diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -15,6 +15,168 @@
 
 ---
 
+## [0.17.6] - 2026-08-30
+
+Point release on the 0.17.x line, and the last backward-incompatible batch before the 1.0 surface
+freeze. Five kernel-surface changes land together as the "0.17 breaking batch":
+`null` becomes `isEmpty`, `read*`/`show*` become `parse*`/`print*`, `TypeScheme.constraints` and
+`TypeVariableConstraints.classes` change shape, and the constructor primitives are finalized.
+Alongside them, a genuine soundness gap in type inference is fixed — class constraints now propagate
+through function-domain positions — and the cold-seed path is rebuilt on the Java host so that
+breaking core-type changes are no longer structurally impossible to bootstrap.
+
+**Backward-incompatible.** All five surface changes below alter the published kernel. Code written
+against 0.17.5 must be updated:
+
+- **[#682]** `hydra.lib.{lists,sets,maps,strings}.null` -> `.isEmpty`.
+- **[#691]** the `read*`/`show*` family -> `parse*`/`print*`.
+- **[#683]** `TypeScheme.constraints`: `optional<map>` -> plain `map`.
+- **[#685]** `TypeVariableConstraints.classes`: `list` -> `set`.
+- **[#687]** constructor primitives finalized: `lists.pure` is removed; `optionals.given`,
+  `eithers.left`/`right` and `pairs.pair` are added.
+
+[#682]: https://github.com/CategoricalData/hydra/issues/682
+[#683]: https://github.com/CategoricalData/hydra/issues/683
+[#685]: https://github.com/CategoricalData/hydra/issues/685
+[#687]: https://github.com/CategoricalData/hydra/issues/687
+[#691]: https://github.com/CategoricalData/hydra/issues/691
+
+### Highlights
+
+- **Class constraints propagate through contravariant positions**
+  ([#702](https://github.com/CategoricalData/hydra/issues/702)): inference silently dropped a class
+  constraint when the constrained type variable was bound through the **domain** (input) position of a
+  higher-order function argument, while transferring it correctly in output positions — a real soundness
+  gap in the type checker. It had been papered over twice by freezing `encodeMap`/`encodeSet` to
+  monomorphic `Int`. Both freezes and the [#554](https://github.com/CategoricalData/hydra/issues/554)
+  `toPrimitive` stopgap are now removed, the definitions re-polymorphized, and a domain-position
+  regression test added. A `sets.filter` overlay lands across Java, Python, Scala, TypeScript and the
+  Lisp dialects as its first consumer.
+- **Cold-seed rebuilt on the Java host**
+  ([#703](https://github.com/CategoricalData/hydra/issues/703)): CI's cold-seed steps compiled HEAD's
+  kernel `Types` source against the *published* Hackage `hydra-kernel`, which is sound only for additive
+  changes and structurally impossible for any breaking core-type-shape change — the root of a recurring
+  red-CI class (#500, #608, #617, #417, #683). The Haskell cold-seeder (`ColdSeedMain`, `typesmods/`,
+  Check-2) is deleted and replaced by a data-driven Java-host schema-walking seed
+  (`seed-dist-haskell.sh`), which decodes `dist/json` and emits Haskell text without ever linking
+  HEAD types against a published kernel.
+- **`hydra.paths` completed** ([#716](https://github.com/CategoricalData/hydra/issues/716)):
+  the step unions are realigned with the `hydra.core` term and type grammars — missing variants
+  added (`annotatedAnnotation`, `eitherLeft`/`eitherRight`, `effect`), undirected steps given a
+  direction, and variants named after retired constructors renamed. `hydra.print.paths` is rewritten
+  as serialization-only (printers, parsers and a round-trip law), and the graph view moves to a new
+  `hydra.shredding` module (`shredGraph`/`shredTerm`/`shredSchema`), which the Graphviz coder now
+  consumes.
+- **`hydra.lib.ordering` is genuinely structural on every host**
+  ([#718](https://github.com/CategoricalData/hydra/issues/718)): the Java, Python and Scala overlay
+  implementations fell back to comparing *printed strings* for non-literal and mixed-variant terms,
+  contradicting the normative `ordering-and-equality.md` (records field-by-field in declaration
+  order, unions by declared-variant order then payload, wrappers by wrapped value, decimals by
+  numeric value then scale — with no print-based fallback anywhere). All three are now structural;
+  Java delegates to the generated `compareTo`.
+- **Bash driver-layer audit** ([#714](https://github.com/CategoricalData/hydra/issues/714)):
+  a prerequisite to the remaining #416 promotion. Six dead build scripts superseded by
+  `transform-json-to-target.sh` are deleted, and the #608 oil-and-water and #540 header-idempotency
+  regression harnesses are wired into `test-regressions.sh`.
+
+- **Backward-compatibility and deprecation policy**
+  ([#676](https://github.com/CategoricalData/hydra/issues/676)): adds the normative spec chapter defining
+  what "compatible" means after 1.0 — the additivity calculus, the deprecation/rename mechanism, and
+  enforcement. `LifecycleInfo.deprecatedSince` moves from defined-but-unused to populated on **32**
+  kernel primitives slated for 0.18 deprecation, via a new `deprecatedSince` DSL helper.
