Embedded Linux really needs Dlang for the IOT market

[Radu]

On Friday, 9 March 2018 at 03:09:16 UTC, dangbinghoo wrote:
> hi all,
>
> I think the D community should make more effort to make Dlang 
> more easier to use on embedded Linux(mostly are arm and mips, 
> powerpc).
>
> currently, LDC seems to be more complete, but we can only see a 
> hundred words on the wiki about the cross-compiling for arm.
>
> I'm working in a company now for IOT market. We have a lot of 
> things like embedded linux systems: has a basic linux kernel, 
> uclibc/eglibc system, built using buildroot or yocto.
>
> for such a device, we need to write lost of code for dealing 
> networking, web interface, database storage and sometimes data 
> algorithm.
>
> And, For most of the devices on the market, like routers, 
> fiber-port routers, ethernet switches, and most of the 
> termination system made by Cisco, Broadcom, Huawei and others 
> running at least millions of lines of C code on the embedded 
> linux system.
>
> So, We have very big chance for spreading to these market. D is 
> really syntax-clean and provides more productive.
>
> We need tutorial for cross-compiling a whole d project for the 
> ARM, MIPS linux systems, and we need the cross-compile 
> toolchain ready to download.
>
> so, any ideas?

I'm working in BAS(Building Automation System) sector, and I use 
Dlang daily for some advance products targeting ARM/Mips boards.

D on Glibc/Linux/ARM works great today! It is well supported and 
getting LDC to cross-compile is as easy as those 100 and so words 
say! I'm using Ubuntu shell on Windows (WSL) and this makes 
things even more exciting. Actually the hardest part is getting 
the C cross tool-chain for your system, not LDC, I find this 
pretty amusing.

Recently I had to port the software to uClibc/Linux/ARM, hence my 
latest efforts on the port have followed with some patches for 
Druntime, Phobos and LDC. I think, minus 2 PRs, it is pretty 
close to complete. On my target system I've got it working 
including vibe.d.

I suggest that you give it a try, and if you find issues 
contribute!