diff --git a/compiler/ast/src/common/mod.rs b/compiler/ast/src/common/mod.rs
index ad45846431..ac948824b1 100644
--- a/compiler/ast/src/common/mod.rs
+++ b/compiler/ast/src/common/mod.rs
@@ -24,3 +24,6 @@ pub use imported_modules::*;
 
 pub mod positive_number;
 pub use positive_number::*;
+
+pub mod static_string;
+pub use static_string::*;
diff --git a/compiler/ast/src/common/static_string.rs b/compiler/ast/src/common/static_string.rs
index e69de29bb2..bfee1a854e 100644
--- a/compiler/ast/src/common/static_string.rs
+++ b/compiler/ast/src/common/static_string.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+// Copyright (C) 2019-2022 Aleo Systems Inc.
+// This file is part of the Leo library.
+
+// The Leo library is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+// it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+// the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+// (at your option) any later version.
+
+// The Leo library is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+// but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+// MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the
+// GNU General Public License for more details.
+
+// You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+// along with the Leo library. If not, see <https://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+
+use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
+use std::fmt;
+
+#[derive(Default, Debug, Clone, PartialEq, Eq, Serialize, Deserialize)]
+pub struct StaticString(String);
+
+impl StaticString {
+    pub fn new(string: String) -> Self {
+        Self(string)
+    }
+}
+
+impl fmt::Display for StaticString {
+    fn fmt(&self, f: &mut fmt::Formatter<'_>) -> fmt::Result {
+        write!(f, "{}", self.0)
+    }
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/compiler/ast/src/expression/value.rs b/compiler/ast/src/expression/value.rs
index 8e10e1bf06..c64e6391da 100644
--- a/compiler/ast/src/expression/value.rs
+++ b/compiler/ast/src/expression/value.rs
@@ -15,7 +15,6 @@
 // along with the Leo library. If not, see <https://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 
 use super::*;
-use crate::Char;
 
 /// A literal expression.
 #[derive(Debug, Clone, PartialEq, Eq, Serialize, Deserialize)]
@@ -37,7 +36,7 @@ pub enum ValueExpression {
     /// An unsigned number followed by the keyword `scalar`.
     Scalar(String, #[serde(with = "leo_span::span_json")] Span),
     /// A string literal, e.g., `"foobar"`.
-    String(Vec<Char>, #[serde(with = "leo_span::span_json")] Span),
+    String(String, #[serde(with = "leo_span::span_json")] Span),
 }
 
 impl fmt::Display for ValueExpression {
@@ -50,12 +49,7 @@ impl fmt::Display for ValueExpression {
             Group(group) => write!(f, "{}", group),
             Integer(type_, value, _) => write!(f, "{}{}", value, type_),
             Scalar(scalar, _) => write!(f, "{}", scalar),
-            String(string, _) => {
-                for character in string.iter() {
-                    write!(f, "{}", character)?;
-                }
-                Ok(())
-            }
+            String(string, _) => write!(f, "{}", string),
         }
     }
 }
diff --git a/compiler/ast/src/passes/reconstructing_director.rs b/compiler/ast/src/passes/reconstructing_director.rs
index 334fcb394e..aae08f6661 100644
--- a/compiler/ast/src/passes/reconstructing_director.rs
+++ b/compiler/ast/src/passes/reconstructing_director.rs
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ impl<R: ReconstructingReducer> ReconstructingDirector<R> {
         self.reducer.reduce_group_value(group_value, new)
     }
 
-    pub fn reduce_string(&mut self, string: &[Char], span: &Span) -> Result<Expression> {
+    pub fn reduce_string(&mut self, string: &String, span: &Span) -> Result<Expression> {
         self.reducer.reduce_string(string, span)
     }
 
diff --git a/compiler/ast/src/passes/reconstructing_reducer.rs b/compiler/ast/src/passes/reconstructing_reducer.rs
index 8b09f97477..926336b01f 100644
--- a/compiler/ast/src/passes/reconstructing_reducer.rs
+++ b/compiler/ast/src/passes/reconstructing_reducer.rs
@@ -59,8 +59,8 @@ pub trait ReconstructingReducer {
         Ok(new)
     }
 
