refactor(tvix/castore): add PathComponent type for checked components r/8506

This encodes a verified component on the type level. Internally, it
contains a bytes::Bytes.

The castore Path/PathBuf component() and file_name() methods now
return this type, the old ones returning bytes were renamed to
component_bytes() and component_file_name() respectively.

We can drop the directory_reject_invalid_name test - it's not possible
anymore to pass an invalid name to Directories::add.
Invalid names in the Directory proto are still being tested to be
rejected in the validate_invalid_names tests.

Change-Id: Ide4d16415dfd50b7e2d7e0c36d42a3bbeeb9b6c5
Reviewed-on: https://cl.tvl.fyi/c/depot/+/12217
Autosubmit: flokli <flokli@flokli.de>
Reviewed-by: Connor Brewster <cbrewster@hey.com>
Tested-by: BuildkiteCI

25 files changed, 282 insertions, 165 deletions

diff --git a/tvix/build/src/proto/mod.rs b/tvix/build/src/proto/mod.rs
index d3b325bd3e62..b36049d05b9d 100644
--- a/tvix/build/src/proto/mod.rs
+++ b/tvix/build/src/proto/mod.rs
@@ -125,7 +125,7 @@ impl BuildRequest {
     pub fn validate(&self) -> Result<(), ValidateBuildRequestError> {
         // validate names. Make sure they're sorted
 
-        let mut last_name = bytes::Bytes::new();
+        let mut last_name: bytes::Bytes = "".into();
         for (i, node) in self.inputs.iter().enumerate() {
             // TODO(flokli): store result somewhere
             let (name, _node) = node
@@ -133,10 +133,10 @@ impl BuildRequest {
                 .into_name_and_node()
                 .map_err(|e| ValidateBuildRequestError::InvalidInputNode(i, e))?;
 
-            if name <= last_name {
+            if name.as_ref() <= last_name.as_ref() {
                 return Err(ValidateBuildRequestError::InputNodesNotSorted);
             } else {
-                last_name = name
+                last_name = name.into()
             }
         }
 
diff --git a/tvix/castore/src/directoryservice/directory_graph.rs b/tvix/castore/src/directoryservice/directory_graph.rs
index 2f932fe05d8a..3c2d54702973 100644
--- a/tvix/castore/src/directoryservice/directory_graph.rs
+++ b/tvix/castore/src/directoryservice/directory_graph.rs
@@ -1,7 +1,5 @@
 use std::collections::HashMap;
 
-use bstr::ByteSlice;
-
 use petgraph::{
     graph::{DiGraph, NodeIndex},
     visit::{Bfs, DfsPostOrder, EdgeRef, IntoNodeIdentifiers, Walker},
@@ -10,7 +8,7 @@ use petgraph::{
 use tracing::instrument;
 
 use super::order_validator::{LeavesToRootValidator, OrderValidator, RootToLeavesValidator};
-use crate::{B3Digest, Directory, Node};
+use crate::{path::PathComponent, B3Digest, Directory, Node};
 
 #[derive(thiserror::Error, Debug)]
 pub enum Error {
@@ -71,12 +69,12 @@ pub struct ValidatedDirectoryGraph {
     root: Option<NodeIndex>,
 }
 
-fn check_edge(dir: &Edge, dir_name: &[u8], child: &Directory) -> Result<(), Error> {
+fn check_edge(dir: &Edge, dir_name: &PathComponent, child: &Directory) -> Result<(), Error> {
     // Ensure the size specified in the child node matches our records.
     if dir.1 != child.size() {
         return Err(Error::ValidationError(format!(
             "'{}' has wrong size, specified {}, recorded {}",
-            dir_name.as_bstr(),
+            dir_name,
             dir.1,
             child.size(),
         )));
@@ -179,7 +177,7 @@ impl<O: OrderValidator> DirectoryGraph<O> {
                 .expect("edge is already validated");
 
             // TODO: where's the name here?
-            check_edge(&edge_weight, b"??", &directory)?;
+            check_edge(&edge_weight, &"??".try_into().unwrap(), &directory)?;
         }
 
         // finally, store the directory information in the node weight
@@ -284,7 +282,7 @@ mod tests {
         pub static ref BROKEN_PARENT_DIRECTORY: Directory = {
             let mut dir = Directory::new();
             dir.add(
-                "foo".into(),
+                "foo".try_into().unwrap(),
                 Node::Directory{
                     digest: DIRECTORY_A.digest(),
                     size: DIRECTORY_A.size() + 42, // wrong!
diff --git a/tvix/castore/src/directoryservice/tests/mod.rs b/tvix/castore/src/directoryservice/tests/mod.rs
index 2bb9f05bf8e9..01e42130456f 100644
--- a/tvix/castore/src/directoryservice/tests/mod.rs
+++ b/tvix/castore/src/directoryservice/tests/mod.rs
@@ -219,7 +219,7 @@ async fn upload_reject_wrong_size(directory_service: impl DirectoryService) {
     let wrong_parent_directory = {
         let mut dir = Directory::new();
         dir.add(
-            "foo".into(),
+            "foo".try_into().unwrap(),
             Node::Directory {
                 digest: DIRECTORY_A.digest(),
                 size: DIRECTORY_A.size() + 42, // wrong!
diff --git a/tvix/castore/src/directoryservice/traverse.rs b/tvix/castore/src/directoryservice/traverse.rs
index 86a90175ef10..63b99ba4ea5e 100644
--- a/tvix/castore/src/directoryservice/traverse.rs
+++ b/tvix/castore/src/directoryservice/traverse.rs
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ where
     DS: AsRef<dyn DirectoryService>,
 {
     let mut parent_node = root_node;
-    for component in path.as_ref().components() {
+    for component in path.as_ref().components_bytes() {
         match parent_node {
             Node::File { .. } | Node::Symlink { .. } => {
                 // There's still some path left, but the parent node is no directory.
diff --git a/tvix/castore/src/errors.rs b/tvix/castore/src/errors.rs
index e03cfa5a5207..6c213cb06743 100644
--- a/tvix/castore/src/errors.rs
+++ b/tvix/castore/src/errors.rs
@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@ use thiserror::Error;
 use tokio::task::JoinError;
 use tonic::Status;
 
