diff --git a/dist/platform/elb b/dist/platform/elb
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..003dd19
Binary files /dev/null and b/dist/platform/elb differ
diff --git a/dist/platform/elc b/dist/platform/elc
index 04c36ef..5acf296 100755
Binary files a/dist/platform/elc and b/dist/platform/elc differ
diff --git a/el-compiler/runtime/el_runtime.c b/el-compiler/runtime/el_runtime.c
index ad5dbb8..717ff1b 100644
--- a/el-compiler/runtime/el_runtime.c
+++ b/el-compiler/runtime/el_runtime.c
@@ -2939,8 +2939,13 @@ static int looks_like_string(el_val_t v) {
     const unsigned char* s = (const unsigned char*)p;
     for (int i = 0; i < 16; i++) {
         unsigned char c = s[i];
-        if (c == '\0') return i > 0; /* terminated string */
-        if (c < 0x09 || (c > 0x0d && c < 0x20) || c >= 0x7f) return 0;
+        if (c == '\0') return 1; /* terminated string (empty string is still a valid string) */
+        /* Reject C0 control chars (non-whitespace), allow UTF-8 high bytes.
+         * 0x09-0x0d = tab/newline/cr/vt/ff (whitespace, OK)
+         * 0x20-0x7e = printable ASCII (OK)
+         * 0x7f      = DEL (reject)
+         * 0x80-0xff = UTF-8 continuation/lead bytes (OK for multi-byte chars) */
+        if (c < 0x09 || (c > 0x0d && c < 0x20) || c == 0x7f) return 0;
     }
     return 1; /* 16+ printable bytes — call it a string */
 }
diff --git a/el-compiler/src/codegen.el b/el-compiler/src/codegen.el
index afe3cb7..4868fd7 100644
--- a/el-compiler/src/codegen.el
+++ b/el-compiler/src/codegen.el
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-// codegen.el — El compiler C source code generator
+// codegen.el - El compiler C source code generator
 //
 // Input:  list of AST statement maps (from parser.el)
 // Output: C source printed to stdout (streamed, one line at a time)
@@ -7,37 +7,90 @@
 // Functions map directly to C functions; top-level statements become main().
 //
 // Entry point: fn codegen(stmts: [Map<String, Any>], source: String) -> String
-//   Returns "" — output goes to stdout via println().
+//   Returns "" - output goes to stdout via println().
 //
-// Streaming output avoids O(n²) string concatenation: each emitted line is
+// Streaming output avoids O(n-) string concatenation: each emitted line is
 // printed immediately rather than appended to a growing string.
 
-// ── String helpers ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+// -- String helpers ------------------------------------------------------------
 
 // Escape a C string literal (double-quotes and backslashes).
+// Hex-encode a single nibble (0-15) as a lowercase hex character.
+fn nibble_to_hex(n: Int) -> String {
+    str_char_at("0123456789abcdef", n)
+}
+
+// Encode a byte value (0-255) as a two-character hex string.
+fn byte_to_hex2(b: Int) -> String {
+    let hi: Int = (b / 16)
+    let lo: Int = (b - hi * 16)
+    nibble_to_hex(hi) + nibble_to_hex(lo)
+}
+
+// Return true if the byte value is a C hex digit (0-9, a-f, A-F).
+// Used to determine whether a \xNN escape needs a string-literal split
+// to prevent the C preprocessor from greedily consuming following hex chars.
+fn is_hex_digit_byte(b: Int) -> Bool {
+    if b >= 48 { if b <= 57 { return true } }   // 0-9
+    if b >= 65 { if b <= 70 { return true } }   // A-F
+    if b >= 97 { if b <= 102 { return true } }  // a-f
+    false
+}
+
 fn c_escape(s: String) -> String {
-    let chars: [String] = native_string_chars(s)
-    let total: Int = native_list_len(chars)
+    // Use index-based byte scanning via str_char_code(s, i) and str_char_at(s, i).
+    // This avoids native_string_chars + str_join, which corrupts high-byte (>= 0x80)
+    // characters because list_join's looks_like_string heuristic rejects strings
+    // whose first byte is >= 0x7F and emits them as decimal pointer values instead.
+    //
+    // IMPORTANT: after a \xNN hex escape, if the next byte is a hex digit
+    // (0-9, a-f, A-F), we emit `""` to split the C string literal so the C
+    // compiler does not greedily read extra hex digits as part of the escape.
+    // E.g. "\xad" followed by "bamos" must become "\xad" "bamos" because 'b'
+    // is a hex digit and C would otherwise read "\xadb" (= 0xADB, out of range).
+    let total: Int = str_len(s)
     let parts: [String] = native_list_empty()
-    let i = 0
+    let i: Int = 0
+    let prev_was_hex_escape: Bool = false
     while i < total {
-        let ch: String = native_list_get(chars, i)
-        if ch == "\"" {
+        let bval: Int = str_char_code(s, i)
+        // If the previous token was a \xNN escape and the current byte is a
+        // hex digit, insert an empty string literal ("") to break the escape.
+        if prev_was_hex_escape {
+            if is_hex_digit_byte(bval) {
+                let parts = native_list_append(parts, "\"\"")
+            }
+        }
+        let prev_was_hex_escape = false
+        if bval == 34 {
+            // 34 = '"'
             let parts = native_list_append(parts, "\\\"")
         } else {
-            if ch == "\\" {
+            if bval == 92 {
+                // 92 = '\\'
                 let parts = native_list_append(parts, "\\\\")
             } else {
-                if ch == "\n" {
+                if bval == 10 {
+                    // 10 = '\n'
                     let parts = native_list_append(parts, "\\n")
                 } else {
-                    if ch == "\r" {
+                    if bval == 13 {
+                        // 13 = '\r'
                         let parts = native_list_append(parts, "\\r")
                     } else {
-                        if ch == "\t" {
+                        if bval == 9 {
+                            // 9 = '\t'
                             let parts = native_list_append(parts, "\\t")
                         } else {
-                            let parts = native_list_append(parts, ch)
+                            if bval >= 128 {
+                                // Escape non-ASCII bytes (>= 0x80) as \xNN so
+                                // Clang does not misinterpret multi-byte UTF-8
+                                // sequences in C string literals.
+                                let parts = native_list_append(parts, "\\x" + byte_to_hex2(bval))
+                                let prev_was_hex_escape = true
+                            } else {
+                                let parts = native_list_append(parts, str_char_at(s, i))
+                            }
                         }
                     }
                 }
@@ -52,7 +105,7 @@ fn c_str_lit(s: String) -> String {
     "\"" + c_escape(s) + "\""
 }
 
