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I wish using Swift for development outside Apple world would be feasible.

danpalmer 2y ago
I’ve been using it for a hobby project targeting a Linux server deployment. It’s good, and I don’t think the Apple ties are what’s holding it back now, I think it’s a relative lack of good frameworks and libraries. What’s there is often excellent quality, but it’s still a bit hit and miss even for common library use cases. I often think about what my day-1 stack would be for a new company. Swift would be on the table as an option.
liuliu 2y ago
If you stick with x86_64 land and > Swift 6.0, there is nothing infeasible about it.
- MarcusE1W 2y ago
  I can find binary packages for Linux ARM for Swiftly and Swift. What issues do you see outside of X86_64 ?
  - liuliu 2y ago
    Not blocking, just annoyance: https://github.com/swift-server/swift-backtrace/issues/72 https://github.com/swift-server/swift-backtrace/issues/72
timsneath 2y ago
Very feasible. From embedded (https://www.swift.org/blog/embedded-swift-examples/ https://www.swift.org/blog/embedded-swift-examples/) to Linux apps (https://www.swift.org/blog/adwaita-swift/ https://www.swift.org/blog/adwaita-swift/) to tiny games (https://www.swift.org/blog/byte-sized-swift-tiny-games-playdate/ https://www.swift.org/blog/byte-sized-swift-tiny-games-playd...) to ML (https://www.swift.org/blog/mlx-swift/ https://www.swift.org/blog/mlx-swift/) to Windows (https://www.swift.org/blog/swift-everywhere-windows-interop/ https://www.swift.org/blog/swift-everywhere-windows-interop/) to Private Cloud Compute (https://github.com/apple/security-pcc https://github.com/apple/security-pcc)...
- zamalek 2y ago
  How many packages will work without NSBullshit though?
  - lukeh 2y ago
    More and more, and Foundation is now sharing a codebase between Darwin and non-Darwin platforms for many types now.
  - jshier 2y ago
    Nearly all, since they removed the NS prefix from most types imported into Swift years ago. ;)
isodev 2y ago
Indeed, it’s technically possible, but the level of discomfort, workarounds and paper cuts to get there makes it entirely a hobby thing. If you really want to make “something” for the purpose of using Swift go ahead. If you want to make something, there are plenty of attentives to choose from.

I’ve been using it for a hobby project targeting a Linux server deployment. It’s good, and I don’t think the Apple ties are what’s holding it back now, I think it’s a relative lack of good frameworks and libraries. What’s there is often excellent quality, but it’s still a bit hit and miss even for common library use cases. I often think about what my day-1 stack would be for a new company. Swift would be on the table as an option.

liuliu 2y ago

If you stick with x86_64 land and > Swift 6.0, there is nothing infeasible about it.

MarcusE1W 2y ago
I can find binary packages for Linux ARM for Swiftly and Swift. What issues do you see outside of X86_64 ?
- liuliu 2y ago
  Not blocking, just annoyance: https://github.com/swift-server/swift-backtrace/issues/72 https://github.com/swift-server/swift-backtrace/issues/72

timsneath 2y ago

Very feasible. From embedded (https://www.swift.org/blog/embedded-swift-examples/ https://www.swift.org/blog/embedded-swift-examples/) to Linux apps (https://www.swift.org/blog/adwaita-swift/ https://www.swift.org/blog/adwaita-swift/) to tiny games (https://www.swift.org/blog/byte-sized-swift-tiny-games-playdate/ https://www.swift.org/blog/byte-sized-swift-tiny-games-playd...) to ML (https://www.swift.org/blog/mlx-swift/ https://www.swift.org/blog/mlx-swift/) to Windows (https://www.swift.org/blog/swift-everywhere-windows-interop/ https://www.swift.org/blog/swift-everywhere-windows-interop/) to Private Cloud Compute (https://github.com/apple/security-pcc https://github.com/apple/security-pcc)...

zamalek 2y ago
How many packages will work without NSBullshit though?
- lukeh 2y ago
  More and more, and Foundation is now sharing a codebase between Darwin and non-Darwin platforms for many types now.
- jshier 2y ago
  Nearly all, since they removed the NS prefix from most types imported into Swift years ago. ;)

isodev 2y ago

Indeed, it’s technically possible, but the level of discomfort, workarounds and paper cuts to get there makes it entirely a hobby thing. If you really want to make “something” for the purpose of using Swift go ahead. If you want to make something, there are plenty of attentives to choose from.