Using any C++ library in Godot

(blog.conan.io)

36 points | by czoido 1 hour ago

10 comments

  • le-mark 2 minutes ago
    > Engine modules are compiled into the engine itself. They have full access to the internals, but you need to build and ship your own copy of Godot, including the editor and export templates for every platform.

    I’m not familiar with distributing godot games. If I build a game to distribute on steam (for example) would this be an option? Or is a GDExtension (runtime loaded .so) the standard way to go?

  • Asmod4n 12 minutes ago
    I am building something similar, with c++26 reflection. So any language can use c++ libs with only a few lines of boilerplate in a lifetime and memory safe way where possible. And where it’s not possible to infer the safe lifetime of an object i got a small .toml file which tells the lib how to safely use those functions.
  • valorzard 1 hour ago
    If you know rust, the Godot rust bindings for GDExtension are also really good and let you use any Rust library in Godot (including tokio and async rust if you really want) https://godot-rust.github.io/
  • MeteorMarc 27 minutes ago
    So, what profiling support is available to find the critical parts of your GDscript or C# code. Before needlessly jumping into c++ hassle for performance reasons? Tfa addresses functional reasons, which is ok.
  • voodooEntity 21 minutes ago
    Was playing arround recently building an RTS with godot until i just hit the ceilling of what i could handle with gdscript performance wise.

    Than started to move alot of heavy logic to c++ simulation : tedious indeed but the results speak for themself.

    Basically allows me to use godot for things like menus dialogues and similar stuff while running the true heavy work in a c++ simulation.

  • jokoon 52 minutes ago
    So it requires writing a CMake script, some python, and some weird C++ code.

    A bit tedious but that's how it goes.

    • OsrsNeedsf2P 42 minutes ago
      The point is that it's compatible, not that it's the recommended way of doing things.
  • fwsgonzo 1 hour ago
    Just don't forget the versioning script needed on at least Linux. It's either that or build with the same older distro Godot uses, so you have a matching libstdc++ version. You can link with a newer stdlibc++ but you will need a linker versioning script that hides your impl from the dynamic linker so you don't get random ghosts in your machine.
    • czoido 56 minutes ago
      Hi! Yes, you are right, thanks for pointing this out. It's something to keep in mind when distributing an extension for Linux. I have just updated the post with a note about it.
  • hnacobsxph 36 minutes ago
    Static linking libstdc++ with -fvisibility=hidden saved me on Linux, though it bit me the day I needed exceptions to cross the boundary.
  • zerr 1 hour ago
    > // Copy the position of every entity into the MultiMesh buffer

    So, is a zero-copy impossible due to world (C++ vs Godot) boundaries?

  • ill-ion 1 hour ago
    [dead]