null;
-        const op = this.at("lbrace") ? "collect" : this.atConsumerBlock();
+        const op = this.atBlock();
         if (op) {
             if (scopeErr)
                 throw scopeErr;
             if (receiver.kind === "ident" && LITERAL_WORDS.has(receiver.name))
                 this.fail(`\`${receiver.name}\` is a literal, not a collection`);
             // `count { }` with nothing before it: the consumer word is not a receiver.
-            if (op === "collect" && receiver.kind === "ident" && CONSUMERS.has(receiver.name)) {
+            if (op === "collect" && receiver.kind === "ident" && CONSUMERS.has(receiver.name) && this.at("lbrace")) {
                 this.fail(`unexpected '{' after \`${receiver.name}\` — a consumer needs a receiver: \`<collection> ${receiver.name} { … }\``);
             }
-            return this.parseConsumerBlock(receiver, op, inWhere);
+            return this.parseConsumerBlock(receiver, op, inWhere, destination);
         }
         this.pos = start;
         return null;
     }
+    // The cursor is at what opens a block over an already-read receiver: `{` or
+    // `distinct {` (the implicit `collect`), or a consumer word and `{` /
+    // `distinct {`. Consumes nothing.
+    atBlock() {
+        if (this.at("lbrace"))
+            return "collect";
+        if (this.at("ident", "distinct") && this.peekAt(1)?.type === "lbrace")
+            return "collect";
+        return this.atConsumerBlock();
+    }
     // The cursor is at a consumer word that opens a block — `<op> {` or
     // `<op> distinct {`. Consumes nothing.
     atConsumerBlock() {
@@ -986,10 +1025,12 @@ class Parser {
         return opThenBrace || opDistinctBrace ? this.peek().value : null;
     }
     // `[<op>] [distinct] { <sub> }` over an already-parsed receiver; the cursor is
-    // at the consumer word, or at the `{` of the implicit `collect`.
-    parseConsumerBlock(receiver, op, inWhere) {
+    // at the consumer word, at `distinct`, or at the `{` of the implicit `collect`.
+    // `destination` marks a follow destination block (0.20): its body may carry
+    // `frontier` and `depth`.
+    parseConsumerBlock(receiver, op, inWhere, destination = false) {
         const startPos = receiver.span[0];
-        if (this.at("ident"))
+        if (this.at("ident") && CONSUMERS.has(this.peek().value))
             this.next(); // the consumer word (absent for `x { … }`)
         let distinct = false;
         if (this.at("ident", "distinct")) {
@@ -1000,7 +1041,7 @@ class Parser {
         const defer = this.deferLookup;
         this.deferLookup = false;
         // The receiver was read at the enclosing depth; the block's rows are one deeper.
-        const body = this.atDepth(this.depth + 1, () => this.parseBody({ top: false, op, liftsAllowed: inWhere && op === "collect" }));
+        const body = this.atDepth(this.depth + 1, () => this.parseBody({ top: false, op, liftsAllowed: inWhere && op === "collect", destination }));
         this.deferLookup = defer;
         if (!this.at("rbrace"))
             this.fail(`expected '}' to close the ${op} { … } block`);
@@ -1013,18 +1054,49 @@ class Parser {
             select: body.select,
             orderBy: body.orderBy,
             follow: body.follow,
+            frontier: body.frontier,
+            depth: body.depth,
             values: body.values,
             limit: body.limit,
             offset: body.offset,
         };
         return { kind: "op", span: this.sp(startPos), receiver, op, sub, countCmp: null, distinct: distinct || body.distinct };
     }
+    // A tuple `(e1, e2, …)` at the cursor's `(` (0.20): two or more comma-separated
+    // expressions. A single parenthesized expression is grouping, not a tuple —
+    // the cursor is rewound and null returned (also on a parse error, so the
+    // caller's own reading reports its own error).
+    tryTuple() {
+        const save = this.pos;
+        const lparen = this.next().pos; // '('
+        try {
+            const items = [this.parseValueExpr()];
+            if (!this.at("comma")) {
+                this.pos = save;
+                return null;
+            }
+            while (this.at("comma")) {
+                this.next();
+                items.push(this.parseValueExpr());
+            }
+            if (!this.at("rparen"))
+                this.fail("expected ')' to close the tuple");
+            this.next();
+            return { kind: "tuple", span: [lparen, this.end()], items };
+        }
+        catch (err) {
+            if (!(err instanceof OqxError))
+                throw err;
+            this.pos = save;
+            return null;
+        }
+    }
     // A bracket suffix on `recv` (GRAMMAR §4): `[n]` / `[${…}]` is positional —
     // `recv first { offset n }` — and anything else a predicate —
     // `recv first { where p }`; a trailing `!` makes the index required and the
     // predicate a `single` (required too, so that zero matches is an error).