+- **Effect-sequencing contract specified and tested**
+  ([#675](https://github.com/CategoricalData/hydra/issues/675)): `hydra.lib.effects` carries a sequencing
+  contract — effects composed in a specified order, exactly once each, with `bind`'s continuation deferred
+  until the prior effect has run. On the lazy Haskell host this falls out of the evaluation model; on the
+  eight eager hosts it depended entirely on each hand-written interpreter. The obligations are now written
+  into `effects.md` and backed by ordering-observation tests for `bind`/`foldList`/`mapList`/`mapOptional`.
+- **Non-GC memory-discipline investigation**
+  ([#678](https://github.com/CategoricalData/hydra/issues/678)): Hydra's data model says nothing about
+  allocation, freeing, or ownership, which is what gates Swift, Rust, C++ and C as runtime hosts. This
+  investigation delivers per-language verdicts plus leak-free proof-of-concept implementations — Rust
+  (`Box` structural ownership), C++ (`unique_ptr` + arena) and C (arena), all ASan/LSan-clean on
+  construct-and-drop of a recursive `Term` — and an airtight analysis of Swift's class-forcing requirement.
+- **Build system promotion continues** ([#416](https://github.com/CategoricalData/hydra/issues/416)):
+  adds `hydra.build.Registry`, which models per-language build identity as data (name / coder package /
+  family) with per-script scope lists. `syncMatrix` and `langExpansion` are rewired onto it, and the
+  hardcoded language lists in the test and bench scripts are retired in favour of a generated
+  `languages.json`. Later in the cycle: `publishsets.reverseDepClosure` and
+  `publishsets.requiresCoders` promote reverse-dependency propagation and per-package coder-loading
+  into data, an `expected-libraries.json` artifact lets the Common Lisp and Emacs Lisp harnesses
+  fail fast on a missing `hydra.lib`, and a host-independent `apply-assembly-plan.sh` executor
+  (with a conformance test) takes over the Java `assemble-distribution` Step 0.
+- **Serialization specification chapter**
+  ([#674](https://github.com/CategoricalData/hydra/issues/674)): documents serializability, the
+  encode/decode contract, and the round-trip law; `isSerializable` now forbids `void`
+  ([#690](https://github.com/CategoricalData/hydra/issues/690)), and `hydra.lib.functions.absurd` is added
+  as the void eliminator ([#684](https://github.com/CategoricalData/hydra/issues/684)).
+
+### Bug fixes
+
+- **Hoisting silently produced terms with free variables**
+  ([#717](https://github.com/CategoricalData/hydra/issues/717)):
+  `augmentBindingsWithNewFreeVars` returned a binding *unchanged* when a captured variable had no
+  type in the context, yielding a top-level binding with free variables — a term valid before
+  hoisting and invalid after, produced with no error. It is now total and fails loudly, per the
+  kernel's fail-immediately rule.
+- **TypeScript `div`/`mod` used truncating semantics**
+  ([#677](https://github.com/CategoricalData/hydra/issues/677)): corrected to floor/Knuth division via
+  shared bigint helpers, with an `Optional` codomain; the dead `maybeDiv`/`maybeMod` are deleted and an
+  emitted-path test added.
+- **Overlay lag behind the `null` -> `isEmpty` rename**
+  ([#682](https://github.com/CategoricalData/hydra/issues/682)): the Java, Python, Scala, TypeScript and
+  Lisp overlays each kept a stale spelling (`isEmpty_`, a half-renamed Python `null` impl, and Lisp
+  camelCase where the coder emits snake_case), breaking generation until reconciled.
+- **`check-haskell-def-completeness` could not resolve qualified assembly references**
+  ([#683](https://github.com/CategoricalData/hydra/issues/683)), surfaced once the #703 cold-clone path
+  began reaching the check.
+- **Void-typed definitions leaked into DSL-ref generation**
+  ([#684](https://github.com/CategoricalData/hydra/issues/684)): `absurd` and friends are now excluded
+  across all hosts.
+- **Scheme bootstrap loader gaps** ([#641](https://github.com/CategoricalData/hydra/issues/641)):
+  missing `functions.scm`/`ordering.scm` in the native-lib load list, missing defaults in the def-module
+  load list, and a guile-only import allowlist.
+- **Bootstrap diff detail was swallowed** ([#671](https://github.com/CategoricalData/hydra/issues/671)):
+  now persisted to `<run>/<path>.diff`, with `compare_output`'s return value no longer discarded.
+  Separately, `compare_output` mis-derived the `src/main` vs `src/test` root per file
+  ([#706](https://github.com/CategoricalData/hydra/issues/706)).
+- **Nested duplicate output path** ([#664](https://github.com/CategoricalData/hydra/issues/664)) from
+  `hydra-kernel` being hardcoded into `defaultOutput`.