-    fn reduce_string(&mut self, string: &[Char], span: &Span) -> Result<Expression> {
-        Ok(Expression::Value(ValueExpression::String(string.to_vec(), *span)))
+    fn reduce_string(&mut self, string: &String, span: &Span) -> Result<Expression> {
+        Ok(Expression::Value(ValueExpression::String(string.clone(), *span)))
     }
 
     fn reduce_value(&mut self, _value: &ValueExpression, new: Expression) -> Result<Expression> {
diff --git a/compiler/ast/src/statements/console/console_args.rs b/compiler/ast/src/statements/console/console_args.rs
index b6a4d4ec50..3e902f9a0f 100644
--- a/compiler/ast/src/statements/console/console_args.rs
+++ b/compiler/ast/src/statements/console/console_args.rs
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
 // You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
 // along with the Leo library. If not, see <https://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 
-use crate::{Char, Expression, Node};
+use crate::{Expression, Node, StaticString};
 use leo_span::Span;
 
 use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ use std::fmt;
 #[derive(Clone, PartialEq, Eq, Serialize, Deserialize, Debug)]
 pub struct ConsoleArgs {
     /// The formatting string with `parameters` interpolated into it.
-    pub string: Vec<Char>,
+    pub string: StaticString,
     /// Parameters to interpolate in `string`.
     pub parameters: Vec<Expression>,
     /// The span from `(` to `)`.
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ impl fmt::Display for ConsoleArgs {
         write!(
             f,
             "\"{}\", {}",
-            self.string.iter().map(|x| x.to_string()).collect::<Vec<_>>().join(""),
+            self.string,
             self.parameters
                 .iter()
                 .map(|p| p.to_string())
diff --git a/compiler/ast/src/types/type_.rs b/compiler/ast/src/types/type_.rs
index ffc0209124..41f92b1f75 100644
--- a/compiler/ast/src/types/type_.rs
+++ b/compiler/ast/src/types/type_.rs
@@ -33,6 +33,8 @@ pub enum Type {
     Group,
     /// The `scalar` type.
     Scalar,
+    /// The `string` type.
+    String,
     /// An integer type.
     IntegerType(IntegerType),
 
@@ -53,7 +55,8 @@ impl Type {
             | (Type::Boolean, Type::Boolean)
             | (Type::Field, Type::Field)
             | (Type::Group, Type::Group)
-            | (Type::Scalar, Type::Scalar) => true,
+            | (Type::Scalar, Type::Scalar)
+            | (Type::String, Type::String) => true,
             (Type::IntegerType(left), Type::IntegerType(right)) => left.eq(right),
             _ => false,
         }
@@ -68,6 +71,7 @@ impl fmt::Display for Type {
             Type::Field => write!(f, "field"),
             Type::Group => write!(f, "group"),
             Type::Scalar => write!(f, "scalar"),
+            Type::String => write!(f, "string"),
             Type::IntegerType(ref integer_type) => write!(f, "{}", integer_type),
             Type::Err => write!(f, "error"),
         }
diff --git a/compiler/parser/src/parser/statement.rs b/compiler/parser/src/parser/statement.rs
index 738eac9da9..0efae6483c 100644
--- a/compiler/parser/src/parser/statement.rs
+++ b/compiler/parser/src/parser/statement.rs
@@ -148,18 +148,19 @@ impl ParserContext<'_> {
 
     /// Returns a [`ConsoleArgs`] AST node if the next tokens represent a formatted string.
     fn parse_console_args(&mut self) -> Result<ConsoleArgs> {
-        let mut string = None;
+        let mut static_string = None;
         let (parameters, _, span) = self.parse_paren_comma_list(|p| {
-            if string.is_none() {
+            if static_string.is_none() {
                 p.bump();
                 let SpannedToken { token, span } = p.prev_token.clone();
-                string = Some(match token {
-                    Token::StaticString(chars) => chars,
+                match token {
+                    Token::StaticString(string) => {
+                        static_string = Some(StaticString::new(string));
+                    },
                     _ => {
-                        p.emit_err(ParserError::unexpected_str(token, "formatted string", span));
-                        Vec::new()
+                        p.emit_err(ParserError::unexpected_str(token, "formatted static_string", span));
                     }
-                });
+                };
                 Ok(None)
             } else {
                 p.parse_expression().map(Some)
@@ -167,7 +168,7 @@ impl ParserContext<'_> {
         })?;
 
         Ok(ConsoleArgs {
-            string: string.unwrap_or_default(),
+            string: static_string.unwrap_or_default(),
             span,
             parameters,
         })
diff --git a/compiler/parser/src/tokenizer/lexer.rs b/compiler/parser/src/tokenizer/lexer.rs
index e3c1ec0380..430e36ae4d 100644
--- a/compiler/parser/src/tokenizer/lexer.rs
+++ b/compiler/parser/src/tokenizer/lexer.rs
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
 // You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
 // along with the Leo library. If not, see <https://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 
-use crate::tokenizer::{Char, Token};
+use crate::tokenizer::Token;
 use leo_errors::{ParserError, Result};
 use leo_span::{Span, Symbol};
 use snarkvm_dpc::{prelude::*, testnet2::Testnet2};
@@ -185,6 +185,7 @@ impl Token {
             }
             Some('"') => {
                 let mut string = String::from("\"");
+                input.next();
 