     parseBracket(recv) {
-        if (recv.kind === "lit")
+        if (recv.kind === "lit" || recv.kind === "template")
             this.fail(`\`${describe(recv)}\` is a literal, not a collection`);
         const start = recv.span[0];
         const lbracket = this.next().pos; // '['
@@ -1055,7 +1127,7 @@ class Parser {
         this.next();
         const subSpan = [lbracket, this.end()];
         const sub = (parts) => ({
-            kind: "subquery", span: subSpan, from: [], where: null, select: [], orderBy: null, follow: null, values: false, limit: null, offset: null, ...parts,
+            kind: "subquery", span: subSpan, from: [], where: null, select: [], orderBy: null, follow: null, frontier: null, depth: null, values: false, limit: null, offset: null, ...parts,
         });
         const bang = this.atOp("!") ? this.next() : null;
         if (index) {
@@ -1150,12 +1222,16 @@ class Parser {
     // consumers, …) are lexed as bare idents, so they must NOT count as a value
     // start, or `where age in 18.. order by name` would read `order` as the bound.
     canStartValue() {
-        const t = this.peek();
+        return this.startsValue(this.peek());
+    }
+    startsValue(t) {
+        if (!t)
+            return false;
         if (t.type === "ident")
             return !CLAUSE_WORDS.has(t.value);
         if (t.type === "kw")
             return t.value === "is" || t.value === "not"; // the prefix operators
-        if (t.type === "number" || t.type === "string" ||
+        if (t.type === "number" || t.type === "string" || t.type === "tmpl_start" ||
             t.type === "binding" || t.type === "lparen" || t.type === "caret")
             return true;
         return t.type === "op" && (t.value === "-" || t.value === "!");
@@ -1225,16 +1301,18 @@ class Parser {
                 const bang = this.next();
                 expr = { kind: "required", span: [start, bang.end], expr };
             }
-            else if (this.atValueDirective()) {
+            else if (this.atValueDirective() || this.at("lbrace") || (this.at("ident", "distinct") && this.peekAt(1)?.type === "lbrace")) {
                 // A value-position directive, `recv first { … }` — how a bracket chain
-                // prints back; exists/none/count have no value form and are left to
-                // the body's own error.
-                if (expr.kind === "lit")
+                // prints back — or the implicit `collect` of a bare `{ … }` / `distinct
+                // { … }` (0.20: the receiver-block sugar stands wherever a value does,
+                // `size(children { is checked })`). exists/none/count have no value form
+                // and are left to the body's own error.
+                if (expr.kind === "lit" || expr.kind === "template")
                     this.fail(`\`${describe(expr)}\` is a literal, not a collection`);
-                expr = this.parseConsumerBlock(expr, this.atConsumerBlock(), false);
+                expr = this.parseConsumerBlock(expr, this.atBlock(), false);
             }
             else {
-                break; // a bare `{` is a consumer block boundary — not part of a value expression; anything else ends the chain too
+                break; // anything else ends the chain
             }
         }
         return expr;
@@ -1279,6 +1357,8 @@ class Parser {
             this.next();
             return { kind: "lit", span: [t.pos, t.end], value: t.value };
         }
+        if (t.type === "tmpl_start")
+            return this.parseTemplateLiteral();
         if (t.type === "binding") {
             this.next();
             return this.bindingNode(t);
@@ -1286,6 +1366,18 @@ class Parser {
         if (t.type === "lparen") {
             this.next();
             const e = this.parseValueExpr();
+            if (this.at("comma")) {
+                // A tuple `(e1, e2, …)` (0.20): two or more elements.
+                const items = [e];
+                while (this.at("comma")) {
+                    this.next();
+                    items.push(this.parseValueExpr());
+                }
+                if (!this.at("rparen"))
+                    this.fail("expected ')' to close the tuple");
+                this.next();
+                return { kind: "tuple", span: [t.pos, this.end()], items };
+            }
             if (!this.at("rparen"))
                 this.fail("expected ')'");
             this.next();
@@ -1304,6 +1396,46 @@ class Parser {
         }
         this.fail(`unexpected ${this.tokDesc()} — expected a value`);
     }
+    // A template literal (GRAMMAR §4, since 0.21): the cursor is at the opening
+    // backtick. The lexer has already split the literal into text runs and `${ … }`
+    // interpolations (with balanced braces, so an interpolation may hold a block
+    // or another template literal); each interpolation holds one full value
+    // expression, read at the current scope depth. `parts` alternates strictly —
+    // text, expression, text, … — with a (possibly empty) text part first and last.
+    parseTemplateLiteral() {
+        const open = this.next(); // the backtick
+        const parts = [];
+        let text = "";
+        for (;;) {
+            const t = this.peek();
+            if (t.type === "tmpl_text") {
+                this.next();
+                text += t.value;
+                continue;
+            }
+            if (t.type === "tmpl_end") {
+                this.next();
+                break;
+            }
+            if (t.type === "tmpl_interp_start") {
+                this.next();
+                if (this.at("tmpl_interp_end")) {
+                    this.failAt(t.pos, "empty interpolation `${}` in a template literal — an interpolation holds an expression (`${name}`)");
+                }
+                const e = this.parseValueExpr();
+                if (!this.at("tmpl_interp_end"))
+                    this.fail("expected '}' to close the `${…}` interpolation of a template literal");
+                this.next();
+                parts.push(text, e);
+                text = "";
+                continue;
+            }
+            // Unreachable: the lexer closes every literal it opens or fails.
+            this.fail(`unexpected ${this.tokDesc()} in a template literal`);
+        }
+        parts.push(text);
+        return { kind: "template", span: [open.pos, this.end()], parts };
+    }
 }
 // The default key of an unaliased projection item: the last segment of a bare /
 // dotted / outer navigation (`name`, `meta.slug` → "slug", `^name`), else null.