The Swift Linux Port
+ +With the launch of the open source Swift project, we are also releasing +a port that works with the Linux operating system! You can build it from +the Swift sources or download pre-built binaries for Ubuntu. The port +is still a work in progress but we’re happy to say that it is usable +today for experimentation. Currently x86_64 is the only supported +architecture on Linux.
+ +Here are a few highlights of what’s working in the port today:
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Swift without the Objective-C Runtime: Swift on Linux does not +depend on the Objective-C runtime nor includes it. While Swift was +designed to interoperate closely with Objective-C when it is present, +it was also designed to work in environments where the Objective-C +runtime does not exist.
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The core Swift Language and Standard Library on Linux shares most of +the same implementation and APIs as on Apple platforms. There are some +slight differences of behavior because of the absence of the +Objective-C runtime on Linux (noted below).
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The Glibc Module: Most of the Linux C standard library is available +through this module similar to the Darwin module on Apple platforms. +Some headers aren’t yet imported into the module, such as tgmath.h.
+ +To try it out, just
+import Glibc.
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+
Swift Core Libraries: The Core Libraries provide implementations +of core APIs from Foundation and XCTest to be used on Linux without +Objective-C . The intention is that these APIs are available in a +cross-platform manner regardless of whether you are using Swift on +Apple’s platforms or Swift on Linux.
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LLDB Swift debugging and the REPL: You can debug your Swift +binaries and experiment in the REPL just like you do on OS X.
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The Swift Package Manager is a first class citizen as it is on +Apple’s platforms.
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Here are some things that aren’t quite working yet or are planned for +the future:
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libdispatch: Part of the Core Libraries, updated Linux support is +in progress. You can follow development on the libdispatch project on +GitHub.
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Some C APIs: Although this is generally true for all of our +supported platforms, a few constructs in C aren’t imported yet into +Swift. This will cause some APIs to be unavailable, such as those that +contain varargs /
+va_list. However, in recent months Swift’s +interoperability with C has significantly advanced, gaining support +for named and anonymous unions, anonymous structs, and bitfields.
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Some
+StringAPIs: The Standard Library’sStringis missing implementations +of several important APIs because they are currently tied to the +implementation ofNSStringon Apple’s platforms.
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Runtime Introspection: When a Swift class on Apple’s platforms is +marked
+@objcor subclassesNSObjectyou can use the Objective-C +runtime to enumerate available methods on an object or call methods +using selectors. Such capabilities are absent because they depend on +the Objective-C runtime.
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+Array<T> as? Array<S>: Some mechanisms, such as casting +containers with different associated types, currently do not work as +they relied on bridging mechanisms with Objective-C.
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We’re really excited to be able to release the open source project with +a great head start for Linux support that you can try right now! There +is still plenty of work to be done, so we hope to see you contribute to +Swift to make the Linux port even more complete.
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