+- **Bootstrap codegen exceptions hid their stack traces**
+  ([#707](https://github.com/CategoricalData/hydra/issues/707)) in `bootstrap.ts`.
+
+### Release tooling
+
+- `bin/check-release-env.sh` ([#704](https://github.com/CategoricalData/hydra/issues/704)) adds a
+  publish-time toolchain preflight, after JDK- and twine-version problems cost real time at 0.17.5.
+- The TypeScript head's node floor is lowered to `^18.0.0 || >=20.0.0`, the true vitest constraint
+  ([#708](https://github.com/CategoricalData/hydra/issues/708)).
+- Hydra does not create GitHub Releases; the detached `.asc` signature stays in `release-artifacts/`
+  until [#441](https://github.com/CategoricalData/hydra/issues/441)
+  ([#508](https://github.com/CategoricalData/hydra/issues/508)).
+
+### Known issues
+
+- The `hostOverrides` shim is pinned to `{java: local, python: local}` for the duration of the breaking
+  batch, since the new kernel surface is by definition absent from published 0.17.5. It must be retired
+  once 0.17.6 is visible in Maven Central and PyPI
+  ([#508](https://github.com/CategoricalData/hydra/issues/508)).
+- **`hydra-ext` does not ship to Maven Central for Java**, as in 0.17.4 and 0.17.5: the Java coder's
+  visitor-pattern inner interface still collides with an enclosing type named `Visitor`
+  ([#643](https://github.com/CategoricalData/hydra/issues/643)), so the package does not compile for
+  that target. It publishes to Hackage and PyPI as usual.
+- The breaking batch leaves three deliberate 0.18 tails, each separately tracked:
+  `effects.pure` is retained provisionally pending a name decision
+  ([#688](https://github.com/CategoricalData/hydra/issues/688)); the `printable` type class that would
+  promote the print/parse convention into enforced dispatch awaits
+  [#497](https://github.com/CategoricalData/hydra/issues/497); and the literal conversion lattice is
+  gated on [#129](https://github.com/CategoricalData/hydra/issues/129) via
+  [#689](https://github.com/CategoricalData/hydra/issues/689). Anticipated `TypeClassConstraint`
+  variants remain open as [#686](https://github.com/CategoricalData/hydra/issues/686) — the `set`
+  element type must stay orderable as variants are added.
+
+---
+
 ## [0.17.5] - 2026-08-19
 
 Point release on the 0.17.x line. Two language-surface changes lead: sum-type eliminators unify on
diff --git a/hydra-scala.cabal b/hydra-scala.cabal
--- a/hydra-scala.cabal
+++ b/hydra-scala.cabal
@@ -1,11 +1,11 @@
 cabal-version: 1.12
 
--- This file has been generated from package.yaml by hpack version 0.38.1.
+-- This file has been generated from package.yaml by hpack version 0.39.1.
 --
 -- see: https://github.com/sol/hpack
 
 name:           hydra-scala
-version:        0.17.5
+version:        0.17.6
 synopsis:       Hydra's Scala coder: emit Scala source from Hydra modules
 description:    Hydra is an implementation of the LambdaGraph data model, which takes advantage of an isomorphism between labeled hypergraphs and typed lambda calculus: in Hydra, "graphs are programs, and programs are graphs". Scala support for Hydra
 category:       Data
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@
   build-depends:
       base >=4.19.0 && <4.22
     , containers >=0.6.7 && <0.8
-    , hydra-jvm ==0.17.5
-    , hydra-kernel ==0.17.5
+    , hydra-jvm ==0.17.6
+    , hydra-kernel ==0.17.6
     , scientific >=0.3.7 && <0.4
   default-language: Haskell2010
diff --git a/src/main/haskell/Hydra/Dsl/Scala/Syntax.hs b/src/main/haskell/Hydra/Dsl/Scala/Syntax.hs
--- a/src/main/haskell/Hydra/Dsl/Scala/Syntax.hs
+++ b/src/main/haskell/Hydra/Dsl/Scala/Syntax.hs
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 import qualified Hydra.Typed as Typed
 import Prelude hiding  (Enum, Ordering, decodeFloat, encodeFloat, fail, lines, map, pure, sum, unlines)
 import qualified Data.Scientific as Sci
+import Data.Void
 import qualified Data.Int as I
 
 -- | DSL constructor for hydra.scala.syntax.AlternativePat
diff --git a/src/main/haskell/Hydra/Scala/Coder.hs b/src/main/haskell/Hydra/Scala/Coder.hs
--- a/src/main/haskell/Hydra/Scala/Coder.hs
+++ b/src/main/haskell/Hydra/Scala/Coder.hs
@@ -68,6 +68,7 @@
 import qualified Hydra.Variants as Variants
