Add ImportC compiler to dmd

[12345swordy]

On Tuesday, 11 May 2021 at 16:57:15 UTC, IGotD- wrote:
> On Sunday, 9 May 2021 at 20:57:06 UTC, Walter Bright wrote:
>> https://github.com/dlang/dmd/pull/12507
>>
>> If you could add a C compiler to dmd with 3000 lines of code, 
>> so C code could be imported directly? I would!
>
> I'd say no to this.
>
> Why?
>
> Adding a C compiler into the D compiler will increase the 
> maintenance work load and open up for new interesting bugs. 
> This is the last D needs. Also there are several areas where D 
> needs to improve (memory management) and add this split 
> personally is a distraction.
>
> I also find this a bit strange coming from a person that thinks 
> making GC pointers an own type would increase the complexity of 
> the compiler, then suddenly wants to add a complete C compiler 
> into the D compiler.
>
> Also the question raises what will be supported and what will 
> not. There are a lot of header files out there that are a mix 
> between C and C++. Adding importing C++ is difficult and the 
> scope what is supported must be limited. This means that a lot 
> of header files will not work directly. C++11 and beyond with 
> templates, just forget it.
>
> I understand that importC would greatly make FFI easier but I 
> think this is easier said than done. It is definitely not worth 
> making the D compiler into a Frankensteins monster. I would go 
> the conversion tool (that converts C header files to D files) 
> route in order to decouple a foreign language to the D language.

Read the change log, there are no plans for importing C++ files. 
C (without the preprocessor nonsense) is a very simple 
programming language. There are huge number of C libraries out 
there. The ability to simply import them and "Just work" will be 
a huge boost to adoption rate when it comes the d language.

-Alex