-// ── Type mapping ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+// -- Type mapping --------------------------------------------------------------
 
 fn el_type_to_c(type_str: String) -> String {
     if type_str == "String" { return "const char*" }
@@ -64,7 +117,7 @@ fn el_type_to_c(type_str: String) -> String {
     "void*"
 }
 
-// ── Code emission ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+// -- Code emission -------------------------------------------------------------
 //
 // emit_line/emit_blank stream output directly via println.
 // This avoids building a large string in memory.
@@ -77,7 +130,7 @@ fn emit_blank() -> Void {
     println("")
 }
 
-// ── Operator helpers ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+// -- Operator helpers ----------------------------------------------------------
 
 fn binop_to_c(op: String) -> String {
     if op == "Plus"  { return "+" }
@@ -95,11 +148,11 @@ fn binop_to_c(op: String) -> String {
     op
 }
 
-// ── Expression codegen ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+// -- Expression codegen --------------------------------------------------------
 //
 // cg_expr returns a C expression string (not a statement).
 
-// duration_unit_nanos — multiplier from a postfix-literal unit name to
+// duration_unit_nanos - multiplier from a postfix-literal unit name to
 // nanoseconds. Singular and plural forms collapse to the same multiplier;
 // the parser already restricted `unit` to the set is_duration_unit accepts.
 // Returns the multiplier as a decimal string suitable for splicing into
@@ -130,7 +183,7 @@ fn cg_expr(expr: Map<String, Any>) -> String {
         return v
     }
 
-    // DurationLit — postfix-literal time value (e.g. 30.seconds, 1.hour).
+    // DurationLit - postfix-literal time value (e.g. 30.seconds, 1.hour).
     // Lowered to a literal int64 nanosecond count, wrapped in the runtime
     // entry point so the intent is explicit at the C level. The arithmetic
     // is fully constant-folded by any optimising C compiler.
@@ -144,7 +197,7 @@ fn cg_expr(expr: Map<String, Any>) -> String {
     if kind == "Float" {
         // Wrap Float literals in el_from_float() so the bit pattern is
         // preserved through the el_val_t (int64) slot. Without this,
-        // implicit double→int64 conversion in C truncates `0.8` to `0`
+        // implicit double->int64 conversion in C truncates `0.8` to `0`
         // when passed to a builtin that expects el_val_t.
         let v: String = expr["value"]
         return "el_from_float(" + v + ")"
@@ -191,12 +244,12 @@ fn cg_expr(expr: Map<String, Any>) -> String {
         let left_kind: String = left["expr"]
         let right_kind: String = right["expr"]
 
-        // ── String/equality fast-path: skip O(N²) temporal traversals ────────
+        // -- String/equality fast-path: skip O(N-) temporal traversals --------
         // The 10 temporal predicates below each recurse into the left subtree:
-        // O(depth) state_get calls per predicate, O(N²) total for a chain of N
+        // O(depth) state_get calls per predicate, O(N-) total for a chain of N
         // string-concat BinOps (e.g. the 70-100-part HTML chains in soul.el).
         // When either operand is a bare Str literal the result is always concat
-        // or str_eq — no temporal dispatch is possible. Exit immediately.
+        // or str_eq - no temporal dispatch is possible. Exit immediately.
         if str_eq(op, "Plus") {
             if str_eq(left_kind, "Str") { return "el_str_concat(" + left_c + ", " + right_c + ")" }
             if str_eq(right_kind, "Str") { return "el_str_concat(" + left_c + ", " + right_c + ")" }
@@ -210,7 +263,7 @@ fn cg_expr(expr: Map<String, Any>) -> String {
             if str_eq(right_kind, "Str") { return "!str_eq(" + left_c + ", " + right_c + ")" }
         }
 
