Functions¶

fn      name(p1: T1, p2: T2) -> Tret { ... }        // private
pub fn  name(p1: T1, p2: T2) -> Tret { ... }        // selector-dispatched

The -> Tret return type is optional; if absent, the function is void and return EXPR; is rejected with "return with value in void function".

fn vs pub fn¶

Private functions other than init compile to nothing in v1. With no internal-call mechanism, they are dead code. The grammar permits them, but the codegen path that walks c.functions emits bodies only for is_pub functions and inlines init's body in the prologue.

Selector assignment¶

sel = 0x01
for fn in contract.functions:
    if fn.is_pub:
        fn.selector = sel
        sel += 1

(_ContractGen.__init__ in fourier/codegen.py)

• Selectors are assigned in declaration order.
• The first pub fn gets 0x01. Reordering source = breaking ABI.
• init is not included; it has no selector.
• There is no 0x00 selector; it would collide with the empty-calldata deploy short-circuit.
• Maximum 255 pub fns per contract (selectors are one byte; 0xFF is the last valid).

A function's selector equals its position among pub fn declarations, counting from 1.

Parameters¶

Parameters are decoded from calldata at fixed offsets. The layout depends on whether this is a regular pub fn call or an init invocation:

pub fn call:
  calldata[ 0 ..  1]  = selector
  calldata[ 1 .. 33]  = param[0]   (32-byte word)
  calldata[33 .. 65]  = param[1]
  calldata[65 .. 97]  = param[2]
  ...

init invocation (deploy tx's init_calldata):
  calldata[ 0 .. 32]  = init_param[0]
  calldata[32 .. 64]  = init_param[1]
  calldata[64 .. 96]  = init_param[2]
  ...

The difference: a pub fn call carries a 1-byte selector; the init payload does not.

Each param is loaded into a local memory slot during the function prologue (see _emit_fn_body):

PUSH 1
CALLDATALOAD
PUSH 0x80           ; first param goes at 0x80
MSTORE
PUSH 33
CALLDATALOAD
PUSH 0xa0           ; second param goes at 0xa0
MSTORE
...

Locals start at memory offset 0x80 (LOCAL_MEM_BASE) and grow upward. Each local — parameter or let — takes 32 bytes.

Return types¶

RETURN_AT = 0x40 (fourier/codegen.py).

Function locals¶

Each let allocates a fresh 32-byte slot in memory starting from the local-memory cursor (initialized at LOCAL_MEM_BASE = 0x80). Locals are referenced by their memory offset, not by a register or stack position.

pub fn example(a: uint) -> uint {
    let b: uint = a + 1;          // b at offset 0xa0 (after a at 0x80)
    let c: uint = b * 2;          // c at offset 0xc0
    return c;
}

Locals persist for the lifetime of the call frame. No scope is narrower than the function: a let inside an if body remains visible after the if, and redeclaring let x in the same function body allocates a fresh slot. The prior binding is shadowed in the symbol table, and its memory is leaked.

Calling convention summary¶

Examples¶

Read-only:

pub fn balance_of(addr: address) -> uint {
    return balances[addr];
}

Mutating with check:

pub fn transfer(to: address, amount: uint) -> bool {
    let sender: address = caller();
    let bal: uint = balances[sender];
    require(bal >= amount);
    balances[sender] = bal - amount;
    balances[to] = balances[to] + amount;
    emit Transfer(sender, to, amount);
    return true;
}

Tuple return:

pub fn split_proposal(id: uint) -> (address, uint) {
    return (p_target[id], p_value[id]);
}