# Limitations of \`borrowing\` / why not first-class borrowed references?

**URL:** <https://forums.swift.org/t/limitations-of-borrowing-why-not-first-class-borrowed-references/80025>\
**Category:** Using Swift\
**Tags:** optional, noncopyable, borrowing\
**Created:** [May 21, 2025, 3:32am UTC](https://forums.swift.org/t/limitations-of-borrowing-why-not-first-class-borrowed-references/80025 "2025-05-21T03:32:39Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 4

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**Author:** ![ksluder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@ksluder](https://forums.swift.org/u/ksluder)\
**Post date:** [February 4, 2026, 3:18pm UTC](https://forums.swift.org/t/limitations-of-borrowing-why-not-first-class-borrowed-references/80025/4 "2026-02-04T15:18:01Z")

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Isn’t this exactly what

> [@KeithBauerANZ](#):
>
> We have noncopyable types now, we have nonescaping types now, why can't we have first-class references?

Isn’t this [exactly what is being proposed](https://forums.swift.org/t/borrow-and-inout-types-for-safe-first-class-references/84490)?

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