+use crate::path::PathComponent;
+
 /// Errors related to communication with the store.
 #[derive(Debug, Error, PartialEq)]
 pub enum Error {
@@ -37,11 +39,11 @@ impl From<crate::digests::Error> for ValidateNodeError {
 #[derive(Debug, thiserror::Error, PartialEq)]
 pub enum DirectoryError {
     /// Multiple elements with the same name encountered
-    #[error("{:?} is a duplicate name", .0.as_bstr())]
-    DuplicateName(Vec<u8>),
+    #[error("{:?} is a duplicate name", .0)]
+    DuplicateName(PathComponent),
     /// Node failed validation
-    #[error("invalid node with name {:?}: {:?}", .0.as_bstr(), .1.to_string())]
-    InvalidNode(bytes::Bytes, ValidateNodeError),
+    #[error("invalid node with name {}: {:?}", .0, .1.to_string())]
+    InvalidNode(PathComponent, ValidateNodeError),
     #[error("Total size exceeds u32::MAX")]
     SizeOverflow,
     /// Invalid name encountered
diff --git a/tvix/castore/src/fixtures.rs b/tvix/castore/src/fixtures.rs
index ddeacaf1d5b9..00cf3682d194 100644
--- a/tvix/castore/src/fixtures.rs
+++ b/tvix/castore/src/fixtures.rs
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ lazy_static! {
     pub static ref DIRECTORY_WITH_KEEP: Directory = {
         let mut dir = Directory::new();
         dir.add(
-            ".keep".into(),
+            ".keep".try_into().unwrap(),
             Node::File{
                 digest: EMPTY_BLOB_DIGEST.clone(),
                 size: 0,
@@ -46,20 +46,20 @@ lazy_static! {
     pub static ref DIRECTORY_COMPLICATED: Directory = {
         let mut dir = Directory::new();
         dir.add(
-            "keep".into(),
+            "keep".try_into().unwrap(),
             Node::Directory{
                 digest: DIRECTORY_WITH_KEEP.digest(),
                 size: DIRECTORY_WITH_KEEP.size()
             }).unwrap();
         dir.add(
-            ".keep".into(),
+            ".keep".try_into().unwrap(),
             Node::File{
                 digest: EMPTY_BLOB_DIGEST.clone(),
                 size: 0,
                 executable: false
             }).unwrap();
         dir.add(
-            "aa".into(),
+            "aa".try_into().unwrap(),
             Node::Symlink{
                 target: "/nix/store/somewhereelse".try_into().unwrap()
             }).unwrap();
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ lazy_static! {
     pub static ref DIRECTORY_B: Directory = {
         let mut dir = Directory::new();
         dir.add(
-            "a".into(),
+            "a".try_into().unwrap(),
             Node::Directory{
                 digest: DIRECTORY_A.digest(),
                 size: DIRECTORY_A.size(),
@@ -81,13 +81,13 @@ lazy_static! {
     pub static ref DIRECTORY_C: Directory = {
         let mut dir = Directory::new();
         dir.add(
-            "a".into(),
+            "a".try_into().unwrap(),
             Node::Directory{
                 digest: DIRECTORY_A.digest(),
                 size: DIRECTORY_A.size(),
             }).unwrap();
         dir.add(
-            "a'".into(),
+            "a'".try_into().unwrap(),
             Node::Directory{
                 digest: DIRECTORY_A.digest(),
                 size: DIRECTORY_A.size(),
@@ -98,13 +98,13 @@ lazy_static! {
     pub static ref DIRECTORY_D: Directory = {
         let mut dir = Directory::new();
         dir.add(
-            "a".into(),
+            "a".try_into().unwrap(),
             Node::Directory{
                 digest: DIRECTORY_A.digest(),
                 size: DIRECTORY_A.size(),
             }).unwrap();
         dir.add(
-            "b".into(),
+            "b".try_into().unwrap(),
             Node::Directory{
                 digest: DIRECTORY_B.digest(),
                 size: DIRECTORY_B.size(),
diff --git a/tvix/castore/src/fs/fuse/tests.rs b/tvix/castore/src/fs/fuse/tests.rs
index e5e2e66c3b62..9e01204d5da7 100644
--- a/tvix/castore/src/fs/fuse/tests.rs
+++ b/tvix/castore/src/fs/fuse/tests.rs
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 use bstr::ByteSlice;
-use bytes::Bytes;
 use std::{
     collections::BTreeMap,
     ffi::{OsStr, OsString},
@@ -12,12 +11,15 @@ use tempfile::TempDir;
 use tokio_stream::{wrappers::ReadDirStream, StreamExt};
 
 use super::FuseDaemon;
-use crate::fs::{TvixStoreFs, XATTR_NAME_BLOB_DIGEST, XATTR_NAME_DIRECTORY_DIGEST};
 use crate::{
     blobservice::{BlobService, MemoryBlobService},
     directoryservice::{DirectoryService, MemoryDirectoryService},
     fixtures, Node,
 };
+use crate::{
+    fs::{TvixStoreFs, XATTR_NAME_BLOB_DIGEST, XATTR_NAME_DIRECTORY_DIGEST},
+    PathComponent,
+};
 
 const BLOB_A_NAME: &str = "00000000000000000000000000000000-test";
 const BLOB_B_NAME: &str = "55555555555555555555555555555555-test";
@@ -37,7 +39,7 @@ fn gen_svcs() -> (Arc<dyn BlobService>, Arc<dyn DirectoryService>) {
 fn do_mount<P: AsRef<Path>, BS, DS>(
     blob_service: BS,
     directory_service: DS,
-    root_nodes: BTreeMap<bytes::Bytes, Node>,
+    root_nodes: BTreeMap<PathComponent, Node>,
     mountpoint: P,
     list_root: bool,
     show_xattr: bool,
@@ -58,7 +60,7 @@ where
 
 async fn populate_blob_a(
     blob_service: &Arc<dyn BlobService>,
-    root_nodes: &mut BTreeMap<Bytes, Node>,
+    root_nodes: &mut BTreeMap<PathComponent, Node>,
 ) {
     let mut bw = blob_service.open_write().await;
     tokio::io::copy(&mut Cursor::new(fixtures::BLOB_A.to_vec()), &mut bw)
@@ -67,7 +69,7 @@ async fn populate_blob_a(
     bw.close().await.expect("must succeed closing");
 
     root_nodes.insert(
-        BLOB_A_NAME.into(),
+        BLOB_A_NAME.try_into().unwrap(),
         Node::File {
             digest: fixtures::BLOB_A_DIGEST.clone(),
             size: fixtures::BLOB_A.len() as u64,
@@ -78,7 +80,7 @@ async fn populate_blob_a(
 
 async fn populate_blob_b(
     blob_service: &Arc<dyn BlobService>,
-    root_nodes: &mut BTreeMap<Bytes, Node>,
+    root_nodes: &mut BTreeMap<PathComponent, Node>,
 ) {
     let mut bw = blob_service.open_write().await;
     tokio::io::copy(&mut Cursor::new(fixtures::BLOB_B.to_vec()), &mut bw)
@@ -87,7 +89,7 @@ async fn populate_blob_b(
     bw.close().await.expect("must succeed closing");
 
     root_nodes.insert(
-        BLOB_B_NAME.into(),
+        BLOB_B_NAME.try_into().unwrap(),
         Node::File {
             digest: fixtures::BLOB_B_DIGEST.clone(),
             size: fixtures::BLOB_B.len() as u64,
@@ -99,7 +101,7 @@ async fn populate_blob_b(
 /// adds a blob containing helloworld and marks it as executable
 async fn populate_blob_helloworld(
     blob_service: &Arc<dyn BlobService>,
-    root_nodes: &mut BTreeMap<Bytes, Node>,
+    root_nodes: &mut BTreeMap<PathComponent, Node>,
 ) {
     let mut bw = blob_service.open_write().await;
     tokio::io::copy(
@@ -111,7 +113,7 @@ async fn populate_blob_helloworld(
     bw.close().await.expect("must succeed closing");
 
     root_nodes.insert(
-        HELLOWORLD_BLOB_NAME.into(),
+        HELLOWORLD_BLOB_NAME.try_into().unwrap(),
         Node::File {
             digest: fixtures::HELLOWORLD_BLOB_DIGEST.clone(),
             size: fixtures::HELLOWORLD_BLOB_CONTENTS.len() as u64,
@@ -120,9 +122,9 @@ async fn populate_blob_helloworld(
     );
 }
 