                 let mut ended = false;
                 while let Some(c) = input.next() {
diff --git a/examples/hello-world/src/main.leo b/examples/hello-world/src/main.leo
index 97c29841d6..16244c18ff 100644
--- a/examples/hello-world/src/main.leo
+++ b/examples/hello-world/src/main.leo
@@ -1,3 +1,3 @@
-function main() {
-    console.log("Hello World!");
+function main(a: u8, b: u8) -> u8 {
+    return a + b;
 }
diff --git a/tests/expectations/compiler/compiler/console/error.leo.out b/tests/expectations/compiler/compiler/console/error.leo.out
index 2ce54190cf..4bfd57813a 100644
--- a/tests/expectations/compiler/compiler/console/error.leo.out
+++ b/tests/expectations/compiler/compiler/console/error.leo.out
@@ -4,5 +4,5 @@ expectation: Pass
 outputs:
   - output:
       - initial_input_ast: 6b9e5227fdce9f916cd2398ea85c2d7e7b2f7d706bfa730b8cd1acdeb3f168cd
-    initial_ast: e3b69d0b4355afd331edf8c572b64746bc763a714626043a9edc8eba42b08ec8
-    symbol_table: d46f6eb98259f34d32a60788aa178efa34166bcc6ba1058e2ff5f8327a129b9c
+    initial_ast: 0ae1ebc0e62265d17e6b569f2f8ac5b6ce6514b9403c68ab581c44f1cfbe9c31
+    symbol_table: 96b1b61a449645b155fdf9499ec0dfe7281795ae5bde4a57d081bdf4021bb72b
diff --git a/tests/expectations/compiler/compiler/console/log.leo.out b/tests/expectations/compiler/compiler/console/log.leo.out
index 7fa5f4bdca..7e06766ca6 100644
--- a/tests/expectations/compiler/compiler/console/log.leo.out
+++ b/tests/expectations/compiler/compiler/console/log.leo.out
@@ -4,5 +4,5 @@ expectation: Pass
 outputs:
   - output:
       - initial_input_ast: 89959164cbf734ac0d261c7459b9c1214eb2f4b3ab9ec57a0b22db487d6537e4
-    initial_ast: cb79b9db64a7e92b85706e517b586b4fe9cd591850e7130cc7bfad6dd92b4d3f
-    symbol_table: 559484bc163178bf54b169f5dd573167771566aa993055b6a28f0c1a759339bc
+    initial_ast: f3a9cc35481db214372f311df86bdeff108ced2951f36c35bc5e3f4cf874b9fd
+    symbol_table: f09a4b65028c90ac4d6b84d217b187e692ac65ff713943b27f6ad44c2d154b45
diff --git a/tests/expectations/compiler/compiler/console/log_conditional.leo.out b/tests/expectations/compiler/compiler/console/log_conditional.leo.out
index 479df480d2..ca4d41d6e3 100644
--- a/tests/expectations/compiler/compiler/console/log_conditional.leo.out
+++ b/tests/expectations/compiler/compiler/console/log_conditional.leo.out
@@ -5,5 +5,5 @@ outputs:
   - output:
       - initial_input_ast: 4132cf36ac66f6b23e249f81b5c2aafa58e4e5e945920cc29752edc5d6d8057f
       - initial_input_ast: 586ed72429932a1aafcd0f8eed983a4babff8eada9c028b88bbeef24dab1cbc0
-    initial_ast: 0360f7fba87784c290f73693b81ca1b71e3259794f0fb3d3cbe39cc143e92d82
-    symbol_table: 560afbb790df70bfc770d5c2f966428a37baf94a5c0f5312ad445456d33a2cd9
+    initial_ast: 3b169c5b325765b378d7ea1a131c22d6581a5678c7612dd89d5b65dc9ea741c5
+    symbol_table: 1d675fa8a7bd7ce83ba28eb5421a5455d633b4a79ab0332df2c6e2f51ed8da4e
diff --git a/tests/expectations/compiler/compiler/console/log_input.leo.out b/tests/expectations/compiler/compiler/console/log_input.leo.out
index ec01248f24..21b988a693 100644
--- a/tests/expectations/compiler/compiler/console/log_input.leo.out
+++ b/tests/expectations/compiler/compiler/console/log_input.leo.out
@@ -4,5 +4,5 @@ expectation: Pass
 outputs:
   - output:
       - initial_input_ast: 5411bd17943bb0aa7b0bb27e8b38f57fd27f06f2080b13a32eee50c53de66f6c
-    initial_ast: ab02de15b37b07d52d385468d72b03f8f9ecff3c9f130b8a3985be326f9f6edf
-    symbol_table: 720c2aafae77c261ed1640d4080f9a73657638baa30e54a5e10e2323b6f6eca0
+    initial_ast: 6ac72cc3fb0f49ffb8b5e19ad7199fbefc43b4fda14bc81e72b9a8158da4c488