-        // ── Temporal-type dispatch (Instant + Duration first-class) ────────
+        // -- Temporal-type dispatch (Instant + Duration first-class) --------
         // Run BEFORE the int / string / generic paths so typed temporal
         // operands route through the runtime wrappers and invalid combos
         // become #error directives rather than silently falling through to
@@ -396,7 +449,7 @@ fn cg_expr(expr: Map<String, Any>) -> String {
                     if right_is_dur { return "el_duration_ne(" + left_c + ", " + right_c + ")" }
                 }
             }
-            // Fall through — let the existing path handle anything we
+            // Fall through - let the existing path handle anything we
             // didn't explicitly cover (typically string-concat with a
             // typed temporal value, e.g. for debug prints, which works
             // because both share the int64 slot).
@@ -415,7 +468,7 @@ fn cg_expr(expr: Map<String, Any>) -> String {
             // builtin, or BinOp arithmetic over Ints) participates in
             // arithmetic, not string concat. Recursion into BinOp lets
             // `a + b + c` (chained Int adds) and `acc * 16 + d` route to
-            // arithmetic instead of falling to el_str_concat — both sides
+            // arithmetic instead of falling to el_str_concat - both sides
             // are Int so the outer `+` is too.
             if is_int_expr(left) {
                 if is_int_expr(right) {
@@ -436,7 +489,7 @@ fn cg_expr(expr: Map<String, Any>) -> String {
                 return "(" + left_c + " " + op_c + " " + right_c + ")"
             }
             // Otherwise: BinOp(+) with a Call/Ident side without int-typed
-            // evidence — fall back to string concat (the historical default).
+            // evidence - fall back to string concat (the historical default).
             if left_kind == "Call" {
                 return "el_str_concat(" + left_c + ", " + right_c + ")"
             }
@@ -468,7 +521,7 @@ fn cg_expr(expr: Map<String, Any>) -> String {
         // identifiers tracked in __int_names (typed Int via `let x: Int = ...`).
         // Without the int-name check, `seen == idx` between two Int locals
         // miscompiles to str_eq(seen, idx), strcmp'ing what are integer values
-        // dressed as char* — segfault on the first non-printable byte.
+        // dressed as char* - segfault on the first non-printable byte.
         if op == "EqEq" {
             if left_kind == "Int" {
                 return "(" + left_c + " == " + right_c + ")"
@@ -602,17 +655,17 @@ fn cg_expr(expr: Map<String, Any>) -> String {
             // violations to be emitted as #error directives at the
             // top of the generated C, so cc fails with a clear msg.
             cap_check_call(fn_name)
-            // Arity check against the builtin table — refuse, with a clear
+            // Arity check against the builtin table - refuse, with a clear
             // El-source message, when a known builtin gets the wrong arg
             // count (e.g. `http_serve(port)` instead of `http_serve(port,
             // handler)`). User-defined fns and variadic builtins pass
             // through (builtin_arity returns -1).
             arity_check_call(fn_name, arity)
-            // sleep(Duration) — Phase 1 of the typed-time work. When the
+            // sleep(Duration) - Phase 1 of the typed-time work. When the
             // single arg is provably a Duration we lower to el_sleep_duration
             // so the runtime sees nanos directly. Existing sleep() callers
             // that pass an Int still emit `sleep(<int>)`, which falls through
-            // to the no-such-symbol path — those call sites must migrate to
+            // to the no-such-symbol path - those call sites must migrate to
             // a typed Duration. Acceptable: the spec marks them out for an
             // audit pass during Phase 1.
             if str_eq(fn_name, "sleep") {
@@ -623,6 +676,20 @@ fn cg_expr(expr: Map<String, Any>) -> String {
                     }
                 }
             }
+            // el_from_float takes a raw C double - do not wrap the float
+            // argument in el_from_float() again. Without this, the float
+            // literal codegen (which wraps every Float in el_from_float())
+            // produces el_from_float(el_from_float(0.7)) - double-encoded.
+            if str_eq(fn_name, "el_from_float") {
+                if arity == 1 {
+                    let only_arg = native_list_get(args, 0)
+                    let arg_kind: String = only_arg["expr"]
+                    if str_eq(arg_kind, "Float") {
+                        let v: String = only_arg["value"]
+                        return "el_from_float(" + v + ")"
+                    }
+                }
+            }
             return fn_name + "(" + args_c + ")"
         }
 
@@ -656,8 +723,8 @@ fn cg_expr(expr: Map<String, Any>) -> String {
         // El programs use `t["field"]` for map access and `arr[i]` for
         // list access. The parser emits the same Index node for both.
         // Dispatch at codegen time on the index expression kind: string-
-        // literal index → map field access (`el_get_field`); anything
-        // else → list element access (`el_list_get`).
+        // literal index -> map field access (`el_get_field`); anything
+        // else -> list element access (`el_list_get`).
         let obj = expr["object"]
         let idx = expr["index"]
         let obj_c: String = cg_expr(obj)
@@ -691,7 +758,7 @@ fn cg_expr(expr: Map<String, Any>) -> String {
         let n: Int = native_list_len(pairs)
         // Empty literal: `el_map_new(0, )` is malformed C (trailing comma in
         // a varargs call). Emit `el_map_new(0)` directly so empty-map
-        // shadowing inside for/while/if bodies — `let acc: Map = {}` —
+        // shadowing inside for/while/if bodies - `let acc: Map = {}` -
         // doesn't fail downstream cc with parse errors.
         if n == 0 { return "el_map_new(0)" }
         let items_parts: [String] = native_list_empty()
@@ -723,7 +790,7 @@ fn cg_expr(expr: Map<String, Any>) -> String {
     "EL_NULL"
 }
 