-async fn populate_symlink(root_nodes: &mut BTreeMap<Bytes, Node>) {
+async fn populate_symlink(root_nodes: &mut BTreeMap<PathComponent, Node>) {
     root_nodes.insert(
-        SYMLINK_NAME.into(),
+        SYMLINK_NAME.try_into().unwrap(),
         Node::Symlink {
             target: BLOB_A_NAME.try_into().unwrap(),
         },
@@ -131,9 +133,9 @@ async fn populate_symlink(root_nodes: &mut BTreeMap<Bytes, Node>) {
 
 /// This writes a symlink pointing to /nix/store/somewhereelse,
 /// which is the same symlink target as "aa" inside DIRECTORY_COMPLICATED.
-async fn populate_symlink2(root_nodes: &mut BTreeMap<Bytes, Node>) {
+async fn populate_symlink2(root_nodes: &mut BTreeMap<PathComponent, Node>) {
     root_nodes.insert(
-        SYMLINK_NAME2.into(),
+        SYMLINK_NAME2.try_into().unwrap(),
         Node::Symlink {
             target: "/nix/store/somewhereelse".try_into().unwrap(),
         },
@@ -143,7 +145,7 @@ async fn populate_symlink2(root_nodes: &mut BTreeMap<Bytes, Node>) {
 async fn populate_directory_with_keep(
     blob_service: &Arc<dyn BlobService>,
     directory_service: &Arc<dyn DirectoryService>,
-    root_nodes: &mut BTreeMap<Bytes, Node>,
+    root_nodes: &mut BTreeMap<PathComponent, Node>,
 ) {
     // upload empty blob
     let mut bw = blob_service.open_write().await;
@@ -159,7 +161,7 @@ async fn populate_directory_with_keep(
         .expect("must succeed uploading");
 
     root_nodes.insert(
-        DIRECTORY_WITH_KEEP_NAME.into(),
+        DIRECTORY_WITH_KEEP_NAME.try_into().unwrap(),
         Node::Directory {
             digest: fixtures::DIRECTORY_WITH_KEEP.digest(),
             size: fixtures::DIRECTORY_WITH_KEEP.size(),
@@ -169,9 +171,9 @@ async fn populate_directory_with_keep(
 
 /// Create a root node for DIRECTORY_WITH_KEEP, but don't upload the Directory
 /// itself.
-async fn populate_directorynode_without_directory(root_nodes: &mut BTreeMap<Bytes, Node>) {
+async fn populate_directorynode_without_directory(root_nodes: &mut BTreeMap<PathComponent, Node>) {
     root_nodes.insert(
-        DIRECTORY_WITH_KEEP_NAME.into(),
+        DIRECTORY_WITH_KEEP_NAME.try_into().unwrap(),
         Node::Directory {
             digest: fixtures::DIRECTORY_WITH_KEEP.digest(),
             size: fixtures::DIRECTORY_WITH_KEEP.size(),
@@ -180,9 +182,9 @@ async fn populate_directorynode_without_directory(root_nodes: &mut BTreeMap<Byte
 }
 
 /// Insert BLOB_A, but don't provide the blob .keep is pointing to.
-async fn populate_filenode_without_blob(root_nodes: &mut BTreeMap<Bytes, Node>) {
+async fn populate_filenode_without_blob(root_nodes: &mut BTreeMap<PathComponent, Node>) {
     root_nodes.insert(
-        BLOB_A_NAME.into(),
+        BLOB_A_NAME.try_into().unwrap(),
         Node::File {
             digest: fixtures::BLOB_A_DIGEST.clone(),
             size: fixtures::BLOB_A.len() as u64,
@@ -194,7 +196,7 @@ async fn populate_filenode_without_blob(root_nodes: &mut BTreeMap<Bytes, Node>)
 async fn populate_directory_complicated(
     blob_service: &Arc<dyn BlobService>,
     directory_service: &Arc<dyn DirectoryService>,
-    root_nodes: &mut BTreeMap<Bytes, Node>,
+    root_nodes: &mut BTreeMap<PathComponent, Node>,
 ) {
     // upload empty blob
     let mut bw = blob_service.open_write().await;
@@ -216,7 +218,7 @@ async fn populate_directory_complicated(
         .expect("must succeed uploading");
 
     root_nodes.insert(
-        DIRECTORY_COMPLICATED_NAME.into(),
+        DIRECTORY_COMPLICATED_NAME.try_into().unwrap(),
         Node::Directory {
             digest: fixtures::DIRECTORY_COMPLICATED.digest(),
             size: fixtures::DIRECTORY_COMPLICATED.size(),
diff --git a/tvix/castore/src/fs/inodes.rs b/tvix/castore/src/fs/inodes.rs
index 782ffff716d2..2696fdede378 100644
--- a/tvix/castore/src/fs/inodes.rs
+++ b/tvix/castore/src/fs/inodes.rs
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 //! about inodes, which present tvix-castore nodes in a filesystem.
 use std::time::Duration;
 
-use crate::{B3Digest, Node};
+use crate::{path::PathComponent, B3Digest, Node};
 
 #[derive(Clone, Debug)]
 pub enum InodeData {
@@ -17,8 +17,8 @@ pub enum InodeData {
 /// lookup and did fetch the data.
 #[derive(Clone, Debug)]
 pub enum DirectoryInodeData {
-    Sparse(B3Digest, u64),                               // digest, size
-    Populated(B3Digest, Vec<(u64, bytes::Bytes, Node)>), // [(child_inode, name, node)]
+    Sparse(B3Digest, u64),                                // digest, size
+    Populated(B3Digest, Vec<(u64, PathComponent, Node)>), // [(child_inode, name, node)]
 }
 
 impl InodeData {
diff --git a/tvix/castore/src/fs/mod.rs b/tvix/castore/src/fs/mod.rs
index f819adb549f5..d196266ab438 100644
--- a/tvix/castore/src/fs/mod.rs
+++ b/tvix/castore/src/fs/mod.rs
@@ -18,10 +18,10 @@ use self::{
 use crate::{
     blobservice::{BlobReader, BlobService},
     directoryservice::DirectoryService,
-    {B3Digest, Node},
+    path::PathComponent,
+    B3Digest, Node,
 };
 use bstr::ByteVec;
-use bytes::Bytes;
 use fuse_backend_rs::abi::fuse_abi::{stat64, OpenOptions};
 use fuse_backend_rs::api::filesystem::{
     Context, FileSystem, FsOptions, GetxattrReply, ListxattrReply, ROOT_ID,
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ pub struct TvixStoreFs<BS, DS, RN> {
     show_xattr: bool,
 
     /// This maps a given basename in the root to the inode we allocated for the node.
-    root_nodes: RwLock<HashMap<Bytes, u64>>,
+    root_nodes: RwLock<HashMap<PathComponent, u64>>,
 
     /// This keeps track of inodes and data alongside them.
     inode_tracker: RwLock<InodeTracker>,
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ pub struct TvixStoreFs<BS, DS, RN> {
             u64,
             (
                 Span,
-                Arc<Mutex<mpsc::Receiver<(usize, Result<(Bytes, Node), crate::Error>)>>>,
+                Arc<Mutex<mpsc::Receiver<(usize, Result<(PathComponent, Node), crate::Error>)>>>,
             ),
         >,
     >,
@@ -154,7 +154,7 @@ where
 