+    symbol_table: f4cde37b60d4f9dd3f9c6d68adcd775a4a658aa0230638ae719c530e73a50aa1
diff --git a/tests/expectations/compiler/compiler/console/log_parameter.leo.out b/tests/expectations/compiler/compiler/console/log_parameter.leo.out
index 2985e69ae9..9cfa62961b 100644
--- a/tests/expectations/compiler/compiler/console/log_parameter.leo.out
+++ b/tests/expectations/compiler/compiler/console/log_parameter.leo.out
@@ -4,5 +4,5 @@ expectation: Pass
 outputs:
   - output:
       - initial_input_ast: 18e8a4118829470d3150268bbf8d298954e1f566ea2d42ed9f3660dc25c23fcc
-    initial_ast: 4fa505d3542f2df2abcdbbf7d487ff65e1e311366fc2eaee286f8ba253876883
-    symbol_table: e5159343ab03573032873783b28058a482dd401d534a0d3af03790a5286ba470
+    initial_ast: d2b0bcc028f1faca5015149527326b012acae44c7f4eccedd2bb4e6ddd60d458
+    symbol_table: b95e9b9a3c056c2b908593687e5e196733d23ff345a18ec0c71db9be3f79fed6
diff --git a/tests/expectations/compiler/compiler/console/log_parameter_many.leo.out b/tests/expectations/compiler/compiler/console/log_parameter_many.leo.out
index 7f8a52b671..df5bbc6c1f 100644
--- a/tests/expectations/compiler/compiler/console/log_parameter_many.leo.out
+++ b/tests/expectations/compiler/compiler/console/log_parameter_many.leo.out
@@ -4,5 +4,5 @@ expectation: Pass
 outputs:
   - output:
       - initial_input_ast: caa45de3b412d749048b9be732a4593f3094c671701093103f580817a741acbb
-    initial_ast: 8dc13a9cb4d48b8a5e33d4e16a3071869a6ac7034962af5baf8f5f19a2b218dd
-    symbol_table: 757bb967973b87466c01be1a9dc78d30701964e0d234e0e65d1bbcbd3072370f
+    initial_ast: 85fd5d2885d1f52b613acce71636df9549406c4b65e716cabf207a84123ebc7e
+    symbol_table: 030ff41534ded0e7779554395f177c9a10bc1775954a48b97c410fbb0271eaf9
diff --git a/tests/expectations/compiler/compiler/input_files/program_input/main_group.leo.out b/tests/expectations/compiler/compiler/input_files/program_input/main_group.leo.out
index 4344961255..0022a19c9d 100644
--- a/tests/expectations/compiler/compiler/input_files/program_input/main_group.leo.out
+++ b/tests/expectations/compiler/compiler/input_files/program_input/main_group.leo.out
@@ -4,5 +4,5 @@ expectation: Pass
 outputs:
   - output:
       - initial_input_ast: a610c3b16aefb8d1dcf55aa316fadd3da191a4045279d74de5667b795a079ba4
-    initial_ast: 14b47cd09e5cca03ce44fe3f038294840fb2259aef8c912ed8e9f41494d62338
-    symbol_table: 3b68eff86b45e4f940b0a1031e19a64178b0bf802acb59f3b743e664f3010876
+    initial_ast: b3b74914a19f82eb0c7dd69a9bfa2323f65c0c1de2dfc8788e166c46af7e1b3b
+    symbol_table: 24bb3b7964ed9b1a081d18e792ff976523146390accc79275998448ac3c9a510
diff --git a/tests/expectations/compiler/compiler/input_files/program_input_constants/main_group.leo.out b/tests/expectations/compiler/compiler/input_files/program_input_constants/main_group.leo.out
index 3e97178ef9..76ae8dd90b 100644
--- a/tests/expectations/compiler/compiler/input_files/program_input_constants/main_group.leo.out
+++ b/tests/expectations/compiler/compiler/input_files/program_input_constants/main_group.leo.out
@@ -4,5 +4,5 @@ expectation: Pass
 outputs:
   - output:
       - initial_input_ast: ab788992b0e08b3ba20bde1db2c473a4e006f06adefcddca936b148efff76b89
-    initial_ast: 3558d89ef38d1a8f0f2b458b79c0b50aa9736d9c3d1af04435ac5f2253df2f44
-    symbol_table: 14140f05d5fb8a85352940a67860fd36ed597f93ac882fdb76ef3d1ed89b5031
+    initial_ast: 27eed50a20003ec963a52eb683c3795ee289b3cb71626aab64a9279a98261966
+    symbol_table: e76eaaeb156f8c53fdb8f478f7ca9705c62075adc8b1bba7583da100bad2b6c6