dyncall - A Generic Dynamic FFI package

dyncall is a low-level toolkit providing a portable abstraction for handling native code dynamically at run time. It comprises three independent components, available as C libraries, namely:

• 'dyncall' for making function calls,
• 'dyncallback' or writing generic callback handlers, and
• 'dynload' for loading code.

The package provides abstractions to the Application Binary Interface of various hardware platforms such as x86, AMD64, ARM32/64, PowerPC32/64, MIPS32/64 and SPARC32/64.

Our releases are thoroughly tested across all supported platforms using a flexible test suite.

A typical application for the use of dyncall is the back-end of a FFI (foreign function interface) for scripting languages to connect with the C/C++ world.

The binary footprint of the package is approx. 10-20 kb, depending on the platform. Besides the test suite already mentioned, comprehensive documentation is available.

Building the libraries

Prequisites:

• C compiler such as gcc, clang, sunpro or msvc.
• Assembler such as gas (gnu/apple), fbe or masm.
• Build system such as 'shell/make', cmake, nmake (windows) or mk (plan9).

Supported Architectures and ABIs:

• x86 32/64-bit (cdecl, fastcall, stdcall, C++ this calls, syscalls, plan9)
• ARM AArch32/64 (32: ARM/Thumb mode, v4t-v7, oabi/eabi, soft/hardfloat ABIs; 64: AAPCS64)
• MIPS 32/64-bit (o32, n64, eabi)
• PowerPC 32/64-bit (32: Mac OS X, System V; 64: System V little and big endian ELF ABI)
• Sparc 32/64-bit (v7/8 and v9)

NOTE: Callback support is currently available on x86-32/64, arm32 softfloat ABIs, arm64, PPC64 and PPC32 Linux/OS X.

Supported Operating Systems:

• Android
• *BSD
• Haiku
• iOS
• Linux
• Mac OS X
• Microsoft Windows
• Minix
• Nintendo DS Homebrew
• Plan9 / 9front
• Playstation Portable Homebrew
• ReactOS
• Solaris

Building the libraries

Using configure shell script and GNU/BSD/Sun make system.

$ ./configure $ make $ make install

Testing:

$ make tests $ make run-tests

Build 'out-of-source'

$ cd <build_dir> $ <src_dir>/configure --prefix=<install_dir> $ make $ sudo make install

Building using CMake

$ cmake $ make $ sudo make install

Building on Windows

See doc/README.Windows

Platform-specific build details

See doc/README.*

Building the manual

Make sure pdflatex is installed and run

$ make docs

Please refer to http://www.dyncall.org, dyncall(3), dyncallback(3), the dyncall manual and platform-specific READMEs under doc/ for more information.