Why is this dependency on `skiko` required in `compose.components.resources` for `js` or `wasmJs` t...

# compose-web

[Robert Jaros]

Why is this dependency on skiko required in compose.components.resources for js or wasmJs targets?
https://github.com/JetBrains/compose-multiplatform/blob/master/components/resources/library/build.gradle.kts#L61
I don't draw on canvas, don't want skiko.wasm loaded. I just would like to use Res and easily read resources in my common sources set.

[Konstantin Tskhovrebov]

there is no a resources library for KMP 😉 only for Compose Multiplatform

[Robert Jaros]

I'm definitely using Compose Multiplatform, just not compose-web (canvas) 🙂

[Robert Jaros]

I've filled a similar issue regarding compose-animations, but at least I understand why is the skiko dependency used there (https://github.com/JetBrains/compose-multiplatform/issues/4133). But I'm not sure why it's needed for resources library.

[Oleksandr Karpovich [JB]]

Yeah, it's similar to the issue with compose-animations.
The resources library depends on compose-foundation which depends on compose-ui -> skiko.
If you use only limited set of API - not involving compose-ui and skiko, then the release distribution will likely work too.

Not sure that it can be easily solved for dev builds, because DCE is not enabed there.

What APIs do you want to use from the resources lib? What Res do you want to have?

[Robert Jaros]

I'd like to use files (Res.readBytes) and values/strings.xml.

[Robert Jaros]

Res.readBytes works fine without skiko on both js and wasm (production)

[Oleksandr Karpovich [JB]]

I see.
Here you can see why compose.ui is needed https://github.com/JetBrains/compose-multiplatform/blob/master/components/resource[…]onMain/kotlin/org/jetbrains/compose/resources/ImageResources.kt

[Robert Jaros]

But values/strings.xml crashes my wasm app

[Robert Jaros]

Uncaught (in promise) TypeError: e is undefined
    stringLength

[Robert Jaros]

when I use getString(Res.string.app_name) I see this exception

[Robert Jaros]

when I use getString(Res.string.app_name).toJsString() the browser tab crashes

[Oleksandr Karpovich [JB]]

On a first glance, that call doesn't involve skiko (imo it shouldn't).
Anyway wondering if including skiko into the distribution would make any difference

[Robert Jaros]

let me check

[Robert Jaros]

No, it still doesn't work. The same error in dev and prod.

[Robert Jaros]

I've used the strings.xml file from the demo project.

[Robert Jaros]

The Res seem to be generated correctly and it works fine with js target.

[Oleksandr Karpovich [JB]]

Could you please submit it to the issue tracker with your reproducer?

[Robert Jaros]

I can't prepare a reproducer because I haven't released any artifacts of my library yet. I can only point you to my project repo and gradle tasks to run the example app. Would that be enough?

[Oleksandr Karpovich [JB]]

Good. Thanks

[Robert Jaros]

And returning to the skiko issue, could you consider extracting some core functionality, like files and strings, which could be really useful for all compose apps, even those not using any graphics, to be usable without foundation, ui and skiko?

[Oleksandr Karpovich [JB]]

We didn't consider this use case.

@Konstantin Tskhovrebov what do you think? Can we consider making a "core resources lib" without a dependency on foundation? And an extended lib which depends as api() on the "core" (so by default an extend lib will expose the core api too)

[Robert Jaros]

https://github.com/JetBrains/compose-multiplatform/issues/4171