     /// Retrieves the inode for a given root node basename, if present.
     /// This obtains a read lock on self.root_nodes.
-    fn get_inode_for_root_name(&self, name: &[u8]) -> Option<u64> {
+    fn get_inode_for_root_name(&self, name: &PathComponent) -> Option<u64> {
         self.root_nodes.read().get(name).cloned()
     }
 
@@ -170,7 +170,7 @@ where
     fn get_directory_children(
         &self,
         ino: u64,
-    ) -> io::Result<(B3Digest, Vec<(u64, bytes::Bytes, Node)>)> {
+    ) -> io::Result<(B3Digest, Vec<(u64, PathComponent, Node)>)> {
         let data = self.inode_tracker.read().get(ino).unwrap();
         match *data {
             // if it's populated already, return children.
@@ -200,7 +200,7 @@ where
                 let children = {
                     let mut inode_tracker = self.inode_tracker.write();
 
-                    let children: Vec<(u64, Bytes, Node)> = directory
+                    let children: Vec<(u64, PathComponent, Node)> = directory
                         .nodes()
                         .map(|(child_name, child_node)| {
                             let inode_data = InodeData::from_node(child_node);
@@ -240,12 +240,12 @@ where
     /// In the case the name can't be found, a libc::ENOENT is returned.
     fn name_in_root_to_ino_and_data(
         &self,
-        name: &std::ffi::CStr,
+        name: &PathComponent,
     ) -> io::Result<(u64, Arc<InodeData>)> {
         // Look up the inode for that root node.
         // If there's one, [self.inode_tracker] MUST also contain the data,
         // which we can then return.
-        if let Some(inode) = self.get_inode_for_root_name(name.to_bytes()) {
+        if let Some(inode) = self.get_inode_for_root_name(name) {
             return Ok((
                 inode,
                 self.inode_tracker
@@ -259,7 +259,8 @@ where
         // We don't have it yet, look it up in [self.root_nodes].
         match self.tokio_handle.block_on({
             let root_nodes_provider = self.root_nodes_provider.clone();
-            async move { root_nodes_provider.get_by_basename(name.to_bytes()).await }
+            let name = name.clone();
+            async move { root_nodes_provider.get_by_basename(&name).await }
         }) {
             // if there was an error looking up the root node, propagate up an IO error.
             Err(_e) => Err(io::Error::from_raw_os_error(libc::EIO)),
@@ -269,7 +270,7 @@ where
             Ok(Some(root_node)) => {
                 // Let's check if someone else beat us to updating the inode tracker and
                 // root_nodes map. This avoids locking inode_tracker for writing.
-                if let Some(ino) = self.root_nodes.read().get(name.to_bytes()) {
+                if let Some(ino) = self.root_nodes.read().get(name) {
                     return Ok((
                         *ino,
                         self.inode_tracker.read().get(*ino).expect("must exist"),
@@ -285,7 +286,7 @@ where
                 // self.root_nodes.
                 let inode_data = InodeData::from_node(&root_node);
                 let ino = inode_tracker.put(inode_data.clone());
-                root_nodes.insert(bytes::Bytes::copy_from_slice(name.to_bytes()), ino);
+                root_nodes.insert(name.to_owned(), ino);
 
                 Ok((ino, Arc::new(inode_data)))
             }
@@ -341,13 +342,17 @@ where
     ) -> io::Result<fuse_backend_rs::api::filesystem::Entry> {
         debug!("lookup");
 
+        // convert the CStr to a PathComponent
+        // If it can't be converted, we definitely don't have anything here.
+        let name: PathComponent = name.try_into().map_err(|_| std::io::ErrorKind::NotFound)?;
+
         // This goes from a parent inode to a node.
         // - If the parent is [ROOT_ID], we need to check
         //   [self.root_nodes] (fetching from a [RootNode] provider if needed)
         // - Otherwise, lookup the parent in [self.inode_tracker] (which must be
         //   a [InodeData::Directory]), and find the child with that name.
         if parent == ROOT_ID {
-            let (ino, inode_data) = self.name_in_root_to_ino_and_data(name)?;
+            let (ino, inode_data) = self.name_in_root_to_ino_and_data(&name)?;
 
             debug!(inode_data=?&inode_data, ino=ino, "Some");
             return Ok(inode_data.as_fuse_entry(ino));
@@ -360,7 +365,7 @@ where
         // Search for that name in the list of children and return the FileAttrs.
 
         // in the children, find the one with the desired name.
-        if let Some((child_ino, _, _)) = children.iter().find(|(_, n, _)| n == name.to_bytes()) {
+        if let Some((child_ino, _, _)) = children.iter().find(|(_, n, _)| n == &name) {
             // lookup the child [InodeData] in [self.inode_tracker].
             // We know the inodes for children have already been allocated.
             let child_inode_data = self.inode_tracker.read().get(*child_ino).unwrap();
@@ -479,7 +484,7 @@ where
                     ino,
                     offset: offset + (i as u64) + 1,
                     type_: inode_data.as_fuse_type(),
-                    name: &name,
+                    name: name.as_ref(),
                 })?;
                 // If the buffer is full, add_entry will return `Ok(0)`.
                 if written == 0 {
@@ -503,7 +508,7 @@ where
                 ino,
                 offset: offset + (i as u64) + 1,
                 type_: inode_data.as_fuse_type(),
-                name: &child_name,
+                name: child_name.as_ref(),
             })?;
             // If the buffer is full, add_entry will return `Ok(0)`.
             if written == 0 {
@@ -569,7 +574,7 @@ where
                         ino,
                         offset: offset + (i as u64) + 1,
                         type_: inode_data.as_fuse_type(),
-                        name: &name,
+                        name: name.as_ref(),
                     },
                     inode_data.as_fuse_entry(ino),
                 )?;
@@ -594,7 +599,7 @@ where
                     ino,
                     offset: offset + (i as u64) + 1,
                     type_: inode_data.as_fuse_type(),
-                    name: &name,
+                    name: name.as_ref(),
                 },
                 inode_data.as_fuse_entry(ino),
             )?;
diff --git a/tvix/castore/src/fs/root_nodes.rs b/tvix/castore/src/fs/root_nodes.rs
index 62f0b62196a6..5ed1a4d8d6c0 100644
--- a/tvix/castore/src/fs/root_nodes.rs
+++ b/tvix/castore/src/fs/root_nodes.rs
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 use std::collections::BTreeMap;
 
-use crate::{Error, Node};
+use crate::{path::PathComponent, Error, Node};
 use futures::stream::BoxStream;
 use tonic::async_trait;
 
@@ -10,12 +10,12 @@ use tonic::async_trait;
 pub trait RootNodes: Send + Sync {
     /// Looks up a root CA node based on the basename of the node in the root
     /// directory of the filesystem.
-    async fn get_by_basename(&self, name: &[u8]) -> Result<Option<Node>, Error>;
+    async fn get_by_basename(&self, name: &PathComponent) -> Result<Option<Node>, Error>;
 
     /// Lists all root CA nodes in the filesystem, as a tuple of (base)name
     /// and Node.
     /// An error can be returned in case listing is not allowed.
-    fn list(&self) -> BoxStream<Result<(bytes::Bytes, Node), Error>>;
+    fn list(&self) -> BoxStream<Result<(PathComponent, Node), Error>>;
 }
 