-// ── Match codegen ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+// -- Match codegen -------------------------------------------------------------
 //
 // Lower a match expression to a GCC/Clang statement-expression.
 // A unique label suffix is allocated per match via state_set("__match_counter").
@@ -747,7 +814,7 @@ fn cg_match(expr: Map<String, Any>) -> String {
     let subj_var: String = "_match_subj_" + id
     let result_var: String = "_match_result_" + id
     let done_label: String = "_match_done_" + id
-    // Accumulate arm fragments into a list to avoid O(n²) string growth.
+    // Accumulate arm fragments into a list to avoid O(n-) string growth.
     let parts: [String] = native_list_empty()
     let parts = native_list_append(parts, "({ el_val_t " + subj_var + " = " + subj_c + "; el_val_t " + result_var + " = 0; ")
     let n: Int = native_list_len(arms)
@@ -781,7 +848,7 @@ fn cg_match(expr: Map<String, Any>) -> String {
                             }
                             let parts = native_list_append(parts, "if (" + subj_var + " == " + bv + ") { " + result_var + " = (" + body_c + "); goto " + done_label + "; } ")
                         } else {
-                            // unknown pattern → wildcard
+                            // unknown pattern -> wildcard
                             let parts = native_list_append(parts, "{ " + result_var + " = (" + body_c + "); goto " + done_label + "; } ")
                         }
                     }
@@ -794,7 +861,7 @@ fn cg_match(expr: Map<String, Any>) -> String {
     str_join(parts, "")
 }
 
-// ── If-as-expression codegen ─────────────────────────────────────────────────
+// -- If-as-expression codegen -------------------------------------------------
 //
 // Lower `if cond { thenBody } else { elseBody }` used in expression position
 // (e.g. `let x = if a { b } else { c }`) to a GCC/Clang statement-expression
@@ -822,7 +889,7 @@ fn next_if_id() -> String {
 // result var stays at its initial 0.
 fn cg_if_expr_arm(stmts: [Map<String, Any>], result_var: String) -> String {
     let n: Int = native_list_len(stmts)
-    // Collect statement fragments into a list to avoid O(n²) string growth.
+    // Collect statement fragments into a list to avoid O(n-) string growth.
     let parts: [String] = native_list_empty()
     let i = 0
     while i < n {
@@ -851,7 +918,7 @@ fn cg_if_expr_arm(stmts: [Map<String, Any>], result_var: String) -> String {
                     }
                 } else {
                     if str_eq(sk, "Assign") {
-                        // Real reassignment in an expression-position arm —
+                        // Real reassignment in an expression-position arm -
                         // emit the store; the arm's "value" stays whatever
                         // result_var was last set to, which is the El
                         // semantics (assignment is a statement, not a value).
@@ -889,7 +956,7 @@ fn cg_if_expr(expr: Map<String, Any>) -> String {
     out
 }
 
-// ── Variable scope tracking ───────────────────────────────────────────────────
+// -- Variable scope tracking ---------------------------------------------------
 //
 // El allows `let x = expr` to both declare and reassign x in the same scope.
 // C doesn't allow redeclaring the same name in the same block.
@@ -908,7 +975,7 @@ fn list_contains(lst: [String], s: String) -> Bool {
     false
 }
 
-// ── Statement codegen ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+// -- Statement codegen ---------------------------------------------------------
 //
 // cg_stmt emits C lines via println. declared is a list of already-declared
 // variable names in the current C scope; returns updated declared list.
@@ -957,7 +1024,7 @@ fn cg_stmt(stmt: Map<String, Any>, indent: String, declared: [String]) -> [Strin
         if str_eq(ltype, "Zone") {
             add_zone_name(name)
         }
-        // Inference from RHS — duration literals and known-typed calls
+        // Inference from RHS - duration literals and known-typed calls
         // propagate even when the let is unannotated.
         if is_instant_expr(val) {
             add_instant_name(name)
@@ -1012,7 +1079,7 @@ fn cg_stmt(stmt: Map<String, Any>, indent: String, declared: [String]) -> [Strin
     }
 