 import Prelude hiding  (Enum, Ordering, decodeFloat, encodeFloat, fail, lines, map, pure, sum, unlines)
 import qualified Data.Scientific as Sci
+import Data.Void
 import qualified Data.Map as M
 import qualified Data.Set as S
 
@@ -145,7 +146,7 @@
           filteredFallback0 =
                   Logic.ifElse (Equality.equal (Lists.length allSchemeVars) (Lists.length fallbackTypeApps)) (filterByFlags fallbackTypeApps keepFlags) fallbackTypeApps
           filteredFallback =
-                  Logic.ifElse (Maps.null overgenSubst) filteredFallback0 (Lists.map (\t -> substituteTypeVarsWithTypes overgenSubst t) filteredFallback0)
+                  Logic.ifElse (Maps.isEmpty overgenSubst) filteredFallback0 (Lists.map (\t -> substituteTypeVarsWithTypes overgenSubst t) filteredFallback0)
       in (Right filteredFallback)))
 
 -- | Count the curried function parameters of a type (#589)
@@ -191,7 +192,7 @@
           nonSelfVars = Lists.filter (\vv -> Logic.not (Equality.equal vv inVar)) outVars
           safeNonSelfVars =
                   Lists.filter (\vv -> Logic.and (Logic.not (Sets.member vv directInputVars)) (Logic.not (Equality.equal (Just vv) codVar))) nonSelfVars
-      in (Logic.ifElse (Logic.and (Ordering.gte selfRefCount 2) (Logic.not (Lists.null safeNonSelfVars))) (Lists.foldl (\s -> \vv -> Maps.insert vv inVar s) subst safeNonSelfVars) subst)
+      in (Logic.ifElse (Logic.and (Ordering.gte selfRefCount 2) (Logic.not (Lists.isEmpty safeNonSelfVars))) (Lists.foldl (\s -> \vv -> Maps.insert vv inVar s) subst safeNonSelfVars) subst)
 
 -- | Drop N domain types from a function type, returning the remaining type
 dropDomains :: Int -> Core.Type -> Core.Type
@@ -278,12 +279,12 @@
                     Graph.graphTypeVariables = (Sets.union (Sets.fromList freeTypeVars) (Graph.graphTypeVariables g))}
       in (Eithers.bind (Eithers.mapList (encodeTypedParam cx gWithTypeVars) zippedParams) (\sparams -> Eithers.bind (encodeTerm overlaySubs cx gWithTypeVars (extractBody term)) (\sbody -> Eithers.bind (encodeType cx g cod) (\scod ->
         let gForLets =
-                Logic.ifElse (Lists.null letBindings) gWithTypeVars (Scoping.extendGraphForLet (\g2 -> \b -> Logic.ifElse (Predicates.isComplexBinding g2 b) (Just (Core.TermLiteral (Core.LiteralBoolean True))) Nothing) gWithTypeVars (Core.Let {
+                Logic.ifElse (Lists.isEmpty letBindings) gWithTypeVars (Scoping.extendGraphForLet (\g2 -> \b -> Logic.ifElse (Predicates.isComplexBinding g2 b) (Just (Core.TermLiteral (Core.LiteralBoolean True))) Nothing) gWithTypeVars (Core.Let {
                   Core.letBindings = letBindings,
                   Core.letBody = (Core.TermVariable (Core.Name "dummy"))}))
         in (Eithers.bind (Eithers.mapList (encodeLetBinding overlaySubs cx gForLets (Sets.fromList freeTypeVars)) letBindings) (\sbindings ->
           let defBody =
-                  Logic.ifElse (Lists.null sbindings) sbody (Syntax.DataBlock (Syntax.BlockData {
+                  Logic.ifElse (Lists.isEmpty sbindings) sbody (Syntax.DataBlock (Syntax.BlockData {
                     Syntax.blockDataStats = (Lists.concat2 sbindings [
                       Syntax.StatTerm sbody])}))
           in (Right (Syntax.StatDefn (Syntax.DefnDef (Syntax.DefDefn {
@@ -311,7 +312,7 @@
                           unqualifiedFreeVars =
                                   Sets.fromList (Lists.filter (\n -> Logic.not (Lists.member 46 (Strings.toList (Core.unName n)))) (Sets.toList freeVars))
                           unresolvedVars = Sets.difference unqualifiedFreeVars (Graph.graphTypeVariables g)
-                      in (Logic.ifElse (Sets.null unresolvedVars) (Just dom) Nothing))
+                      in (Logic.ifElse (Sets.isEmpty unresolvedVars) (Just dom) Nothing))
         in (Eithers.bind (encodeTerm overlaySubs cx g body) (\sbody -> Eithers.bind (Optionals.match mdom (findSdom cx g meta) (\dom -> Eithers.bind (encodeType cx g dom) (\sdom -> Right (Just sdom)))) (\sdom -> Right (Utils.slambda v sbody sdom))))
       Core.TermUnwrap _ -> Optionals.match arg (Eithers.bind (findSdom cx g meta) (\sdom -> Right (Utils.slambda "x" (Utils.sname "x") sdom))) (\a -> encodeTerm overlaySubs cx g a)
       Core.TermProject v0 ->
@@ -368,7 +369,7 @@
         Syntax.valDefnDecltpe = Nothing,
