Index: src/AST/Attribute.cpp
===================================================================
--- src/AST/Attribute.cpp	(revision 1531ef58a63686bb8a0904784ac52d11f4b511d8)
+++ src/AST/Attribute.cpp	(revision 1531ef58a63686bb8a0904784ac52d11f4b511d8)
@@ -0,0 +1,53 @@
+//
+// Cforall Version 1.0.0 Copyright (C) 2015 University of Waterloo
+//
+// The contents of this file are covered under the licence agreement in the
+// file "LICENCE" distributed with Cforall.
+//
+// Attribute.cpp --
+//
+// Author           : Aaron B. Moss
+// Created On       : Fri May 10 10:30:00 2019
+// Last Modified By : Aaron B. Moss
+// Created On       : Fri May 10 10:30:00 2019
+// Update Count     : 1
+//
+
+#include "Attribute.hpp"
+
+#include <algorithm> // for transform
+#include <cctype>    // for tolower
+#include <iterator>  // for back_inserter
+#include <string>
+
+namespace ast {
+
+std::string Attribute::normalizedName() const {
+	// trim underscores
+	auto begin = name.find_first_not_of('_');
+	auto end = name.find_last_not_of('_');
+	if ( begin == std::string::npos || end == std::string::npos ) return "";
+	
+	// convert to lowercase
+	std::string ret;
+	ret.reserve( end-begin+1 );
+	int (*tolower)(int) = std::tolower;
+	std::transform( &name[begin], &name[end+1], back_inserter( ret ), tolower );
+	return ret;
+}
+
+bool Attribute::isValidOnFuncParam() const {
+	// attributes such as aligned, cleanup, etc. produce GCC errors when they appear
+	// on function parameters. Maintain here a whitelist of attribute names that are
+	// allowed to appear on parameters.
+	std::string norm = normalizedName();
+	return norm == "unused" || norm == "noreturn";
+}
+
+}
+
+// Local Variables: //
+// tab-width: 4 //
+// mode: c++ //
+// compile-command: "make install" //
+// End: //
Index: src/AST/Attribute.hpp
===================================================================
--- src/AST/Attribute.hpp	(revision 1531ef58a63686bb8a0904784ac52d11f4b511d8)
+++ src/AST/Attribute.hpp	(revision 1531ef58a63686bb8a0904784ac52d11f4b511d8)
@@ -0,0 +1,55 @@
+//
+// Cforall Version 1.0.0 Copyright (C) 2015 University of Waterloo
+//
+// The contents of this file are covered under the licence agreement in the
+// file "LICENCE" distributed with Cforall.
+//
+// Attribute.hpp --
+//
+// Author           : Aaron B. Moss
+// Created On       : Fri May 10 10:30:00 2019
+// Last Modified By : Aaron B. Moss
+// Created On       : Fri May 10 10:30:00 2019
+// Update Count     : 1
+//
+
+#pragma once
+
+#include <string>
+#include <vector>
+
+#include "Node.hpp"     // for ptr
+#include "Visitor.hpp"
+
+namespace ast {
+
+class Expr;
+
+class Attribute final : public Node {
+public:
+	std::string name;
+	std::vector<ptr<Expr>> parameters;
+
+	Attribute( const std::string& name = "", std::vector<ptr<Expr>>&& params = {})
+	: name( name ), parameters( params ) {}
+
+	bool empty() const { return name.empty(); }
+
+	/// strip leading/trailing underscores and lowercase
+	std::string normalizedName() const;
+
+	/// true iff this attribute is allowed to appear attached to a function parameter
+	bool isValidOnFuncParam() const;
+
+	Attribute* accept( Visitor& v ) override { return v.visit( this ); }
+private:
+	Attribute* clone() const override { return new Attribute{ *this }; }
+};
+
+}
+