     // Bare reassignment: `name = expr`. Always emits a plain C assignment
-    // (no `el_val_t` prefix) — by construction the parser only produces
+    // (no `el_val_t` prefix) - by construction the parser only produces
     // Assign for an existing identifier. If the name happens NOT to be in
     // `declared` for the current C scope (it was let-bound by an enclosing
     // block) the emit still resolves at C level because the variable lives
@@ -1047,7 +1114,7 @@ fn cg_stmt(stmt: Map<String, Any>, indent: String, declared: [String]) -> [Strin
         let cond_c: String = cg_expr(cond)
         let cond_c = strip_outer_parens(cond_c)
         emit_line(indent + "while (" + cond_c + ") {")
-        // Body lives in its own C block — clone so let-bindings inside the
+        // Body lives in its own C block - clone so let-bindings inside the
         // loop don't leak into the parent's `declared` list (which would make
         // a sibling scope's `let x` emit assignment on an undeclared name).
         cg_stmts(body, indent + "  ", native_list_clone(declared))
@@ -1114,7 +1181,7 @@ fn cg_if_stmt(expr: Map<String, Any>, indent: String, declared: [String]) -> Voi
     let cond_c: String = cg_expr(cond)
     let cond_c = strip_outer_parens(cond_c)
     emit_line(indent + "if (" + cond_c + ") {")
-    // Each branch gets its own clone of `declared` — variables let-bound
+    // Each branch gets its own clone of `declared` - variables let-bound
     // inside the then/else block live only in that C scope, and must not
     // leak back to the parent (or to the sibling branch) through shared
     // list mutation. Cheap shallow copy; the entries (variable name strings)
@@ -1166,7 +1233,7 @@ fn cg_stmts(stmts: [Map<String, Any>], indent: String, declared: [String]) -> [S
     decl
 }
 
-// ── Function declaration codegen ───────────────────────────────────────────────
+// -- Function declaration codegen -----------------------------------------------
 
 fn param_decl(param: Map<String, Any>, idx: Int) -> String {
     let name: String = param["name"]
@@ -1235,7 +1302,7 @@ fn is_int_name(name: String) -> Bool {
 
 // Same shape as is_int_name, for Instant- and Duration-typed bindings.
 // Used by the BinOp/comparison codegen to dispatch arithmetic through the
-// typed runtime wrappers (el_instant_add_dur, el_duration_lt, …) and to
+// typed runtime wrappers (el_instant_add_dur, el_duration_lt, -) and to
 // surface mismatches (Instant + Instant, Duration + Int) as #error
 // directives at the top of the generated C.
 fn is_instant_name(name: String) -> Bool {
@@ -1297,7 +1364,7 @@ fn is_int_call(call_expr: Map<String, Any>) -> Bool {
 }
 
 // Builtins that return an Instant. Used by is_instant_expr and the BinOp
-// dispatch — `now() + 5.seconds` types as Instant only because we can see
+// dispatch - `now() + 5.seconds` types as Instant only because we can see
 // that now() is an Instant-returning Call.
 fn is_instant_call(call_expr: Map<String, Any>) -> Bool {
     let func = call_expr["func"]
@@ -1333,7 +1400,7 @@ fn is_duration_call(call_expr: Map<String, Any>) -> Bool {
     return false
 }
 