         Syntax.valDefnRhs = srhs}))))) (\ts ->
         let newVars = Lists.filter (\v -> Logic.not (Sets.member v outerTypeVars)) (Core.typeSchemeVariables ts)
-            useDef = Logic.or isFn (Logic.not (Lists.null newVars))
+            useDef = Logic.or isFn (Logic.not (Lists.isEmpty newVars))
         in (Logic.ifElse useDef (encodeLocalDef overlaySubs cx g outerTypeVars bname bterm (Core.typeSchemeBody ts)) (Eithers.bind (encodeTerm overlaySubs cx g bterm) (\srhs -> Eithers.bind (encodeType cx g (Core.typeSchemeBody ts)) (\styp -> Right (Syntax.StatDefn (Syntax.DefnVal (Syntax.ValDefn {
           Syntax.valDefnMods = [
             Syntax.ModLazy],
@@ -385,7 +386,7 @@
     case av of
       Core.LiteralBinary v0 -> Right (Syntax.LitBytes (Literals.binaryToBytes v0))
       Core.LiteralBoolean v0 -> Right (Syntax.LitBoolean v0)
-      Core.LiteralDecimal v0 -> Right (Syntax.LitString (Literals.showDecimal v0))
+      Core.LiteralDecimal v0 -> Right (Syntax.LitString (Literals.printDecimal v0))
       Core.LiteralFloat v0 -> case v0 of
         Core.FloatValueFloat32 v1 -> Right (Syntax.LitFloat v1)
         Core.FloatValueFloat64 v1 -> Right (Syntax.LitDouble v1)
@@ -430,12 +431,12 @@
                     Graph.graphTypeVariables = (Sets.union allTypeVars (Graph.graphTypeVariables g))}
       in (Eithers.bind (Eithers.mapList (encodeTypedParam cx gWithTypeVars) zippedParams) (\sparams -> Eithers.bind (encodeTerm overlaySubs cx gWithTypeVars (extractBody term)) (\sbody -> Eithers.bind (encodeType cx gWithTypeVars cod) (\scod ->
         let gForLets =
-                Logic.ifElse (Lists.null letBindings) gWithTypeVars (Scoping.extendGraphForLet (\g2 -> \b -> Logic.ifElse (Predicates.isComplexBinding g2 b) (Just (Core.TermLiteral (Core.LiteralBoolean True))) Nothing) gWithTypeVars (Core.Let {
+                Logic.ifElse (Lists.isEmpty letBindings) gWithTypeVars (Scoping.extendGraphForLet (\g2 -> \b -> Logic.ifElse (Predicates.isComplexBinding g2 b) (Just (Core.TermLiteral (Core.LiteralBoolean True))) Nothing) gWithTypeVars (Core.Let {
                   Core.letBindings = letBindings,
                   Core.letBody = (Core.TermVariable (Core.Name "dummy"))}))
         in (Eithers.bind (Eithers.mapList (encodeLetBinding overlaySubs cx gForLets allTypeVars) letBindings) (\sbindings ->
           let defBody =
-                  Logic.ifElse (Lists.null sbindings) sbody (Syntax.DataBlock (Syntax.BlockData {
+                  Logic.ifElse (Lists.isEmpty sbindings) sbody (Syntax.DataBlock (Syntax.BlockData {
                     Syntax.blockDataStats = (Lists.concat2 sbindings [
                       Syntax.StatTerm sbody])}))
           in (Right (Syntax.StatDefn (Syntax.DefnDef (Syntax.DefDefn {
@@ -514,9 +515,9 @@
               litData])
             Core.LiteralInteger v1 -> case v1 of
               Core.IntegerValueBigint v2 -> Right (Utils.sapply (Utils.sname "BigInt") [
-                Syntax.DataLit (Syntax.LitString (Literals.showBigint v2))])
+                Syntax.DataLit (Syntax.LitString (Literals.printBigint v2))])
               Core.IntegerValueUint64 v2 -> Right (Utils.sapply (Utils.sname "BigInt") [
-                Syntax.DataLit (Syntax.LitString (Literals.showBigint (Literals.uint64ToBigint v2)))])
+                Syntax.DataLit (Syntax.LitString (Literals.printBigint (Literals.uint64ToBigint v2)))])
               _ -> Right litData
             _ -> Right litData)
         Core.TermMap v0 -> Eithers.bind (Eithers.mapList (\kv -> Eithers.bind (encodeTerm overlaySubs cx g (Pairs.first kv)) (\sk -> Eithers.bind (encodeTerm overlaySubs cx g (Pairs.second kv)) (\sv -> Right (Utils.sassign sk sv)))) (Maps.toList v0)) (\spairs -> Right (Utils.sapply (Utils.sname "Map") spairs))
@@ -588,7 +589,7 @@
                     _ -> False
           freeTypeVarsInTyp =
                   Lists.filter (\v -> Logic.not (Lists.member 46 (Strings.toList (Core.unName v)))) (Sets.toList (Variables.freeVariablesInType typ_))
-      in (Logic.ifElse isFunctionType (encodeComplexTermDef overlaySubs cx g lname term typ_) (Logic.ifElse (Lists.null freeTypeVarsInTyp) (Eithers.bind (encodeType cx g typ_) (\stype -> Eithers.bind (encodeTerm overlaySubs cx g term) (\rhs -> Right (Syntax.StatDefn (Syntax.DefnVal (Syntax.ValDefn {
