feat: specialize compile-time conditionals and type comparisons

README.md

@@ -100,7 +100,11 @@ the specialization checkpoint supports type arguments and constant integer, bool
 
 ordinary procedures may compute integer, boolean, float and string compile-time arguments and return nested records/tuples and fixed arrays from constant inputs, such as `Fixed(i16, length(2))`. calls reuse the ordinary checker, typed IR and interpreter, preserving local type inference, checked arithmetic, mutable locals, range/while loops, break/continue and recursive or specialized helper calls. aggregate arguments receive their declared context, including dependent `[N]T` parameters; cached specializations compare normalized values, not literal spelling or evaluation identity. returned aggregates become owned source literals before temporary interpreter storage is released, preserving by-value copies, exact integer types, string bytes, enum fields, optional fields and IEEE float bits.
 
-`$(expression)` explicitly evaluates a constant expression, including an ordinary procedure call, even in a package without templates. use a typed expression when its shape cannot be inferred independently, such as `$(Point { x = 40 })`; integer literals retain contextual typing. the resulting value works in runtime expressions, bindings and array lengths, while the erased expression still receives ordinary checking. each interpreter evaluation is isolated and limited to 100,000 IR instructions/terminators and 128 active frames; failures retain their originating source locations. runtime parameters and mutable local/global dependencies cannot supply compile-time inputs. data pointers, slices, callbacks, unions and fallible results cannot escape temporary evaluation as generated constants; records/arrays containing these unsupported values are diagnosed rather than retaining interpreter handles. executed foreign calls remain interpreter traps. general type-valued execution, compile-time branch/`inline` expansion, reflection, generated type/default arrays and existing generic-library acceptance remain open.
+`$(expression)` explicitly evaluates a constant expression, including an ordinary procedure call, even in a package without templates. use a typed expression when its shape cannot be inferred independently, such as `$(Point { x = 40 })`; integer literals retain contextual typing. the resulting value works in runtime expressions, bindings and array lengths, while the erased expression still receives ordinary checking. each interpreter evaluation is isolated and limited to 100,000 IR instructions/terminators and 128 active frames; failures retain their originating source locations. runtime parameters and mutable local/global dependencies cannot supply compile-time inputs. data pointers, slices, callbacks, unions and fallible results cannot escape temporary evaluation as generated constants; records/arrays containing these unsupported values are diagnosed rather than retaining interpreter handles. executed foreign calls remain interpreter traps. general type-valued execution, compile-time match/`inline` expansion, reflection, generated type/default arrays and existing generic-library acceptance remain open.
+
+`if $(condition) { ... } else { ... }` evaluates a boolean guard before expanding or checking either body, including calls to ordinary constant-input procedures. concrete generic specializations also select branches whose guards use constants, immutable constant bindings, type comparisons or substituted compile-time parameters. only the selected body is specialized and checked; both bodies are still parsed and name-resolved. selected bodies retain their scope, cleanup and return behavior, and erased guards retain ordinary type checking and source diagnostics. ordinary calls in an implicit guard stay runtime; use `$()` to request their evaluation. optional captures remain runtime, and ordinary nongeneric `if (true)` still checks both bodies.
+
+type `==` and `!=` comparisons in compile-time expressions and specializations preserve aliases, nominal declaration identity and structural pointer/array/callback signatures. composed error-set identity and specialization caching ignore member ordering, grouping and repetition. for example, `read proc($T type, value T) i16 { if (T == i16) return value else return value.count }` checks the scalar or record path for each concrete call without requiring both operations on every `T`.
 
 callback signatures use `@proc(value i16) i16`, including grouped parameter names and trailing commas. compatible named functions can initialize callbacks, which may be passed, returned, replaced and stored in records/arrays; `Callback :: alias @proc(value i16) i16` names a reusable signature. parameter/result types match structurally, retaining nominal record identity and exact pointer mutability. callback fields call directly, such as `allocator.vtable.alloc(context, size, alignment)` once the remaining argument types are supported. `@mut proc` and `*proc` are invalid; `@mut Callback` instead points to writable callback storage.