 #[async_trait]
@@ -23,13 +23,13 @@ pub trait RootNodes: Send + Sync {
 /// the key is the node name.
 impl<T> RootNodes for T
 where
-    T: AsRef<BTreeMap<bytes::Bytes, Node>> + Send + Sync,
+    T: AsRef<BTreeMap<PathComponent, Node>> + Send + Sync,
 {
-    async fn get_by_basename(&self, name: &[u8]) -> Result<Option<Node>, Error> {
+    async fn get_by_basename(&self, name: &PathComponent) -> Result<Option<Node>, Error> {
         Ok(self.as_ref().get(name).cloned())
     }
 
-    fn list(&self) -> BoxStream<Result<(bytes::Bytes, Node), Error>> {
+    fn list(&self) -> BoxStream<Result<(PathComponent, Node), Error>> {
         Box::pin(tokio_stream::iter(
             self.as_ref()
                 .iter()
diff --git a/tvix/castore/src/import/mod.rs b/tvix/castore/src/import/mod.rs
index 9fce22585f60..a7c459fdb56a 100644
--- a/tvix/castore/src/import/mod.rs
+++ b/tvix/castore/src/import/mod.rs
@@ -123,9 +123,8 @@ where
                 .path()
                 .file_name()
                 // If this is the root node, it will have an empty name.
-                .unwrap_or_default()
-                .to_owned()
-                .into();
+                .unwrap_or_else(|| "".try_into().unwrap())
+                .to_owned();
 
             // record node in parent directory, creating a new [Directory] if not there yet.
             directories
diff --git a/tvix/castore/src/lib.rs b/tvix/castore/src/lib.rs
index f56ddf827722..6e1b36231b9d 100644
--- a/tvix/castore/src/lib.rs
+++ b/tvix/castore/src/lib.rs
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ mod nodes;
 pub use nodes::*;
 
 mod path;
-pub use path::{Path, PathBuf};
+pub use path::{Path, PathBuf, PathComponent};
 
 pub mod import;
 pub mod proto;
diff --git a/tvix/castore/src/nodes/directory.rs b/tvix/castore/src/nodes/directory.rs
index a2c520358929..03db30b52408 100644
--- a/tvix/castore/src/nodes/directory.rs
+++ b/tvix/castore/src/nodes/directory.rs
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 use std::collections::BTreeMap;
 
-use crate::{errors::DirectoryError, proto, B3Digest, Node};
+use crate::{errors::DirectoryError, path::PathComponent, proto, B3Digest, Node};
 
 /// A Directory contains nodes, which can be Directory, File or Symlink nodes.
 /// It attached names to these nodes, which is the basename in that directory.
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ use crate::{errors::DirectoryError, proto, B3Digest, Node};
 ///  - MUST be unique across all three lists
 #[derive(Default, Debug, Clone, PartialEq, Eq)]
 pub struct Directory {
-    nodes: BTreeMap<bytes::Bytes, Node>,
+    nodes: BTreeMap<PathComponent, Node>,
 }
 
 impl Directory {
@@ -46,31 +46,17 @@ impl Directory {
     /// Allows iterating over all nodes (directories, files and symlinks)
     /// For each, it returns a tuple of its name and node.
     /// The elements are sorted by their names.
-    pub fn nodes(&self) -> impl Iterator<Item = (&bytes::Bytes, &Node)> + Send + Sync + '_ {
+    pub fn nodes(&self) -> impl Iterator<Item = (&PathComponent, &Node)> + Send + Sync + '_ {
         self.nodes.iter()
     }
 
-    /// Checks a Node name for validity as a directory entry
-    /// We disallow slashes, null bytes, '.', '..' and the empty string.
-    pub(crate) fn is_valid_name(name: &[u8]) -> bool {
-        !(name.is_empty()
-            || name == b".."
-            || name == b"."
-            || name.contains(&0x00)
-            || name.contains(&b'/'))
-    }
-
     /// Adds the specified [Node] to the [Directory] with a given name.
     ///
     /// Inserting an element that already exists with the same name in the directory will yield an
     /// error.
     /// Inserting an element will validate that its name fulfills the
     /// requirements for directory entries and yield an error if it is not.
-    pub fn add(&mut self, name: bytes::Bytes, node: Node) -> Result<(), DirectoryError> {
-        if !Self::is_valid_name(&name) {
-            return Err(DirectoryError::InvalidName(name));
-        }
-
+    pub fn add(&mut self, name: PathComponent, node: Node) -> Result<(), DirectoryError> {
         // Check that the even after adding this new directory entry, the size calculation will not
         // overflow
         // FUTUREWORK: add some sort of batch add interface which only does this check once with
@@ -91,7 +77,7 @@ impl Directory {
                 Ok(())
             }
             std::collections::btree_map::Entry::Occupied(occupied) => {
-                Err(DirectoryError::DuplicateName(occupied.key().to_vec()))
+                Err(DirectoryError::DuplicateName(occupied.key().to_owned()))
             }
         }
     }
@@ -112,7 +98,7 @@ mod test {
         let mut d = Directory::new();
 
         d.add(
-            "b".into(),
+            "b".try_into().unwrap(),
             Node::Directory {
                 digest: DUMMY_DIGEST.clone(),
                 size: 1,
@@ -120,7 +106,7 @@ mod test {
         )
         .unwrap();
         d.add(
-            "a".into(),
+            "a".try_into().unwrap(),
             Node::Directory {
                 digest: DUMMY_DIGEST.clone(),
                 size: 1,
@@ -128,7 +114,7 @@ mod test {
         )
         .unwrap();
         d.add(
-            "z".into(),
+            "z".try_into().unwrap(),
             Node::Directory {
                 digest: DUMMY_DIGEST.clone(),
                 size: 1,
@@ -137,7 +123,7 @@ mod test {
         .unwrap();
 
         d.add(
-            "f".into(),
+            "f".try_into().unwrap(),
             Node::File {
                 digest: DUMMY_DIGEST.clone(),
                 size: 1,
@@ -146,7 +132,7 @@ mod test {
         )
         .unwrap();
         d.add(
-            "c".into(),
+            "c".try_into().unwrap(),
             Node::File {
                 digest: DUMMY_DIGEST.clone(),
                 size: 1,
@@ -155,7 +141,7 @@ mod test {
         )
         .unwrap();
         d.add(
-            "g".into(),
+            "g".try_into().unwrap(),
             Node::File {
                 digest: DUMMY_DIGEST.clone(),
                 size: 1,
@@ -165,21 +151,21 @@ mod test {
         .unwrap();
 
         d.add(
-            "t".into(),
+            "t".try_into().unwrap(),
             Node::Symlink {
                 target: "a".try_into().unwrap(),
             },
         )
         .unwrap();
         d.add(
-            "o".into(),
+            "o".try_into().unwrap(),
             Node::Symlink {
                 target: "a".try_into().unwrap(),
             },
         )
         .unwrap();
         d.add(
-            "e".into(),
+            "e".try_into().unwrap(),
             Node::Symlink {
                 target: "a".try_into().unwrap(),
             },
@@ -197,7 +183,7 @@ mod test {
 