+// Local Variables: //
+// tab-width: 4 //
+// mode: c++ //
+// compile-command: "make install" //
+// End: //
Index: src/AST/Decl.cpp
===================================================================
--- src/AST/Decl.cpp	(revision cdcd53dca689985e90e65039a76777261b54c5ea)
+++ src/AST/Decl.cpp	(revision 1531ef58a63686bb8a0904784ac52d11f4b511d8)
@@ -14,12 +14,14 @@
 //
 
-#include <cassert>        // for assert, strict_dynamic_cast
+#include "Decl.hpp"
+
+#include <cassert>             // for assert, strict_dynamic_cast
+#include <string>
 #include <unordered_map>
 
-#include "Decl.hpp"
-
-#include "Fwd.hpp"        // for UniqueId
+#include "Fwd.hpp"             // for UniqueId
 #include "Init.hpp"
-#include "Node.hpp"       // for readonly
+#include "Node.hpp"            // for readonly
+#include "Parser/ParseNode.h"  // for DeclarationNode
 
 namespace ast {
@@ -41,4 +43,21 @@
 	if ( i != idMap.end() ) return i->second;
 	return {};
+}
+
+// --- TypeDecl
+
+std::string TypeDecl::typeString() const {
+	static const std::string kindNames[] = { "object type", "function type", "tuple type" };
+	assertf( sizeof(kindNames)/sizeof(kindNames[0]) == DeclarationNode::NoTypeClass-1, 
+		"typeString: kindNames is out of sync." );
+	assertf( kind < sizeof(kindNames)/sizeof(kindNames[0]), "TypeDecl's kind is out of bounds." );
+	return (sized ? "sized " : "") + kindNames[ kind ];
+}
+
+std::string TypeDecl::genTypeString() const {
+	static const std::string kindNames[] = { "dtype", "ftype", "ttype" };
+	assertf( sizeof(kindNames)/sizeof(kindNames[0]) == DeclarationNode::NoTypeClass-1, "genTypeString: kindNames is out of sync." );
+	assertf( kind < sizeof(kindNames)/sizeof(kindNames[0]), "TypeDecl's kind is out of bounds." );
+	return kindNames[ kind ];
 }
 
Index: src/AST/Decl.hpp
===================================================================
--- src/AST/Decl.hpp	(revision cdcd53dca689985e90e65039a76777261b54c5ea)
+++ src/AST/Decl.hpp	(revision 1531ef58a63686bb8a0904784ac52d11f4b511d8)
@@ -115,4 +115,74 @@
 };
 
+/// Base class for named type aliases
+class NamedTypeDecl : public Decl {
+public:
+	ptr<Type> base;
+	std::vector<ptr<TypeDecl>> parameters;
+	std::vector<ptr<DeclWithType>> assertions;
+
+	NamedTypeDecl( const CodeLocation& loc, const std::string& name, Storage::Classes storage, 
+		Type* b, Linkage::Spec spec = Linkage::Cforall )
+	: Decl( loc, name, storage, spec ), base( b ), parameters(), assertions() {}
+
+	/// Produces a name for the kind of alias
+	virtual std::string typeString() const = 0;
+
+private:
+	NamedTypeDecl* clone() const override = 0;
+};
+
+/// Cforall type variable: `dtype T`
+class TypeDecl final : public NamedTypeDecl {
+public:
+	/// type variable variants. otype is a specialized dtype
+	enum Kind { Dtype, Ftype, Ttype, NUMBER_OF_KINDS } kind;
+	bool sized;
+	ptr<Type> init;
+
+	/// Data extracted from a type decl
+	struct Data {
+		Kind kind;
+		bool isComplete;
+
+		Data() : kind( (Kind)-1 ), isComplete( false ) {}
+		Data( TypeDecl* d ) : kind( d->kind ), isComplete( d->sized ) {}
+		Data( Kind k, bool c ) : kind( k ), isComplete( c ) {}
+		Data( const Data& d1, const Data& d2 ) 
+		: kind( d1.kind ), isComplete( d1.isComplete || d2.isComplete ) {}
+
+		bool operator== ( const Data& o ) const {