+      in (Logic.ifElse isFunctionType (encodeComplexTermDef overlaySubs cx g lname term typ_) (Logic.ifElse (Lists.isEmpty freeTypeVarsInTyp) (Eithers.bind (encodeType cx g typ_) (\stype -> Eithers.bind (encodeTerm overlaySubs cx g term) (\rhs -> Right (Syntax.StatDefn (Syntax.DefnVal (Syntax.ValDefn {
         Syntax.valDefnMods = [
           Syntax.ModLazy],
         Syntax.valDefnPats = [
@@ -960,7 +961,7 @@
                     Core.TypeRecord v0 -> Equality.equal (Lists.length v0) 0
                     _ -> False
           parentType =
-                  Logic.ifElse (Lists.null tparams) (Syntax.TypeRef (Syntax.RefTypeName (Syntax.NameType {
+                  Logic.ifElse (Lists.isEmpty tparams) (Syntax.TypeRef (Syntax.RefTypeName (Syntax.NameType {
                     Syntax.nameTypeValue = parentName}))) (Syntax.TypeApply (Syntax.ApplyType {
                     Syntax.applyTypeTpe = (Syntax.TypeRef (Syntax.RefTypeName (Syntax.NameType {
                       Syntax.nameTypeValue = parentName}))),
diff --git a/src/main/haskell/Hydra/Scala/Language.hs b/src/main/haskell/Hydra/Scala/Language.hs
--- a/src/main/haskell/Hydra/Scala/Language.hs
+++ b/src/main/haskell/Hydra/Scala/Language.hs
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@
 import qualified Hydra.Variants as Variants
 import Prelude hiding  (Enum, Ordering, decodeFloat, encodeFloat, fail, lines, map, pure, sum, unlines)
 import qualified Data.Scientific as Sci
+import Data.Void
 import qualified Data.Set as S
 
 -- | Language constraints for Scala
diff --git a/src/main/haskell/Hydra/Scala/Serde.hs b/src/main/haskell/Hydra/Scala/Serde.hs
--- a/src/main/haskell/Hydra/Scala/Serde.hs
+++ b/src/main/haskell/Hydra/Scala/Serde.hs
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@
 import qualified Hydra.Variants as Variants
 import Prelude hiding  (Enum, Ordering, decodeFloat, encodeFloat, fail, lines, map, pure, sum, unlines)
 import qualified Data.Scientific as Sci
+import Data.Void
 
 -- | Convert a case clause to an expression
 caseToExpr :: Syntax.Case -> Ast.Expr
@@ -85,7 +86,7 @@
       let name = Syntax.paramDataName dp
           stype = Syntax.paramDataDecltpe dp
       in (Serialization.noSep (Optionals.givens [
-        Optionals.pure (nameToExpr name),
+        Optionals.given (nameToExpr name),
         (Optionals.map (\t -> Serialization.spaceSep [
           Serialization.cst ":",
           (typeToExpr t)]) stype)]))
@@ -116,7 +117,7 @@
             scod = Syntax.defDefnDecltpe v0
             body = Syntax.defDefnBody v0
             tparamsExpr =
-                    Logic.ifElse (Lists.null tparams) Nothing (Optionals.pure (Serialization.bracketList Serialization.inlineStyle (Lists.map typeParamToExpr tparams)))
+                    Logic.ifElse (Lists.isEmpty tparams) Nothing (Optionals.given (Serialization.bracketList Serialization.inlineStyle (Lists.map typeParamToExpr tparams)))
             scodExpr =
                     Optionals.map (\t -> Serialization.spaceSep [
                       Serialization.cst ":",
@@ -125,10 +126,10 @@
             nameAndParams =
                     Serialization.noSep (Optionals.givens (Lists.concat [
                       [
-                        Optionals.pure (dataNameToExpr name)],
+                        Optionals.given (dataNameToExpr name)],
                       [
                         tparamsExpr],
-                      (Lists.map (\pe -> Optionals.pure pe) paramssExprs),
+                      (Lists.map (\pe -> Optionals.given pe) paramssExprs),
                       [
                         scodExpr]]))
             bodyExpr = termToExpr body
@@ -149,11 +150,11 @@
             tparams = Syntax.typeDefnTparams v0
             body = Syntax.typeDefnBody v0
         in (Serialization.spaceSep (Optionals.givens [
-          Optionals.pure (Serialization.cst "type"),
-          (Optionals.pure (typeNameToExpr name)),
-          (Logic.ifElse (Lists.null tparams) Nothing (Optionals.pure (Serialization.bracketList Serialization.inlineStyle (Lists.map typeParamToExpr tparams)))),
-          (Optionals.pure (Serialization.cst "=")),
-          (Optionals.pure (typeToExpr body))]))