         assert_eq!(
             d.add(
-                "foo".into(),
+                "foo".try_into().unwrap(),
                 Node::Directory {
                     digest: DUMMY_DIGEST.clone(),
                     size: u64::MAX
@@ -212,7 +198,7 @@ mod test {
         let mut d = Directory::new();
 
         d.add(
-            "a".into(),
+            "a".try_into().unwrap(),
             Node::Directory {
                 digest: DUMMY_DIGEST.clone(),
                 size: 1,
@@ -223,7 +209,7 @@ mod test {
             format!(
                 "{}",
                 d.add(
-                    "a".into(),
+                    "a".try_into().unwrap(),
                     Node::File {
                         digest: DUMMY_DIGEST.clone(),
                         size: 1,
@@ -235,20 +221,4 @@ mod test {
             "\"a\" is a duplicate name"
         );
     }
-
-    /// Attempt to add a directory entry with a name which should be rejected.
-    #[tokio::test]
-    async fn directory_reject_invalid_name() {
-        let mut dir = Directory::new();
-        assert!(
-            dir.add(
-                "".into(), // wrong! can not be added to directory
-                Node::Symlink {
-                    target: "doesntmatter".try_into().unwrap(),
-                },
-            )
-            .is_err(),
-            "invalid symlink entry be rejected"
-        );
-    }
 }
diff --git a/tvix/castore/src/nodes/mod.rs b/tvix/castore/src/nodes/mod.rs
index 0c7b89de917b..684e65f89b25 100644
--- a/tvix/castore/src/nodes/mod.rs
+++ b/tvix/castore/src/nodes/mod.rs
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ mod symlink_target;
 
 use crate::B3Digest;
 pub use directory::Directory;
-use symlink_target::SymlinkTarget;
+pub use symlink_target::SymlinkTarget;
 
 /// A Node is either a [DirectoryNode], [FileNode] or [SymlinkNode].
 /// Nodes themselves don't have names, what gives them names is either them
diff --git a/tvix/castore/src/path/component.rs b/tvix/castore/src/path/component.rs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..f755f06e62a8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tvix/castore/src/path/component.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,102 @@
+// TODO: split out this error
+use crate::DirectoryError;
+
+use bstr::ByteSlice;
+use std::fmt::{self, Debug, Display};
+
+/// A wrapper type for validated path components in the castore model.
+/// Internally uses a [bytes::Bytes], but disallows
+/// slashes, and null bytes to be present, as well as
+/// '.', '..' and the empty string.
+#[repr(transparent)]
+#[derive(Clone, Hash, PartialEq, Eq, PartialOrd, Ord)]
+pub struct PathComponent {
+    pub(super) inner: bytes::Bytes,
+}
+
+impl AsRef<[u8]> for PathComponent {
+    fn as_ref(&self) -> &[u8] {
+        self.inner.as_ref()
+    }
+}
+
+impl From<PathComponent> for bytes::Bytes {
+    fn from(value: PathComponent) -> Self {
+        value.inner
+    }
+}
+
+pub(super) fn is_valid_name<B: AsRef<[u8]>>(name: B) -> bool {
+    let v = name.as_ref();
+
+    !v.is_empty() && v != *b".." && v != *b"." && !v.contains(&0x00) && !v.contains(&b'/')
+}
+
+impl TryFrom<bytes::Bytes> for PathComponent {
+    type Error = DirectoryError;
+
+    fn try_from(value: bytes::Bytes) -> Result<Self, Self::Error> {
+        if !is_valid_name(&value) {
+            return Err(DirectoryError::InvalidName(value));
+        }
+
+        Ok(Self { inner: value })
+    }
+}
+
+impl TryFrom<&'static [u8]> for PathComponent {
+    type Error = DirectoryError;
+
+    fn try_from(value: &'static [u8]) -> Result<Self, Self::Error> {
+        if !is_valid_name(value) {
+            return Err(DirectoryError::InvalidName(bytes::Bytes::from_static(
+                value,
+            )));
+        }
+        Ok(Self {
+            inner: bytes::Bytes::from_static(value),
+        })
+    }
+}
+
+impl TryFrom<&str> for PathComponent {
+    type Error = DirectoryError;
+
+    fn try_from(value: &str) -> Result<Self, Self::Error> {
+        if !is_valid_name(value) {
+            return Err(DirectoryError::InvalidName(bytes::Bytes::copy_from_slice(
+                value.as_bytes(),
+            )));
+        }
+        Ok(Self {
+            inner: bytes::Bytes::copy_from_slice(value.as_bytes()),
+        })
+    }
+}
+
+impl TryFrom<&std::ffi::CStr> for PathComponent {
+    type Error = DirectoryError;
+
+    fn try_from(value: &std::ffi::CStr) -> Result<Self, Self::Error> {
+        if !is_valid_name(value.to_bytes()) {
+            return Err(DirectoryError::InvalidName(bytes::Bytes::copy_from_slice(
+                value.to_bytes(),
+            )));
+        }
+        Ok(Self {
+            inner: bytes::Bytes::copy_from_slice(value.to_bytes()),
+        })
+    }
+}
+
+impl Debug for PathComponent {
+    fn fmt(&self, f: &mut fmt::Formatter) -> fmt::Result {
+        Debug::fmt(self.inner.as_bstr(), f)
+    }
+}
+
+impl Display for PathComponent {
+    fn fmt(&self, f: &mut fmt::Formatter) -> fmt::Result {
+        Display::fmt(self.inner.as_bstr(), f)
+    }
+}
diff --git a/tvix/castore/src/path.rs b/tvix/castore/src/path/mod.rs
index 8a55e9f5a1d3..5a68f1add416 100644
--- a/tvix/castore/src/path.rs
+++ b/tvix/castore/src/path/mod.rs
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 //! Contains data structures to deal with Paths in the tvix-castore model.
-
+use bstr::ByteSlice;
 use std::{
     borrow::Borrow,
     fmt::{self, Debug, Display},
@@ -8,9 +8,8 @@ use std::{
     str::FromStr,
 };
 
-use bstr::ByteSlice;
-
-use crate::Directory;
+mod component;
+pub use component::PathComponent;
 
 /// Represents a Path in the castore model.
 /// These are always relative, and platform-independent, which distinguishes
@@ -38,7 +37,7 @@ impl Path {
         if !bytes.is_empty() {
             // Ensure all components are valid castore node names.
             for component in bytes.split_str(b"/") {
-                if !Directory::is_valid_name(component) {
+                if !component::is_valid_name(component) {
                     return None;
                 }
             }
@@ -83,10 +82,26 @@ impl Path {
         Ok(v)
     }
 
+    /// Provides an iterator over the components of the path,
+    /// which are invividual [PathComponent].
+    /// In case the path is empty, an empty iterator is returned.
+    pub fn components(&self) -> impl Iterator<Item = PathComponent> + '_ {
+        let mut iter = self.inner.split_str(&b"/");
+
+        // We don't want to return an empty element, consume it if it's the only one.
+        if self.inner.is_empty() {
+            let _ = iter.next();
+        }
+
+        iter.map(|b| PathComponent {
+            inner: bytes::Bytes::copy_from_slice(b),
+        })
+    }
+
     /// Produces an iterator over the components of the path, which are
     /// individual byte slices.
     /// In case the path is empty, an empty iterator is returned.
-    pub fn components(&self) -> impl Iterator<Item = &[u8]> {
+    pub fn components_bytes(&self) -> impl Iterator<Item = &[u8]> {
         let mut iter = self.inner.split_str(&b"/");
 
