C++ compilation support? about facil.io

[boazsegev]

Hi @brandonros ,

Thanks for opening the issue, I know it would be nice if facil.io could compile to C++.

I am working on making it as close to possible as I can for the future 0.8.x version... but I won't back port C++ compatibility fixes to the 0.7.x releases.

One of my main issues with C++ compilation is actually the API...

C99 allows to use the preprocessor together with a struct in order to emulate "named arguments", something that the facil.io API leans on heavily. This allows for a very flexible API and simplifies complex function calls.

However, C++ does not allow for variadic macros nor out-of-order designated initializers / compound literals, making it impossible to use named macros without GNU extensions (if at all). C++20 seems a step forwards, but there are still issues when trying to bridge the differences.

I am making slow progress on C++ compilation support for the 0.8.x release (which I have been working on for a few years and seem to constantly re-write). Right now the facil.io C STL, which provides core functionality for the upcoming 0.8.x version, should compile even when used as a C++ header library... but unless there will bridge these two differences between C and C++ (variadic macros and designated initializers) we might have an issue with implementing a comfortable API.

Anyway, thanks for the thought.

Cheers.
Bo.

[boazsegev]

P.S.

AFAIK, there is nothing preventing you from adding a C compilation unit to your project (compiling a C file) and calling the C functions from C++... although it's sub-optimal, it allows you to use facil.io within a C++ project.

B.