+          Optionals.given (Serialization.cst "type"),
+          (Optionals.given (typeNameToExpr name)),
+          (Logic.ifElse (Lists.isEmpty tparams) Nothing (Optionals.given (Serialization.bracketList Serialization.inlineStyle (Lists.map typeParamToExpr tparams)))),
+          (Optionals.given (Serialization.cst "=")),
+          (Optionals.given (typeToExpr body))]))
       Syntax.DefnVal v0 ->
         let mods = Syntax.valDefnMods v0
             pats = Syntax.valDefnPats v0
@@ -169,7 +170,7 @@
                     Optionals.match typ (Serialization.cst nameStr) (\t -> Serialization.spaceSep [
                       Serialization.cst (Strings.concat2 nameStr ":"),
                       (typeToExpr t)])
-            valKeyword = Logic.ifElse (Lists.null mods) "val" "lazy val"
+            valKeyword = Logic.ifElse (Lists.isEmpty mods) "val" "lazy val"
         in (Serialization.spaceSep [
           Serialization.cst valKeyword,
           nameAndType,
@@ -182,12 +183,12 @@
             ctor = Syntax.classDefnCtor v0
             paramss = Syntax.primaryCtorParamss ctor
             tparamsExpr =
-                    Logic.ifElse (Lists.null tparams) Nothing (Optionals.pure (Serialization.bracketList Serialization.inlineStyle (Lists.map typeParamToExpr tparams)))
+                    Logic.ifElse (Lists.isEmpty tparams) Nothing (Optionals.given (Serialization.bracketList Serialization.inlineStyle (Lists.map typeParamToExpr tparams)))
             paramsExpr =
-                    Logic.ifElse (Lists.null paramss) Nothing (Optionals.pure (Serialization.parenListAdaptive (Lists.map dataParamToExpr (Lists.concat paramss))))
+                    Logic.ifElse (Lists.isEmpty paramss) Nothing (Optionals.given (Serialization.parenListAdaptive (Lists.map dataParamToExpr (Lists.concat paramss))))
             nameAndParams =
                     Serialization.noSep (Optionals.givens [
-                      Optionals.pure (typeNameToExpr name),
+                      Optionals.given (typeNameToExpr name),
                       tparamsExpr,
                       paramsExpr])
         in (Serialization.spaceSep (Lists.concat [
@@ -204,8 +205,8 @@
                     Serialization.spaceSep [
                       Serialization.cst "enum",
                       (Serialization.noSep (Optionals.givens [
-                        Optionals.pure (typeNameToExpr name),
-                        (Logic.ifElse (Lists.null tparams) Nothing (Optionals.pure (Serialization.bracketList Serialization.inlineStyle (Lists.map typeParamToExpr tparams))))])),
+                        Optionals.given (typeNameToExpr name),
+                        (Logic.ifElse (Lists.isEmpty tparams) Nothing (Optionals.given (Serialization.bracketList Serialization.inlineStyle (Lists.map typeParamToExpr tparams))))])),
                       (Serialization.cst ":")]
             enumCases =
                     Lists.map (\s -> Serialization.spaceSep [
@@ -222,9 +223,9 @@
             paramss = Syntax.primaryCtorParamss ctor
             allParams = Lists.concat paramss
             params =
-                    Logic.ifElse (Lists.null allParams) (Serialization.cst "") (Serialization.parenListAdaptive (Lists.map dataParamToExpr allParams))
+                    Logic.ifElse (Lists.isEmpty allParams) (Serialization.cst "") (Serialization.parenListAdaptive (Lists.map dataParamToExpr allParams))
             extendsClause =
-                    Logic.ifElse (Lists.null inits) (Serialization.cst "") (Serialization.spaceSep [
+                    Logic.ifElse (Lists.isEmpty inits) (Serialization.cst "") (Serialization.spaceSep [
                       Serialization.cst "extends",
                       (Serialization.commaSep Serialization.inlineStyle (Lists.map initToExpr inits))])
         in (Serialization.spaceSep [
@@ -267,7 +268,7 @@
                   case ref of
                     Syntax.RefDataName v0 -> Syntax.unPredefString (Syntax.nameDataValue v0)
           forImportees =
-                  Logic.ifElse (Lists.null importees) (Serialization.cst "") (Logic.ifElse (Equality.equal (Lists.length importees) 1) (Optionals.withDefault (Serialization.cst "") (Optionals.map (\firstImp -> Serialization.noSep [