-// Phase 1.5 — Calendar / CalendarTime / Rhythm / LocalDate / LocalTime /
+// Phase 1.5 - Calendar / CalendarTime / Rhythm / LocalDate / LocalTime /
 // LocalDateTime / Zone are first-class boxed types. Each has its own name
 // set in process state, populated from typed `let` bindings and parameter
 // annotations. The BinOp dispatcher consults these to forbid mismatched
@@ -1521,7 +1588,7 @@ fn is_zone_expr(expr: Map<String, Any>) -> Bool {
 // Recursive type predicates for Instant / Duration. Mirror is_int_expr.
 // is_instant_expr / is_duration_expr return true only when the expression
 // is provably of that type at codegen time. Anything ambiguous returns
-// false — the BinOp dispatcher then leaves the expression on the
+// false - the BinOp dispatcher then leaves the expression on the
 // untyped-int path, which is the safest fallback because at the runtime
 // level all three types share the int64 slot.
 fn is_instant_expr(expr: Map<String, Any>) -> Bool {
@@ -1536,8 +1603,8 @@ fn is_instant_expr(expr: Map<String, Any>) -> Bool {
     if str_eq(k, "BinOp") {
         let op: String = expr["op"]
         if str_eq(op, "Plus") {
-            // Instant + Duration  → Instant
-            // Duration + Instant  → Instant
+            // Instant + Duration  -> Instant
+            // Duration + Instant  -> Instant
             if is_instant_expr(expr["left"]) {
                 if is_duration_expr(expr["right"]) { return true }
             }
@@ -1547,7 +1614,7 @@ fn is_instant_expr(expr: Map<String, Any>) -> Bool {
             return false
         }
         if str_eq(op, "Minus") {
-            // Instant - Duration  → Instant
+            // Instant - Duration  -> Instant
             if is_instant_expr(expr["left"]) {
                 if is_duration_expr(expr["right"]) { return true }
             }
@@ -1574,15 +1641,15 @@ fn is_duration_expr(expr: Map<String, Any>) -> Bool {
     if str_eq(k, "BinOp") {
         let op: String = expr["op"]
         if str_eq(op, "Plus") {
-            // Duration + Duration → Duration
+            // Duration + Duration -> Duration
             if is_duration_expr(expr["left"]) {
                 if is_duration_expr(expr["right"]) { return true }
             }
             return false
         }
         if str_eq(op, "Minus") {
-            // Duration - Duration → Duration
-            // Instant - Instant   → Duration (caught here, not in is_instant_expr)
+            // Duration - Duration -> Duration
+            // Instant - Instant   -> Duration (caught here, not in is_instant_expr)
             if is_duration_expr(expr["left"]) {
                 if is_duration_expr(expr["right"]) { return true }
             }
@@ -1592,8 +1659,8 @@ fn is_duration_expr(expr: Map<String, Any>) -> Bool {
             return false
         }
         if str_eq(op, "Star") {
-            // Duration * Int  → Duration
-            // Int * Duration  → Duration
+            // Duration * Int  -> Duration
+            // Int * Duration  -> Duration
             if is_duration_expr(expr["left"]) {
                 if is_int_expr(expr["right"]) { return true }
             }
@@ -1603,7 +1670,7 @@ fn is_duration_expr(expr: Map<String, Any>) -> Bool {
             return false
         }
         if str_eq(op, "Slash") {
-            // Duration / Int  → Duration
+            // Duration / Int  -> Duration
             if is_duration_expr(expr["left"]) {
                 if is_int_expr(expr["right"]) { return true }
             }
@@ -1634,13 +1701,13 @@ fn time_record_violation(kind: String, detail: String) -> Bool {
 // the outer dispatch only checks the immediate kind, not the inner.
 //
 // Rules:
-//   Int literal                      → Int
-//   Ident in __int_names             → Int
-//   Call to known-Int builtin        → Int
-//   Neg of Int                       → Int
-//   BinOp arithmetic of two Ints     → Int  (Plus, Minus, Star, Slash, Percent)
-//   BinOp comparison/logical         → Int  (yields 0/1; safe to treat as Int)
-//   anything else                    → not provably Int
+//   Int literal                      -> Int
+//   Ident in __int_names             -> Int
+//   Call to known-Int builtin        -> Int
+//   Neg of Int                       -> Int
+//   BinOp arithmetic of two Ints     -> Int  (Plus, Minus, Star, Slash, Percent)
+//   BinOp comparison/logical         -> Int  (yields 0/1; safe to treat as Int)
+//   anything else                    -> not provably Int
 fn is_int_expr(expr: Map<String, Any>) -> Bool {
     let k: String = expr["expr"]
     if str_eq(k, "Int") { return true }
@@ -1659,7 +1726,7 @@ fn is_int_expr(expr: Map<String, Any>) -> Bool {
     }
     if str_eq(k, "BinOp") {
         let op: String = expr["op"]
-        // Comparisons and logicals always yield 0/1 — safe Int.
+        // Comparisons and logicals always yield 0/1 - safe Int.
         if str_eq(op, "EqEq")  { return true }
         if str_eq(op, "NotEq") { return true }
         if str_eq(op, "Lt")    { return true }
@@ -1668,7 +1735,7 @@ fn is_int_expr(expr: Map<String, Any>) -> Bool {
         if str_eq(op, "GtEq")  { return true }
         if str_eq(op, "And")   { return true }
         if str_eq(op, "Or")    { return true }
-        // Arithmetic propagates: Int op Int → Int.
+        // Arithmetic propagates: Int op Int -> Int.
         if str_eq(op, "Plus")  {
             if is_int_expr(expr["left"]) {
                 if is_int_expr(expr["right"]) { return true }
@@ -1698,7 +1765,7 @@ fn is_int_expr(expr: Map<String, Any>) -> Bool {
     return false
 }
 
-// ── Capability-kind enforcement ──────────────────────────────────────────────
+// -- Capability-kind enforcement ----------------------------------------------
 //
 // A program's top-level block (cgi / service / none) determines which
 // runtime primitives it may call. The compiler records violations in
@@ -1707,11 +1774,11 @@ fn is_int_expr(expr: Map<String, Any>) -> Bool {
 // downstream cc step fails with a clear message.
 //
 // Capability tiers:
-//   "cgi"     — full self-formation. All primitives.
-//   "service" — bounded. Cannot call self-formation primitives:
+//   "cgi"     - full self-formation. All primitives.
+//   "service" - bounded. Cannot call self-formation primitives:
 //               llm_call_agentic, llm_register_tool, dharma_emit,
 //               dharma_field. Single-turn LLM calls are allowed.
-//   "utility" — default. No DHARMA, no LLM. Pure compute + I/O.
+//   "utility" - default. No DHARMA, no LLM. Pure compute + I/O.
 //
 // The compiler-level rule is structural: the binary either CAN or CANNOT
 // emit the call. There is no runtime check, no opt-in, no override.
@@ -1726,7 +1793,7 @@ fn cap_record_violation(kind: String, fn_name: String) -> Bool {
     return true
 }
 
-// Self-formation primitives — the cut between CGI and service. A program
+// Self-formation primitives - the cut between CGI and service. A program
 // that emits these calls IS structurally a CGI; we forbid them everywhere
 // else.
 fn is_self_formation_call(fn_name: String) -> Bool {
@@ -1737,7 +1804,7 @@ fn is_self_formation_call(fn_name: String) -> Bool {
     return false
 }
 
