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101 lines
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ReStructuredText
101 lines
4.0 KiB
ReStructuredText
.. _doc_what_is_gdextension:
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What is GDExtension?
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====================
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Introduction
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------------
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**GDExtension** is a Godot-specific technology that lets the engine interact with
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native `shared libraries <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Library_(computing)#Shared_libraries>`__
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at run-time. You can use it to run native code without compiling it with the engine.
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.. note:: GDExtension is *not* a scripting language and has no relation to
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:ref:`GDScript <doc_gdscript>`.
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Differences between GDExtension and C++ modules
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-----------------------------------------------
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You can use both GDExtension and :ref:`C++ modules <doc_custom_modules_in_cpp>` to
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run C or C++ code in a Godot project.
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They also both allow you to integrate third-party libraries into Godot. The one
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you should choose depends on your needs.
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.. note:: If you notice that specific systems are not accessible via GDExtension
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but are via custom modules feel free to open an issue on the
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`godot-cpp repository <https://github.com/godotengine/godot-cpp>`__ to discuss
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implementation options to expose the missing functionality.
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Advantages of GDExtension
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^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
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Unlike modules, GDExtension doesn't require compiling the engine's source code,
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making it easier to distribute your work. It gives you access to most of the API
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available to GDScript and C#, allowing you to code game logic with full control
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regarding performance. It's ideal if you need high-performance code you'd like
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to distribute as an add-on in the :ref:`asset library <doc_what_is_assetlib>`.
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Also:
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- GDExtension is not limited to C and C++. Thanks to :ref:`third-party bindings
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<doc_what_is_gdnative_third_party_bindings>`, you can use it with many other
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languages.
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- You can use the same compiled GDExtension library in the editor and exported
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project. With C++ modules, you have to recompile all the export templates you
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plan to use if you require its functionality at run-time.
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- GDExtension only requires you to compile your library, not the whole engine.
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That's unlike C++ modules, which are statically compiled into the engine.
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Every time you change a module, you need to recompile the engine. Even with
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incremental builds, this process is slower than using GDExtension.
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Advantages of C++ modules
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^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
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We recommend :ref:`C++ modules <doc_custom_modules_in_cpp>` in cases where
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GDExtension isn't enough:
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- C++ modules provide deeper integration into the engine. GDExtension's access is not as deep as
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static modules
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- You can use C++ modules to provide additional features in a project without
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carrying native library files around. This extends to exported projects.
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Supported languages
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-------------------
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The Godot developers officially support the following language bindings for
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GDExtension:
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- C++ :ref:`(tutorial) <doc_gdextension_cpp_example>`
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.. note::
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There are no plans to support additional languages with GDExtension officially.
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That said, the community offers several bindings for other languages (see
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below).
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.. _doc_what_is_gdnative_third_party_bindings:
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The bindings below are developed and maintained by the community:
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.. Binding developers: Feel free to open a pull request to add your binding if it's well-developed enough to be used in a project.
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.. Please keep languages sorted in alphabetical order.
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- `Rust <https://github.com/godot-rust/gdextension>`__
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- `Swift <https://github.com/migueldeicaza/SwiftGodot>`__
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.. note::
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Not all bindings mentioned here may be production-ready. Make sure to
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research options thoroughly before starting a project with one of those.
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Also, double-check whether the binding is compatible with the Godot version
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you're using.
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Version compatibility
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---------------------
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GDExtension add-ons compiled for a given Godot version are only guaranteed to work
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with the same minor release series. For example, a GDExtension add-on compiled for
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Godot 4.0 will only work with Godot 4.0, 4.0.1, 4.0.2. In addition, GDExtension is
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not compatible with Godot 3.x.
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