canonical/mir

Replace `str(n)?cmp` with `std::string_view::operator==`

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#4,567 opened on Dec 16, 2025

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Good first issue

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Description

Lots of places in ourcodebase read strings from the environment or some external source and compare them to other strings. The use of str(n)?cmp can sometimes be confusing, and while std::string_view{string1} == std::string_view{string2} is a bit more verbose, it's a lot easier to reason about at a glance than strcmp(string1,string2) != 0.

Additionally, strncmp can be usually replaced with std::string_view::starts_with.

Examples:

https://github.com/canonical/mir/blob/7a9370befcace079fcc6d2103d5a33218462f86e/examples/miral-shell/shell_main.cpp#L59-L61

https://github.com/canonical/mir/blob/7a9370befcace079fcc6d2103d5a33218462f86e/tests/mir_test_framework/test_wlcs_display_server.cpp#L485

If std::string_view{...} == std::string_view{...} is too verbose, maybe wrapping that in a utility function would be a good middle ground?

Contributor guide

Research direction
Search for all uses of strcmp and strncmp in the codebase, understand the context to replace with std::string view::operator== or starts with, ensure no functional changes.
Tech stack
cpp
Domain
desktop
Issue type
Refactor
DifficultyEstimated implementation difficulty for a new contributor, from 1 for very small changes to 5 for expert-level work.
2
Estimated timeA rough time range for an experienced contributor to investigate, implement, test, and prepare a pull request.
Half day
Activity statusHow available the issue appears right now: fresh, active, stale, blocked, or waiting on maintainer input.
Active
ClarityHow clearly the issue explains the expected change, acceptance criteria, and next step.
Clear
Prerequisites
C++std::string view
Newbie friendlinessA 1-100 score estimating how approachable this issue is for first-time contributors.
70