+			return kind == o.kind && isComplete == o.isComplete;
+		}
+		bool operator!= ( const Data& o ) const { return !(*this == o); }
+	};
+
+	TypeDecl( const CodeLocation& loc, const std::string& name, Storage::Classes storage, Type* b, 
+		Kind k, bool s, Type* i = nullptr )
+	: NamedTypeDecl( loc, name, storage, b ), kind( k ), sized( k == Ttype || s ), init( i ) {}
+
+	std::string typeString() const override;
+	/// Produces a name for generated code
+	std::string genTypeString() const;
+
+	Decl* accept( Visitor& v ) override { return v.visit( this ); }
+private:
+	TypeDecl* clone() const override { return new TypeDecl{ *this }; }
+};
+
+/// C-style typedef `typedef Foo Bar`
+class TypedefDecl final : public NamedTypeDecl {
+public:
+	TypedefDecl( const CodeLocation& loc, const std::string& name, Storage::Classes storage, 
+		Type* b, Linkage::Spec spec = Linkage::Cforall )
+	: NamedTypeDecl( loc, name, storage, b, spec ) {}
+
+	std::string typeString() const override { return "typedef"; }
+
+	Decl* accept( Visitor& v ) override { return v.visit( this ); }
+private:
+	TypedefDecl* clone() const override { return new TypedefDecl{ *this }; }
+};
+
 /// Aggregate type declaration base class
 class AggregateDecl : public Decl {
Index: src/AST/Init.cpp
===================================================================
--- src/AST/Init.cpp	(revision 1531ef58a63686bb8a0904784ac52d11f4b511d8)
+++ src/AST/Init.cpp	(revision 1531ef58a63686bb8a0904784ac52d11f4b511d8)
@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+//
+// Cforall Version 1.0.0 Copyright (C) 2015 University of Waterloo
+//
+// The contents of this file are covered under the licence agreement in the
+// file "LICENCE" distributed with Cforall.
+//
+// Init.cpp --
+//
+// Author           : Aaron B. Moss
+// Created On       : Fri May 10 10:30:00 2019
+// Last Modified By : Aaron B. Moss
+// Created On       : Fri May 10 10:30:00 2019
+// Update Count     : 1
+//
+
+#include "Init.hpp"
+
+#include <cassert>
+#include <utility>  // for move
+#include <vector>
+
+namespace ast {
+
+ListInit::ListInit( const CodeLocation& loc, std::vector<ptr<Init>>&& is, 
+	std::vector<ptr<Designation>>&& ds, bool mc)
+: Init( loc, mc ), initializers( std::move(is) ), designations( std::move(ds) ) {
+	// handle common case where ListInit is created without designations by making an 
+	// equivalent-length empty list
+	if ( designations.empty() ) {
+		for ( unsigned i = 0; i < initializers.size(); ++i ) {
+			designations.emplace_back( new Designation{ loc } );
+		}
+	}
+	
+	assertf( initializers.size() == designations.size(), "Created ListInit with mismatching "
+		"initializers (%zd) and designations (%zd)", initializers.size(), designations.size() );
+}
+
+}
+
+// Local Variables: //
+// tab-width: 4 //
+// mode: c++ //
+// compile-command: "make install" //
+// End: //
Index: src/AST/Init.hpp
===================================================================
--- src/AST/Init.hpp	(revision cdcd53dca689985e90e65039a76777261b54c5ea)
+++ src/AST/Init.hpp	(revision 1531ef58a63686bb8a0904784ac52d11f4b511d8)
@@ -0,0 +1,119 @@
+//
+// Cforall Version 1.0.0 Copyright (C) 2015 University of Waterloo
+//
+// The contents of this file are covered under the licence agreement in the
+// file "LICENCE" distributed with Cforall.