+                  Logic.ifElse (Lists.isEmpty importees) (Serialization.cst "") (Logic.ifElse (Equality.equal (Lists.length importees) 1) (Optionals.withDefault (Serialization.cst "") (Optionals.map (\firstImp -> Serialization.noSep [
                     Serialization.cst ".",
                     case firstImp of
                       Syntax.ImporteeWildcard -> Serialization.cst "*"
@@ -293,15 +294,15 @@
 litToExpr lit =
     case lit of
       Syntax.LitBoolean v0 -> Serialization.cst (Logic.ifElse v0 "true" "false")
-      Syntax.LitByte v0 -> Serialization.cst (Strings.concat2 (Literals.showInt8 v0) ".toByte")
-      Syntax.LitShort v0 -> Serialization.cst (Strings.concat2 (Literals.showInt16 v0) ".toShort")
-      Syntax.LitInt v0 -> Serialization.cst (Literals.showInt32 v0)
-      Syntax.LitLong v0 -> Serialization.cst (Strings.concat2 (Literals.showInt64 v0) "L")
-      Syntax.LitFloat v0 -> Serialization.cst (scalaFloatLiteralText "Float" "f" (Literals.showFloat32 v0))
-      Syntax.LitDouble v0 -> Serialization.cst (scalaFloatLiteralText "Double" "" (Literals.showFloat64 v0))
+      Syntax.LitByte v0 -> Serialization.cst (Strings.concat2 (Literals.printInt8 v0) ".toByte")
+      Syntax.LitShort v0 -> Serialization.cst (Strings.concat2 (Literals.printInt16 v0) ".toShort")
+      Syntax.LitInt v0 -> Serialization.cst (Literals.printInt32 v0)
+      Syntax.LitLong v0 -> Serialization.cst (Strings.concat2 (Literals.printInt64 v0) "L")
+      Syntax.LitFloat v0 -> Serialization.cst (scalaFloatLiteralText "Float" "f" (Literals.printFloat32 v0))
+      Syntax.LitDouble v0 -> Serialization.cst (scalaFloatLiteralText "Double" "" (Literals.printFloat64 v0))
       Syntax.LitUnit -> Serialization.cst "()"
       Syntax.LitString v0 -> Serialization.cst (Strings.concat2 "\"" (Strings.concat2 (Serde.escapeJavaString v0) "\""))
-      Syntax.LitBytes v0 -> Serialization.cst (Strings.concat2 "Array[Byte](" (Strings.concat2 (Strings.join ", " (Lists.map (\b -> Strings.concat2 (Literals.showInt32 b) ".toByte") v0)) ")"))
+      Syntax.LitBytes v0 -> Serialization.cst (Strings.concat2 "Array[Byte](" (Strings.concat2 (Strings.join ", " (Lists.map (\b -> Strings.concat2 (Literals.printInt32 b) ".toByte") v0)) ")"))
       _ -> Serialization.cst "TODO:literal"
 
 -- | The match operator
@@ -342,7 +343,7 @@
       Syntax.PatExtract v0 ->
         let fun = Syntax.extractPatFun v0
             args = Syntax.extractPatArgs v0
-        in (Logic.ifElse (Lists.null args) (termToExpr fun) (Serialization.noSep [
+        in (Logic.ifElse (Lists.isEmpty args) (termToExpr fun) (Serialization.noSep [
           termToExpr fun,
           (Serialization.parenListAdaptive (Lists.map patToExpr args))]))
       Syntax.PatVar v0 -> dataNameToExpr (Syntax.varPatName v0)
diff --git a/src/main/haskell/Hydra/Scala/Syntax.hs b/src/main/haskell/Hydra/Scala/Syntax.hs
--- a/src/main/haskell/Hydra/Scala/Syntax.hs
+++ b/src/main/haskell/Hydra/Scala/Syntax.hs
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 import qualified Hydra.Core as Core
 import Prelude hiding  (Enum, Ordering, decodeFloat, encodeFloat, fail, lines, map, pure, sum, unlines)
 import qualified Data.Scientific as Sci
+import Data.Void
 import qualified Data.Int as I
 
 -- | A wrapper for strings used in scala.Predef contexts.
diff --git a/src/main/haskell/Hydra/Scala/Utils.hs b/src/main/haskell/Hydra/Scala/Utils.hs
--- a/src/main/haskell/Hydra/Scala/Utils.hs
+++ b/src/main/haskell/Hydra/Scala/Utils.hs
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@
 import qualified Hydra.Variants as Variants
 import Prelude hiding  (Enum, Ordering, decodeFloat, encodeFloat, fail, lines, map, pure, sum, unlines)
 import qualified Data.Scientific as Sci
+import Data.Void
 import qualified Data.Set as S
 
 -- | Extract the name from a type, if it is a named type
@@ -72,7 +73,7 @@
 -- | Apply explicit type parameters to a Scala expression (e.g. f[A, B]); a no-op for an empty type-arg list (#589)
 sapplyTypes :: Syntax.Data -> [Syntax.Type] -> Syntax.Data
 sapplyTypes fun typeArgs =
-    Logic.ifElse (Lists.null typeArgs) fun (
+    Logic.ifElse (Lists.isEmpty typeArgs) fun (
       let typeToStr = \t -> typeToString t
           typeStrings = Lists.map typeToStr typeArgs
           typeArgStr =
