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What is cxxinterop-tests?

kassane/cxxinterop-tests — explained in plain English

Analysis updated 2026-07-17 · repo last pushed 2023-12-17

6RustAudience · developerComplexity · 4/5DormantSetup · hard

In one sentence

An experimental test bed showing how C++ can talk to Rust, Swift, D, and Zig, so teams can gradually bring a newer language into an existing C++ codebase.

Mindmap

mindmap
  root((repo))
    What it does
      Tests language interop
      C++ with Rust Swift D Zig
      Not a finished app
    Tech stack
      C++
      Rust
      Swift
      D
      Zig
    Use cases
      Mix Rust into old C++
      Modernize with Swift
      Learn interop patterns
    Audience
      C++ maintainers
      Language bridge builders

Code map

Detail Auto

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filefunction / class

What do people build with it?

USE CASE 1

Learn how to call Rust functions from an existing C++ codebase

USE CASE 2

See patterns for bringing Swift into a legacy C++ system

USE CASE 3

Compare interop approaches across four languages before picking one

USE CASE 4

Study real examples like Swift's integration into FoundationDB

What is it built with?

C++RustSwiftDZigCMake

How does it compare?

kassane/cxxinterop-testsfemboyisp/emryj0rdiun/cosmic-ext-app-switcher
Stars666
LanguageRustRustRust
Last pushed2023-12-17
MaintenanceDormant
Setup difficultyhardeasymoderate
Complexity4/52/52/5
Audiencedeveloperdatageneral

Figures from each repo's GitHub metadata at analysis time.

How do you get it running?

Difficulty · hard Time to first run · 1day+

Requires installing and coordinating toolchains for C++, CMake, Swift, D, Rust, and Zig together.

So what is it?

This repo is an experimental testing ground for making different programming languages talk to each other. Specifically, it explores how C++ can work alongside Rust, Swift, D, and Zig. It is not a finished application or a tool you would install. Instead, it is a collection of tests and examples showing that code written in one language can successfully communicate with code written in another. In software development, teams often want to use a modern language like Rust or Swift while still relying on existing C++ code that has been built and refined over years. The challenge is that languages do not naturally understand each other. This project demonstrates a few ways to bridge that gap, allowing functions and data to pass between C++ and the other languages. The README links to several video presentations that walk through the design philosophy and practical examples of how these connections work. This project would be useful for developers who are maintaining an older C++ codebase and want to gradually introduce a newer language without throwing away their existing work. For example, a team might want to rewrite parts of a system in Rust for better safety guarantees, or bring in Swift to modernize a database backend. The referenced videos show real-world scenarios, such as how Swift was integrated into FoundationDB to modernize its C++ foundation. To actually run these tests, you need a fairly specific setup. The README lists requirements including a C++ compiler, CMake, and the toolchains for Swift, D, Rust, and Zig. The README does not go into detail about the specific test results or which interoperability method works best. It functions more as a resource hub, pointing to community talks and acknowledging the developers who contributed to the C++ and Rust connection examples.

Copy-paste prompts

Prompt 1
Show me a minimal example of calling a Rust function from C++ using the patterns in this repo
Prompt 2
Explain how Swift was integrated into FoundationDB's C++ codebase and why
Prompt 3
Walk me through setting up the C++, Rust, Swift, D, and Zig toolchains needed to run these interop tests
Prompt 4
What are the tradeoffs between the different C++ interop approaches shown here?

Frequently asked questions

What is cxxinterop-tests?

An experimental test bed showing how C++ can talk to Rust, Swift, D, and Zig, so teams can gradually bring a newer language into an existing C++ codebase.

What language is cxxinterop-tests written in?

Mainly Rust. The stack also includes C++, Rust, Swift.

Is cxxinterop-tests actively maintained?

Dormant — no commits in 2+ years (last push 2023-12-17).

How hard is cxxinterop-tests to set up?

Setup difficulty is rated hard, with roughly 1day+ to a first successful run.

Who is cxxinterop-tests for?

Mainly developer.

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