Can I have Swift, Objective-C, C and C++ files in the same Xcode project?
YES.
You can mix Swift
, C
, C++
, Objective-C
& Objective-C++
files in the same Xcode project.
C
// Declaration: C.h
#ifndef C_h
#define C_h
#ifdef __cplusplus
extern "C" {
#endif
void hello_c(const char * name);
#ifdef __cplusplus
}
#endif
#endif /* C_h */
// Definition: C.c
#include "C.h"
#include <stdio.h>
void hello_c(const char * name) {
printf("Hello %s in C\n", name);
}
C++
// Declaration: CPP.hpp
#pragma once
#include <string>
class CPP {
public:
void hello_cpp(const std::string& name);
};
// Definition: CPP.cpp
#include "CPP.hpp"
#include <iostream>
using namespace std;
void CPP::hello_cpp(const std::string& name) {
cout << "Hello " << name << " in C++" << endl;
}
Objective-C wrapper for C++
// Declaration: CPP-Wrapper.h
#import <Foundation/Foundation.h>
@interface CPP_Wrapper : NSObject
- (void)hello_cpp_wrapped:(NSString *)name;
@end
// Definition: CPP-Wrapper.mm
#import "CPP-Wrapper.h"
#include "CPP.hpp"
@implementation CPP_Wrapper
- (void)hello_cpp_wrapped:(NSString *)name {
CPP cpp;
cpp.hello_cpp([name cStringUsingEncoding:NSUTF8StringEncoding]);
}
@end
Objective-C
// Declaration: Objective-C.h
#import <Foundation/Foundation.h>
@interface Objective_C : NSObject
- (void)hello_objectiveC:(NSString *)name;
@end
// Definition: Objective-C.m
#import "Objective-C.h"
@implementation Objective_C
- (void)hello_objectiveC:(NSString*)name {
printf("Hello %s in Objective-C\n", [name cStringUsingEncoding:NSUTF8StringEncoding]);
}
@end
Objective-C++
// Declaration: Objective-CPP.h
#import <Foundation/Foundation.h>
@interface Objective_CPP : NSObject
- (void)hello_objectiveCpp:(NSString *)name;
@end
// Definition: Objective-CPP.mm
#include <iostream>
#import "Objective-CPP.h"
using namespace std;
@implementation Objective_CPP
- (void)hello_objectiveCpp:(NSString *)name {
cout << "Hello " << [name cStringUsingEncoding:NSUTF8StringEncoding] << " in Objective-C++\n";
}
@end
Swift
// Declaration & definition: Swift.swift
func hello_swift(_ name: String) {
print("Hello \(name) in Swift")
}
Bridging-Header.h
Cannot import CPP.hpp
header file, not because of it's naming convention, but because it contains the class
keyword.
#import "C.h"
#import "CPP-Wrapper.h"
#import "Objective-C.h"
#import "Objective-CPP.h"
Invocation from Swift
// Invoke C
hello_c("World".cStringUsingEncoding(NSUTF8StringEncoding))
// Can't Invoke C++ without a wrapper
// CPP().hello_cpp("World".cStringUsingEncoding(NSUTF8StringEncoding))
// Invoke C++ through Objective-C
CPP_Wrapper().hello_cpp_wrapped("World")
// Invoke Objective-C
Objective_C().hello_objectiveC("World")
// Invoke Objective-C++
Objective_CPP().hello_objectiveCpp("World")
// Invoke Swift
Swift().hello_swift("World")
.h (Headers)
(See item 3 in this Stack Overflow answer)
.h: this is the tricky part, since they are ambiguously used for all flavors of C, ++ or not, Objective or not. When a .h does not contain a single C++ keyword, like class, it can be added to the ...Bridging-Header.h, and will expose whatever function the corresponding .c or .cpp functionalities it declares. Otherwise, that header must be wrapped in either a pure C or Objective-C API.
Output
Hello World in C
Hello World in C++
Hello World in Objective-C
Hello World in Objective-C++
Hello World in Swift
Comments
Yes. You only need wrap C++
into C
or Objective-C
to use in Swift
.
Indeed, I have a project that does exactly that. C++
for the thrust of the abstract cross-platform model stuff with some C
parts underneath; Objective-C
to wrap the C++
classes for Swift
purposes, Swift
to bind all that to a subclass of NSDocument
, with some custom views that interrogate the C
stuff.
Added the extern "C"
wrapper as per your excellent suggestion. To invoke the C method void hello_c(const char * name)
from C++ method hello_cpp(const std::string& name)
, add #include "C.h"
and call hello_c(name.c_str());
.
The new SO-32541268: Now with parameters!
► Find this solution on GitHub and additional details on Swift Recipes.
SwiftArchitect
While I enjoy a good puzzle now and then, I like to solve problems with a holistic and generalized solution†. Experiences at Apple Computer & Microsoft have taught me humbling lessons in design and architecture: better pick a good algorithm than optimize a poor one, or better yet, design twice, program once. I find it very hard to write about myself, so here is a quote from an experienced resume writer: You are a successful leader and supporter of mobile software development, preemptive testing, and implementation initiatives. You have very extensive, specialized technical expertise. That would include iOS, Android and cross-platform Xamarin & C# for which I have a certification (check it on LinkedIn or Xamarin University). There is a life outside StackOverflow have I been told, which I may spend with a camera and a backpack. I'm also behind SwiftArchitect blog & technical discussion website. (†) A notoriously challenging example is The Returning Explorer by M. Gardner.
Updated on July 08, 2022Comments
-
SwiftArchitect almost 2 years
Can all 4 languages be used in the same project at all, and if so how?
There are similar questions in the flavor: Can I mix Swift with C++? Like the Objective - C .mm files to which the accepted answer is no.
Using
Bridging Header
adequately,.h
that do not containC++
statements,Objective-C
wrappers when.h
do containC++
,.mm
files to do the actual wrapping ofC++
classes, and.swift
, can the 4 languages (5 if you includeObjective-C++
) build and link into a single executable?
-
dumbledad over 8 years+1 - amazing answer, but real shame that the simple C++ method does not take a pointer or reference to another C++ object as a parameter - that's what's doing my head in.
-
MaddTheSane over 8 yearsNote that you may need to wrap C functions in
extern "C" { }
if you include and call them in C++ source code. This also means you can have a function that is C compliant implemented in C++ and that is called in Swift. -
Anchor over 8 yearsAwesome! Is there a performance penalty for having all these wrapper functions?
-
SwiftArchitect about 8 yearsCredit to the critics who have suggested edits and enhancements.
-
Dk Kumar about 8 years@SwiftArchitect it's absolutely great example, but I think if you include <vector> or <iostream> in .h file of objective c++ wrapper it will is not working for me
-
user2517182 about 8 years@SwiftArchitect does this still work?
#include <string>
produces the following error'string' file not found
in CPP.hpp. -
user2517182 about 8 years@SwiftArchitect I see what my problem was. I named
CPP-Wrapper
with .m instead of .mm You may want to change your 'Objective-C wrapper for C++' title to 'Objective-C++ wrapper for C++'. Even though you have the filename in the comments ending in .mm, if someone (like I did) creates a .m then#include <string>
produces the following error'string' file not found
in CPP.hpp. Thanks for this great resource. :-) -
SwiftArchitect about 8 yearsCorrect. Watch out for
.h
,.c.
,.hpp
,.cpp
,m
,.mm
&.swift
. -
PashaN almost 7 yearscan someone provide an example how to call from .cpp to swift or objective c?