+//
+// Init.hpp --
+//
+// Author           : Aaron B. Moss
+// Created On       : Fri May 10 10:30:00 2019
+// Last Modified By : Aaron B. Moss
+// Created On       : Fri May 10 10:30:00 2019
+// Update Count     : 1
+//
+
+#pragma once
+
+#include <utility>        // for move
+#include <vector>
+
+#include "ParseNode.hpp"
+#include "Node.hpp"       // for ptr
+#include "Visitor.hpp"
+
+namespace ast {
+
+class Expr;
+class Stmt;
+
+/// List of designator (NameExpr, VariableExpr, and ConstantExpr) expressions that specify an 
+/// object being initialized
+class Designation final : public ParseNode {
+public:
+	std::vector<ptr<Expr>> designators;
+
+	Designation( const CodeLocation& loc, std::vector<ptr<Expr>>&& ds = {} ) 
+	: ParseNode( loc ), designators( std::move(ds) ) {}
+
+	Designation* accept( Visitor& v ) override { return v.visit( this ); }
+private:
+	Designation* clone() const override { return new Designation{ *this }; }
+};
+
+/// Object initializer base class
+class Init : public ParseNode {
+public:
+	bool maybeConstructed;
+
+	Init( const CodeLocation& loc, bool mc ) : ParseNode( loc ), maybeConstructed( mc ) {}
+
+	virtual Init* accept( Visitor& v ) override = 0;
+private:
+	virtual Init* clone() const override = 0;
+};
+
+/// Initializer for a common object: `int x = 4`
+class SingleInit final : public Init {
+public:
+	/// value to initialize to. Must be compile-time constant.
+	ptr<Expr> value;
+
+	SingleInit( const CodeLocation& loc, Expr* val, bool mc = false ) 
+	: Init( loc, mc ), value( val ) {}
+
+	Init* accept( Visitor& v ) override { return v.visit( this ); }
+private:
+	SingleInit* clone() const override { return new SingleInit{ *this }; }
+};
+
+/// Initializer recursively composed of a list of initializers.
+/// Used to initialize an array or aggregate: `int a[] = { 1, 2, 3 }`
+class ListInit final : public Init {
+public:
+	/// list of initializers
+	std::vector<ptr<Init>> initializers;
+	/// list of designators; order/length is consistent with initializers
+	std::vector<ptr<Designation>> designations;
+
+	ListInit( const CodeLocation& loc, std::vector<ptr<Init>>&& is, 
+		std::vector<ptr<Designation>>&& ds = {}, bool mc = false );
+	
+	using iterator = std::vector<ptr<Init>>::iterator;
+	using const_iterator = std::vector<ptr<Init>>::const_iterator;
+	iterator begin() { return initializers.begin(); }
+	iterator end() { return initializers.end(); }
+	const_iterator begin() const { return initializers.begin(); }
+	const_iterator end() const { return initializers.end(); }
+
+	Init* accept( Visitor& v ) override { return v.visit( this ); }
+private:
+	ListInit* clone() const override { return new ListInit{ *this }; }
+};
+
+/// Either a constructor expression or a C-style initializer.
+/// Should not be necessary to create manually; instead set `maybeConstructed` true on `SingleInit` 
+/// or `ListInit` if the object should be constructed.
+class ConstructorInit final : public Init {
+public:
+	ptr<Stmt> ctor;
+	ptr<Stmt> dtor;
+	/// C-style initializer made up of SingleInit/ListInit nodes to use as a fallback if an 
+	/// appropriate constructor definition is not found by the resolver.
+	ptr<Init> init;
+
+	ConstructorInit( const CodeLocation& loc, Stmt* ctor, Stmt* dtor, Init* init )
+	: Init( loc, true ), ctor( ctor ), dtor( dtor ), init( init ) {}
+
+	Init* accept( Visitor& v ) override { return v.visit( this ); }
+private:
+	ConstructorInit* clone() const override { return new ConstructorInit{ *this }; }
+};
+
+}
+
+// Local Variables: //
+// tab-width: 4 //
+// mode: c++ //
+// compile-command: "make install" //
+// End: //
Index: src/AST/porting.md
===================================================================
--- src/AST/porting.md	(revision cdcd53dca689985e90e65039a76777261b54c5ea)
+++ src/AST/porting.md	(revision 1531ef58a63686bb8a0904784ac52d11f4b511d8)
@@ -89,4 +89,7 @@
   * allows `newObject` as just default settings
 
+`TypeDecl`
+* stripped `isComplete()` accessor in favour of direct access to `sized`
+
 `EnumDecl`
 * **TODO** rebuild `eval` for new AST (re: `valueOf` implementation)
