Swift Export doesn't work with the default Objecti...

# touchlab-tools

[Tadeas Kriz]

Swift Export doesn't work with the default ObjectiveC export as far as I know, so you can't use them together, whether you use SKIE or not. Swift export also isn't ready for production, so I wouldn't recommend it.

[David]

"doesn't work with the default ObjectiveC export as far as I know" what's the issue with that? I'm not interested in ObjC, I'm only interested in Swift, why would I want to use them together? The use cases are not clear to me, I know swift export is in development, but is it supposed to replace SKIE?

[Tadeas Kriz]

The future of Swift Export is unknown, and whether it replaces SKIE or not depends on how far JB will go with it. Kotlin and Swift are fundamentally different languages so opinionated decisions have to be made to make the interop better, which is something we've done with SKIE.

The issue with not being able to use ObjectiveC export along with Swift export is that it's all or nothing. If you have existing Swift code that uses current KMP (ObjectiveC export), then you may have breaking changes. Also Swift export still doesn't support every Kotlin declaration type, so it can't replace ObjectiveC export just yet.

Also, ObjectiveC export is not bad, especially when you use SKIE which smooths the interop for stuff that's not available in ObjectiveC. Honestly if I was to decide between using Swift export without SKIE or ObjectiveC with SKIE, it'd go with ObjC export + SKIE at least in the foreseeable future.

[David]

Ok, thanks. "The future of Swift Export is unknown" but it's on the roadmap. Is SKIE not in the same group of Devs as Swift Export?

[Tadeas Kriz]

I'm not sure what you mean about the same group of devs?

[David]

Both things being developed in the same organization? I though Touchlabs is founded by JB, and also the Kotlin language development

[Tadeas Kriz]

No, Touchlab is a separate company.

[David]

ok, on the internet I could read that Google and JB founded the Kotlin foundation, so I though they would finance touchlab somehow

[Tadeas Kriz]

Touchlab is a member in Kotlin foundation, but it's a paid membership (https://kotlinfoundation.org/join/)

[David]

ok, thanks for clarifying!