Have PrimeField::from_repr borrow its input
#137
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From the API guidelines, a function that does not require ownership should borrow its input: https://rust-lang.github.io/api-guidelines/flexibility.html?highlight=clone#caller-decides-where-to-copy-and-place-data-c-caller-control In general, I think there's an intermediate decoding step between `PrimeField::Repr` and the corresponding `Self` type which receives an impl thereof, rather than the `Self` type actually taking ownership of the `Repr` data. Since field element types sometimes represent secrets, taking ownership of the data means the caller can't zeroize that data, and moving the data rather than borrowing it may introduce an additional copy.
This was referenced May 29, 2025
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I did the update work for the RustCrypto crates here: |
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From the API guidelines, a function that does not require ownership should borrow its input:
https://rust-lang.github.io/api-guidelines/flexibility.html?highlight=clone#caller-decides-where-to-copy-and-place-data-c-caller-control
In general, I think there's an intermediate decoding step between
PrimeField::Reprand the correspondingSelftype which receives an impl thereof, rather than theSelftype actually taking ownership of theReprdata.Since field element types sometimes represent secrets, taking ownership of the data means the caller can't zeroize that data, and moving the data rather than borrowing it may introduce an additional copy.