-// Any DHARMA primitive — utilities have zero network presence.
+// Any DHARMA primitive - utilities have zero network presence.
 fn is_dharma_call(fn_name: String) -> Bool {
     if str_eq(fn_name, "dharma_connect") { return true }
     if str_eq(fn_name, "dharma_send") { return true }
@@ -1750,7 +1817,7 @@ fn is_dharma_call(fn_name: String) -> Bool {
     return false
 }
 
-// Any LLM primitive — utilities have no LLM access at all.
+// Any LLM primitive - utilities have no LLM access at all.
 fn is_llm_call(fn_name: String) -> Bool {
     if str_eq(fn_name, "llm_call") { return true }
     if str_eq(fn_name, "llm_call_system") { return true }
@@ -1800,14 +1867,14 @@ fn emit_cap_violations() -> Void {
         if colon > 0 {
             let kind: String = str_slice(entry, 0, colon)
             let fn_name: String = str_slice(entry, colon + 1, str_len(entry))
-            emit_line("#error \"capability violation: '" + kind + "' programs may not call '" + fn_name + "' (self-formation primitive — only 'cgi' programs may use it)\"")
+            emit_line("#error \"capability violation: '" + kind + "' programs may not call '" + fn_name + "' (self-formation primitive - only 'cgi' programs may use it)\"")
         }
         let i = i + next_comma + 1
     }
 }
 
 // Surface temporal-type violations as #error directives. The cg_expr BinOp
-// dispatcher records each violation (Instant + Instant, Duration + Int, …)
+// dispatcher records each violation (Instant + Instant, Duration + Int, -)
 // as a CSV entry "kind:detail" via time_record_violation. Each entry maps
 // to a single #error so downstream cc fails the build with a clear El-
 // source-level message before the bogus C even links.
@@ -1830,7 +1897,7 @@ fn emit_time_violations() -> Void {
     }
 }
 
-// ── Builtin arity table ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+// -- Builtin arity table -------------------------------------------------------
 //
 // El programs sometimes call runtime builtins with the wrong number of
 // arguments (e.g. `http_serve(port)` instead of `http_serve(port, handler)`).
@@ -1840,7 +1907,7 @@ fn emit_time_violations() -> Void {
 //
 // Strategy: a small static table mirrors el_runtime.h. Variadic builtins
 // (el_list_new, el_map_new, args) and unknown identifiers (user fns,
-// dynamic dispatch) return -1 → no check. A mismatch records a violation
+// dynamic dispatch) return -1 -> no check. A mismatch records a violation
 // in process state, which emit_arity_violations() turns into #error
 // directives at the top of the generated C.
 fn builtin_arity(name: String) -> Int {
@@ -2044,7 +2111,7 @@ fn builtin_arity(name: String) -> Int {
     if str_eq(name, "get") { return 2 }
     if str_eq(name, "map_get") { return 2 }
     if str_eq(name, "map_set") { return 3 }
-    // -1 sentinel: variadic / unknown / user-defined → no check.
+    // -1 sentinel: variadic / unknown / user-defined -> no check.
     return -1
 }
 
@@ -2242,7 +2309,7 @@ fn build_int_names_for_params(params: [Map<String, Any>]) -> Bool {
 
 fn cg_fn(stmt: Map<String, Any>) -> Void {
     let fn_name: String = stmt["name"]
-    // Skip El's `fn main()` — C provides its own main() for top-level stmts
+    // Skip El's `fn main()` - C provides its own main() for top-level stmts
     // and a duplicate `el_val_t main(void)` would collide with it.
     if fn_name == "main" { return }
     let params = stmt["params"]
@@ -2274,8 +2341,8 @@ fn cg_fn(stmt: Map<String, Any>) -> Void {
     }
     // Lift the final bare expression into an explicit return so implicit
     // returns ("fn lex(s) { ... tokens }") actually return their value.
-    // Void-returning functions skip this — wrapping `println(x)` in
-    // `return …` is a C type error.
+    // Void-returning functions skip this - wrapping `println(x)` in
+    // `return -` is a C type error.
     let body_xformed = body
     if !str_eq(ret_type, "Void") {
         let body_xformed = transform_implicit_return(body)
@@ -2286,7 +2353,7 @@ fn cg_fn(stmt: Map<String, Any>) -> Void {
     emit_blank()
 }
 
-// ── Top-level codegen ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+// -- Top-level codegen ---------------------------------------------------------
 
 fn is_fndef(stmt: Map<String, Any>) -> Bool {
     let kind: String = stmt["stmt"]
@@ -2312,7 +2379,7 @@ fn cgi_arg(value: String, has_value: Bool) -> String {
     return "EL_NULL"
 }
 
-// ── VBD role enforcement ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+// -- VBD role enforcement ------------------------------------------------------
 //
 // Scan a function body for direct calls to DHARMA-restricted builtins
 // (dharma_emit, dharma_field). These may only appear inside @manager fns.
@@ -2445,16 +2512,16 @@ fn vbd_has_restricted_call(stmts: [Map<String, Any>]) -> Bool {
     false
 }
 
