crabi_test

crabi_test

An Experimental Rust Library for ABI Exploration

crabi_test is a Rust library designed to facilitate practical exploration and understanding of Application Binary Interface (ABI) concepts, particularly as they relate to cross-language interoperability and Rust’s Foreign Function Interface (FFI).

Purpose

The library provides a set of simple, well-documented examples to illustrate how Rust can interact with other languages like C. By using features like #[repr(C)] for predictable memory layouts and extern "C" functions for FFI, crabi_test demonstrates the challenges and considerations involved in ABI compatibility.

Key Features

Data Structure Layouts: Examples of #[repr(C)] data structures to understand how Rust data can be made ABI-compliant. Cross-Language Function Calls: extern "C" functions that show how data is passed and modified between Rust and other languages. Practical Tests: Built-in tests to validate behavior and illustrate common pitfalls in ABI design and implementation.

Use Cases

crabi_test is suitable for:

Developers interested in systems programming and understanding how Rust can interface with C and other languages. Experiments and educational purposes, offering a foundation to explore the implications of ABI stability or the lack thereof in Rust.

##Example Code

#[repr(C)]
pub struct SimpleData {
    pub value: i32,
    pub flag: bool,
}

#[no_mangle]
pub extern "C" fn modify_simple_data(data: *mut SimpleData) {
    // Function to modify SimpleData structure
}

License

Distributed under the MIT or Apache 2.0 license.

Author

bensatlantik