hi folks, FYI: together with <@UCE4UFX9Q> we work ...

# embedded-kotlin

[Piotr Krzemiński]

hi folks, FYI: together with @SerVB we work on transpiling Kotlin to Python (technically, a new Kotlin backend). Using Kotlin on embedded systems is a great use case for this project - I realized it myself, when I started playing with my STM32-based board 🙂 if you want to learn more and/or support us, please head to:
• the repo: https://github.com/krzema12/kotlin-python
• related forum thread: https://discuss.kotlinlang.org/t/idea-python-backend/19852
• related YouTrack issue: https://youtrack.jetbrains.com/issue/KT-34074
• related Slack channels: #python and #python-contributors
To sum up the status: it's not usable yet, but we got some nice momentum and with our current pace and about a year, it might become a real thing!

[louiscad]

Hello! Interesting project. Being not so familiar with embedded systems yet, I'm wondering what made you choose to transpile Kotlin to python rather than to C++, C, Rust, or another low-level language. Can you tell ? 🙂

[Piotr Krzemiński]

hi, thanks! see the mentioned YouTrack issue, it summarizes the use cases that I came up with so far

[Piotr Krzemiński]

if you mean only the context of embedded, it's just a use case of the Kotlin/Python that one may prefer over using native binaries. From hard advantages, I see so far that the app will be portable

[Piotr Krzemiński]

several days ago I realized it's not that easy to use Kotlin on my STM32-based board (see the thread), and then I got a revelation that there's MicroPython + soon Kotlin/Python 🙂 that's the whole story so far

[louiscad]

Being compatible with LLVM and sharing code with Kotlin multiplatform is another way of making the app "portable"

[louiscad]

Python and MicroPython are different, aren't they?
Or does supporting Kotlin to Python means supporting Kotlin to MicroPython?

[louiscad]

BTW, read the YouTrack issue, makes a lot of sense, I'm surprised there wasn't more publicity about this issue.

[Piotr Krzemiński]

Yeah, Micropython from what I saw is some simple subset, and I just got this idea we can target it (as well) in Kotlin/Python

[corneil]

STM32 is ARM 32 bit. It should be less work to produce a nativeArm32 target if you use abdroidNativeArm32 as a starting point