Re: Core and Not-So Core

[Jon Seymour <jon.seymour@gmail.com>]

On 5/11/05, Rik van Riel <riel@redhat.com> wrote:
> On Wed, 11 May 2005, Jon Seymour wrote:
> 
> > I did consider wrapping it - I really did. But after thinking about it
> > for a couple of weeks I eventually came to the conclusion it would be a
> > sub-optimal solution.
> 
> > So, if I want a stable foundation to build my stuff on, basing it on
> > the output of the C tools would be a huge mistake.
> 
> Can Java use a library that's implemented in C, like Python
> and Perl can?  If that is the case, the C implementation of
> git simply needs the ability to be called as a library and
> you can implement Java bindings for it.
> 

It can in principle, yes. This is the so-called Java-Native-Interface (JNI).

I think in the longer term it would make sense to write a JNI layer
but the GIT source code is probably a little too unstable for that
now. What needs to happen first, I think, is that a solid and stable C
API (e.g. a libgit) be proposed and developed.

One outcome of the work I am doing (a long time away, probably will
never happen) might eventually be to propose an C API for GIT based,
in part, on the prototyping work I do in Java. However, I suspect its
Java-tainted heritage would mean instant death to it for purely
dogmatic reasons so I think it I'll leave it to others to propose a
C-API and then write a JNI wrapper for that when/if it ever happens.

> That should also make it easier to create front-ends in
> other languages...
> 

Agreed.

jon.