         // We don't want to return an empty element, consume it if it's the only one.
@@ -97,11 +112,16 @@ impl Path {
         iter
     }
 
-    /// Returns the final component of the Path, if there is one.
-    pub fn file_name(&self) -> Option<&[u8]> {
+    /// Returns the final component of the Path, if there is one, in bytes.
+    pub fn file_name(&self) -> Option<PathComponent> {
         self.components().last()
     }
 
+    /// Returns the final component of the Path, if there is one, in bytes.
+    pub fn file_name_bytes(&self) -> Option<&[u8]> {
+        self.components_bytes().last()
+    }
+
     pub fn as_bytes(&self) -> &[u8] {
         &self.inner
     }
@@ -213,7 +233,7 @@ impl PathBuf {
 
     /// Adjoins `name` to self.
     pub fn try_push(&mut self, name: &[u8]) -> Result<(), std::io::Error> {
-        if !Directory::is_valid_name(name) {
+        if !component::is_valid_name(name) {
             return Err(std::io::ErrorKind::InvalidData.into());
         }
 
@@ -333,7 +353,7 @@ mod test {
         assert_eq!(s.as_bytes(), p.as_bytes(), "inner bytes mismatch");
         assert_eq!(
             num_components,
-            p.components().count(),
+            p.components_bytes().count(),
             "number of components mismatch"
         );
     }
@@ -400,10 +420,10 @@ mod test {
     #[case("a", vec!["a"])]
     #[case("a/b", vec!["a", "b"])]
     #[case("a/b/c", vec!["a","b", "c"])]
-    pub fn components(#[case] p: PathBuf, #[case] exp_components: Vec<&str>) {
+    pub fn components_bytes(#[case] p: PathBuf, #[case] exp_components: Vec<&str>) {
         assert_eq!(
             exp_components,
-            p.components()
+            p.components_bytes()
                 .map(|x| x.to_str().unwrap())
                 .collect::<Vec<_>>()
         );
diff --git a/tvix/castore/src/proto/mod.rs b/tvix/castore/src/proto/mod.rs
index c12eb4ee3c91..f32f3a0687a7 100644
--- a/tvix/castore/src/proto/mod.rs
+++ b/tvix/castore/src/proto/mod.rs
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ use prost::Message;
 mod grpc_blobservice_wrapper;
 mod grpc_directoryservice_wrapper;
 
-use crate::{B3Digest, DirectoryError};
+use crate::{path::PathComponent, B3Digest, DirectoryError};
 pub use grpc_blobservice_wrapper::GRPCBlobServiceWrapper;
 pub use grpc_directoryservice_wrapper::GRPCDirectoryServiceWrapper;
 
@@ -162,19 +162,19 @@ impl From<&crate::Directory> for Directory {
                     size,
                     executable,
                 } => files.push(FileNode {
-                    name: name.clone(),
+                    name: name.to_owned().into(),
                     digest: digest.to_owned().into(),
                     size: *size,
                     executable: *executable,
                 }),
                 crate::Node::Directory { digest, size } => directories.push(DirectoryNode {
-                    name: name.clone(),
+                    name: name.to_owned().into(),
                     digest: digest.to_owned().into(),
                     size: *size,
                 }),
                 crate::Node::Symlink { target } => {
                     symlinks.push(SymlinkNode {
-                        name: name.clone(),
+                        name: name.to_owned().into(),
                         target: target.to_owned().into(),
                     });
                 }
@@ -190,22 +190,24 @@ impl From<&crate::Directory> for Directory {
 
 impl Node {
     /// Converts a proto [Node] to a [crate::Node], and splits off the name.
-    pub fn into_name_and_node(self) -> Result<(bytes::Bytes, crate::Node), DirectoryError> {
+    pub fn into_name_and_node(self) -> Result<(PathComponent, crate::Node), DirectoryError> {
         match self.node.ok_or_else(|| DirectoryError::NoNodeSet)? {
             node::Node::Directory(n) => {
+                let name: PathComponent = n.name.try_into()?;
                 let digest = B3Digest::try_from(n.digest)
-                    .map_err(|e| DirectoryError::InvalidNode(n.name.to_owned(), e.into()))?;
+                    .map_err(|e| DirectoryError::InvalidNode(name.clone(), e.into()))?;
 
                 let node = crate::Node::Directory {
                     digest,
                     size: n.size,
                 };
 
-                Ok((n.name, node))
+                Ok((name, node))
             }
             node::Node::File(n) => {
+                let name: PathComponent = n.name.try_into()?;
                 let digest = B3Digest::try_from(n.digest)
-                    .map_err(|e| DirectoryError::InvalidNode(n.name.to_owned(), e.into()))?;
+                    .map_err(|e| DirectoryError::InvalidNode(name.clone(), e.into()))?;
 
                 let node = crate::Node::File {
                     digest,
@@ -213,23 +215,26 @@ impl Node {
                     executable: n.executable,
                 };
 
-                Ok((n.name, node))
+                Ok((name, node))
             }
 
             node::Node::Symlink(n) => {
+                let name: PathComponent = n.name.try_into()?;
                 let node = crate::Node::Symlink {
                     target: n
                         .target
                         .try_into()
-                        .map_err(|e| DirectoryError::InvalidNode(n.name.to_owned(), e))?,
+                        .map_err(|e| DirectoryError::InvalidNode(name.clone(), e))?,
                 };
 
-                Ok((n.name, node))
+                Ok((name, node))
             }
         }
     }
 