-// ── Entry point ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+// -- Entry point ----------------------------------------------------------------
 
 fn codegen(stmts: [Map<String, Any>], source: String) -> String {
     // Detect cgi/service blocks: at most one declarative top-level block.
     // The block determines the program's CAPABILITY KIND:
-    //   "cgi"     — full self-formation. Calls all primitives.
-    //   "service" — bounded. Cannot call self-formation primitives
+    //   "cgi"     - full self-formation. Calls all primitives.
+    //   "service" - bounded. Cannot call self-formation primitives
     //               (llm_call_agentic, llm_register_tool, dharma_emit,
     //               dharma_field, mindlink-creation).
-    //   "utility" — default; no DHARMA membership, no LLM, no agentic.
+    //   "utility" - default; no DHARMA membership, no LLM, no agentic.
     // Codegen enforces this with #error directives at every restricted
     // call site. The capability boundary is structural: a binary either
     // CAN or CANNOT do a thing, and the compiler decides at emission time.
@@ -2489,7 +2556,7 @@ fn codegen(stmts: [Map<String, Any>], source: String) -> String {
     }
     if cgi_count >= 1 {
         if svc_count >= 1 {
-            emit_line("#error \"El: program declares both cgi and service blocks (mutually exclusive — pick one)\"")
+            emit_line("#error \"El: program declares both cgi and service blocks (mutually exclusive - pick one)\"")
         }
     }
     // Stash the program kind so cg_expr's Call branch can enforce
@@ -2509,9 +2576,44 @@ fn codegen(stmts: [Map<String, Any>], source: String) -> String {
     emit_line("#include <stdint.h>")
     emit_line("#include <stdlib.h>")
     emit_line("#include \"el_runtime.h\"")
+
+    // Cross-module forward declarations: for each imported module, emit
+    // #include "module.elh" so Clang sees the function signatures from
+    // that module without needing the full source inlined. The .elh files
+    // are generated by `elc --emit-header` and live in the same dist/
+    // directory as the generated .c files. We use basename only (strip
+    // the directory prefix and .el extension) so the include resolves
+    // correctly regardless of the source tree layout.
+    let imp_n: Int = native_list_len(stmts)
+    let imp_i = 0
+    while imp_i < imp_n {
+        let imp_stmt = native_list_get(stmts, imp_i)
+        let imp_kind: String = imp_stmt["stmt"]
+        if str_eq(imp_kind, "Import") {
+            let imp_path: String = imp_stmt["path"]
+            // Extract basename: find last '/' and strip from there.
+            let imp_path_len: Int = str_len(imp_path)
+            let imp_last_slash: Int = -1
+            let imp_j: Int = 0
+            while imp_j < imp_path_len {
+                let imp_c: String = str_slice(imp_path, imp_j, imp_j + 1)
+                if str_eq(imp_c, "/") { let imp_last_slash = imp_j }
+                let imp_j = imp_j + 1
+            }
+            let imp_base: String = str_slice(imp_path, imp_last_slash + 1, imp_path_len)
+            // Strip .el extension if present.
+            let imp_base_len: Int = str_len(imp_base)
+            let imp_bname: String = imp_base
+            if str_ends_with(imp_base, ".el") {
+                let imp_bname = str_slice(imp_base, 0, imp_base_len - 3)
+            }
+            emit_line("#include \"" + imp_bname + ".elh\"")
+        }
+        let imp_i = imp_i + 1
+    }
     emit_blank()
 
-    // Forward declarations (skip `main` — C provides its own)
+    // Forward declarations (skip `main` - C provides its own)
     let n: Int = native_list_len(stmts)
     let i = 0
     while i < n {
@@ -2535,7 +2637,7 @@ fn codegen(stmts: [Map<String, Any>], source: String) -> String {
     }
     emit_blank()
 
-    // Top-level `let` bindings → file-scope storage. El programs use
+    // Top-level `let` bindings -> file-scope storage. El programs use
     // top-level `let GREETING = "..."` as module constants that any
     // function below should be able to read. Without this pass, a top-
     // level Let only declares the name inside main()'s scope and any
@@ -2683,7 +2785,7 @@ fn codegen(stmts: [Map<String, Any>], source: String) -> String {
                 let main_decl = cg_stmt(stmt, "  ", main_decl)
             }
         }
-        // Release AST node after final use — each stmt is fully processed
+        // Release AST node after final use - each stmt is fully processed
         // by this point (forward decls, fn defs, top-level lets, and now
         // the main-body pass are all done). Releasing here prevents the
         // accumulated AST from exhausting memory on large source files.
@@ -2706,16 +2808,16 @@ fn codegen(stmts: [Map<String, Any>], source: String) -> String {
 
     // Emit any accumulated capability-violation #error directives. cc
     // will fail on the first one and surface the message; placement at
-    // the bottom is fine — preprocessor errors halt the build wherever
+    // the bottom is fine - preprocessor errors halt the build wherever
     // they appear.
     emit_cap_violations()
     // Same for builtin-arity violations: cc halts on the first #error,
     // so a misuse of a known builtin (wrong arg count) fails the build
     // with a clear message naming the builtin and its expected arity.
     emit_arity_violations()
-    // Temporal-type violations (Instant + Instant, Duration + Int, …).
+    // Temporal-type violations (Instant + Instant, Duration + Int, -).
     emit_time_violations()
 
-    // Return empty string — output was streamed via println
+    // Return empty string - output was streamed via println
     ""
 }