From 701ba8eaa578135dd16a3fac0cff20b8b317ea09 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: "J. Nick Koston" <nick@koston.org>
Date: Tue, 20 Oct 2026 15:42:05 -1000
Subject: [PATCH] [key_collector] Stop copying the key strings (#21210)

---
 .../components/key_collector/key_collector.h  | 22 ++++++++++---------
 1 file changed, 12 insertions(+), 10 deletions(-)

diff --git a/esphome/components/key_collector/key_collector.h b/esphome/components/key_collector/key_collector.h
index e49cac46108..a0d8e21de1e 100644
--- a/esphome/components/key_collector/key_collector.h
+++ b/esphome/components/key_collector/key_collector.h
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 #include "esphome/components/key_provider/key_provider.h"
 #include "esphome/core/automation.h"
 #include "esphome/core/helpers.h"
+#include "esphome/core/string_ref.h"
 
 namespace esphome::key_collector {
 
@@ -14,12 +15,13 @@ class KeyCollector final : public Component {
   void add_provider(key_provider::KeyProvider *provider);
   void set_min_length(uint16_t min_length) { this->min_length_ = min_length; };
   void set_max_length(uint16_t max_length) { this->max_length_ = max_length; };
-  void set_start_keys(std::string start_keys) { this->start_keys_ = std::move(start_keys); };
-  void set_end_keys(std::string end_keys) { this->end_keys_ = std::move(end_keys); };
+  // The key setters keep the pointer; the strings must outlive the component (codegen passes literals)
+  void set_start_keys(const char *start_keys) { this->start_keys_ = StringRef(start_keys); };
+  void set_end_keys(const char *end_keys) { this->end_keys_ = StringRef(end_keys); };
   void set_end_key_required(bool end_key_required) { this->end_key_required_ = end_key_required; };
-  void set_back_keys(std::string back_keys) { this->back_keys_ = std::move(back_keys); };
-  void set_clear_keys(std::string clear_keys) { this->clear_keys_ = std::move(clear_keys); };
-  void set_allowed_keys(std::string allowed_keys) { this->allowed_keys_ = std::move(allowed_keys); };
+  void set_back_keys(const char *back_keys) { this->back_keys_ = StringRef(back_keys); };
+  void set_clear_keys(const char *clear_keys) { this->clear_keys_ = StringRef(clear_keys); };
+  void set_allowed_keys(const char *allowed_keys) { this->allowed_keys_ = StringRef(allowed_keys); };
   template<typename F> void add_on_progress_callback(F &&callback) {
     this->progress_callbacks_.add(std::forward<F>(callback));
   }
@@ -38,12 +40,12 @@ class KeyCollector final : public Component {
  protected:
   uint16_t min_length_{0};
   uint16_t max_length_{0};
-  std::string start_keys_;
-  std::string end_keys_;
+  StringRef start_keys_;
+  StringRef end_keys_;
   bool end_key_required_{false};
-  std::string back_keys_;
-  std::string clear_keys_;
-  std::string allowed_keys_;
+  StringRef back_keys_;
+  StringRef clear_keys_;
+  StringRef allowed_keys_;
   std::string result_;
   uint8_t start_key_{0};
   LazyCallbackManager<void(const std::string &, uint8_t)> progress_callbacks_;