     /// Construsts a [Node] from a name and [crate::Node].
+    /// The name is a [bytes::Bytes], not a [PathComponent], as we have use an
+    /// empty name in some places.
     pub fn from_name_and_node(name: bytes::Bytes, n: crate::Node) -> Self {
         match n {
             crate::Node::Directory { digest, size } => Self {
diff --git a/tvix/castore/src/proto/tests/directory.rs b/tvix/castore/src/proto/tests/directory.rs
index 215bce7275dd..1e7cdb89c118 100644
--- a/tvix/castore/src/proto/tests/directory.rs
+++ b/tvix/castore/src/proto/tests/directory.rs
@@ -301,7 +301,7 @@ fn validate_sorting() {
         };
         match crate::Directory::try_from(d).expect_err("must fail") {
             DirectoryError::DuplicateName(s) => {
-                assert_eq!(s, b"a");
+                assert_eq!(s.as_ref(), b"a");
             }
             _ => panic!("unexpected error"),
         }
diff --git a/tvix/clippy.toml b/tvix/clippy.toml
index be7709684c6f..31952cc80ad1 100644
--- a/tvix/clippy.toml
+++ b/tvix/clippy.toml
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 # prevents a false-positive lint on our types containing bytes::Bytes
 # https://rust-lang.github.io/rust-clippy/master/index.html#/mutable_key_type
 ignore-interior-mutability = [
+  # make sure to specify the originating type name, not re-exports!
   "bytes::Bytes",
-  "tvix_castore::digests::B3Digest"
+  "tvix_castore::digests::B3Digest",
+  "tvix_castore::path::component::PathComponent"
 ]
diff --git a/tvix/glue/src/tvix_store_io.rs b/tvix/glue/src/tvix_store_io.rs
index 234a5ef38f43..0833fc45e132 100644
--- a/tvix/glue/src/tvix_store_io.rs
+++ b/tvix/glue/src/tvix_store_io.rs
@@ -314,7 +314,7 @@ impl TvixStoreIO {
                             // assemble the PathInfo to persist
                             let path_info = PathInfo {
                                 node: Some(tvix_castore::proto::Node::from_name_and_node(
-                                    output_name,
+                                    output_name.into(),
                                     output_node,
                                 )),
                                 references: vec![], // TODO: refscan
@@ -355,7 +355,9 @@ impl TvixStoreIO {
                             .outputs
                             .into_iter()
                             .map(|e| e.into_name_and_node().expect("invalid node"))
-                            .find(|(output_name, _output_node)| output_name == s.as_bytes())
+                            .find(|(output_name, _output_node)| {
+                                output_name.as_ref() == s.as_bytes()
+                            })
                             .expect("build didn't produce the store path")
                             .1
                     }
@@ -562,9 +564,13 @@ impl EvalIO for TvixStoreIO {
                             // TODO: into_nodes() to avoid cloning
                             for (name, node) in directory.nodes() {
                                 children.push(match node {
-                                    Node::Directory { .. } => (name.clone(), FileType::Directory),
-                                    Node::File { .. } => (name.clone(), FileType::Regular),
-                                    Node::Symlink { .. } => (name.clone(), FileType::Symlink),
+                                    Node::Directory { .. } => {
+                                        (name.clone().into(), FileType::Directory)
+                                    }
+                                    Node::File { .. } => (name.clone().into(), FileType::Regular),
+                                    Node::Symlink { .. } => {
+                                        (name.clone().into(), FileType::Symlink)
+                                    }
                                 })
                             }
                             Ok(children)
diff --git a/tvix/nar-bridge/src/nar.rs b/tvix/nar-bridge/src/nar.rs
index f65c8f0be2ab..e43b220c5a0e 100644
--- a/tvix/nar-bridge/src/nar.rs
+++ b/tvix/nar-bridge/src/nar.rs
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ pub async fn get(
         StatusCode::BAD_REQUEST
     })?;
 
-    if !root_name.is_empty() {
+    if !root_name.as_ref().is_empty() {
         warn!("root node has name, which it shouldn't");
         return Err(StatusCode::BAD_REQUEST);
     }
diff --git a/tvix/store/src/import.rs b/tvix/store/src/import.rs
index f2f38f538604..5a21b375b575 100644
--- a/tvix/store/src/import.rs
+++ b/tvix/store/src/import.rs
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ use std::path::Path;
 use tracing::{debug, instrument};
 use tvix_castore::{
     blobservice::BlobService, directoryservice::DirectoryService, import::fs::ingest_path, Node,
+    PathComponent,
 };
 
 use nix_compat::{
@@ -139,14 +140,19 @@ where
         )
     })?;
 
-    let name = bytes::Bytes::from(output_path.to_string());
+    let name: PathComponent = output_path
+        .to_string()
+        .as_str()
+        .try_into()
+        .expect("Tvix bug: StorePath must be PathComponent");
+
     log_node(name.as_ref(), &root_node, path.as_ref());
 
     let path_info = derive_nar_ca_path_info(
         nar_size,
         nar_sha256,
         Some(&CAHash::Nar(NixHash::Sha256(nar_sha256))),
-        output_path.to_string().into_bytes().into(),
+        name.into(),
         root_node,
     );
 
diff --git a/tvix/store/src/nar/renderer.rs b/tvix/store/src/nar/renderer.rs
index 84c73c981cf0..afd85f267c6c 100644
--- a/tvix/store/src/nar/renderer.rs
+++ b/tvix/store/src/nar/renderer.rs
@@ -178,7 +178,7 @@ where
                     // and then recurse on that entry.
                     for (name, node) in directory.nodes() {
                         let child_node = nar_node_directory
-                            .entry(name)
+                            .entry(name.as_ref())
                             .await
                             .map_err(RenderError::NARWriterError)?;
 
diff --git a/tvix/store/src/pathinfoservice/fs/mod.rs b/tvix/store/src/pathinfoservice/fs/mod.rs
index 7a46e1fc8fa5..d97032b6658e 100644
--- a/tvix/store/src/pathinfoservice/fs/mod.rs
+++ b/tvix/store/src/pathinfoservice/fs/mod.rs
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ use futures::StreamExt;
 use tonic::async_trait;
 use tvix_castore::fs::{RootNodes, TvixStoreFs};
 use tvix_castore::{blobservice::BlobService, directoryservice::DirectoryService};
-use tvix_castore::{Error, Node};
+use tvix_castore::{Error, Node, PathComponent};
 
 use super::PathInfoService;
 
@@ -47,8 +47,8 @@ impl<T> RootNodes for RootNodesWrapper<T>
 where
     T: AsRef<dyn PathInfoService> + Send + Sync,
 {
-    async fn get_by_basename(&self, name: &[u8]) -> Result<Option<Node>, Error> {
-        let Ok(store_path) = nix_compat::store_path::StorePath::from_bytes(name) else {
+    async fn get_by_basename(&self, name: &PathComponent) -> Result<Option<Node>, Error> {
+        let Ok(store_path) = nix_compat::store_path::StorePath::from_bytes(name.as_ref()) else {
             return Ok(None);
         };
 
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ where
             .transpose()?)
     }
 
-    fn list(&self) -> BoxStream<Result<(bytes::Bytes, Node), Error>> {
+    fn list(&self) -> BoxStream<Result<(PathComponent, Node), Error>> {
         Box::pin(self.0.as_ref().list().map(|result| {
             result.and_then(|path_info| {
                 let node = path_info
diff --git a/tvix/store/src/proto/tests/pathinfo.rs b/tvix/store/src/proto/tests/pathinfo.rs
index ed8c64f6ccf8..253cafad01f4 100644
--- a/tvix/store/src/proto/tests/pathinfo.rs
+++ b/tvix/store/src/proto/tests/pathinfo.rs
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ fn validate_pathinfo(
         name: DUMMY_PATH.into(),
         digest: Bytes::new(),
         size: 0,
-}, Err(ValidatePathInfoError::InvalidRootNode(DirectoryError::InvalidNode(DUMMY_PATH.into(), ValidateNodeError::InvalidDigestLen(0)))))]
+}, Err(ValidatePathInfoError::InvalidRootNode(DirectoryError::InvalidNode(DUMMY_PATH.try_into().unwrap(), ValidateNodeError::InvalidDigestLen(0)))))]
 #[case::invalid_node_name_no_storepath(castorepb::DirectoryNode {
         name: "invalid".into(),
         digest: DUMMY_DIGEST.clone().into(),
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ fn validate_directory(
         digest: Bytes::new(),
         ..Default::default()
     },
-    Err(ValidatePathInfoError::InvalidRootNode(DirectoryError::InvalidNode(DUMMY_PATH.into(), ValidateNodeError::InvalidDigestLen(0))))
+    Err(ValidatePathInfoError::InvalidRootNode(DirectoryError::InvalidNode(DUMMY_PATH.try_into().unwrap(), ValidateNodeError::InvalidDigestLen(0))))
 )]
 #[case::invalid_node_name(
     castorepb::FileNode {