# godot_headers
#### `GDNative / NativeScript`
> `GDNative` enables the use of dynamically linked libraries inside of [**Godot**](https://github.com/godotengine/godot).
> `NativeScript` uses GDNative to implement scripts backed by native code.
- [**Getting Started**](#getting-started)
- [**FAQ**](#faq)
## Getting Started
| **Build latest version of Godot** | [**GitHub**](https://github.com/godotengine/godot) | [**Docs**](https://godot.readthedocs.io/en/latest/development/compiling/index.html) |
| --- | --- | --- |
### Clone godot_headers into Library
Clone `godot_headers` under `SimpleLibrary/`
```bash
cd SimpleLibrary
git clone https://github.com/GodotNativeTools/godot_headers
```
```bash
[SimpleLibrary]
├── lib/
└── src/
```
### Create Script
Create `test.c` under `SimpleLibrary/src/`
```c
#include
#include
#include
void *test_constructor(godot_object *obj, void *method_data) {
printf("test.constructor()\n");
return 0;
}
void test_destructor(godot_object *obj, void *method_data, void *user_data) {
printf("test.destructor()\n");
}
/** func _ready() **/
godot_variant test_ready(godot_object *obj, void *method_data, void *user_data, int num_args, godot_variant **args) {
godot_variant ret;
godot_variant_new_nil(&ret);
printf("_ready()\n");
return ret;
}
/** Library entry point **/
void GDN_EXPORT godot_gdnative_init(godot_gdnative_init_options *o) {
}
/** Library de-initialization **/
void GDN_EXPORT godot_gdnative_terminate(godot_gdnative_terminate_options *o) {
}
/** Script entry (Registering all the classes and stuff) **/
void GDN_EXPORT godot_nativescript_init(void *desc) {
printf("nativescript init\n");
godot_instance_create_func create_func = {
.create_func = &test_constructor,
.method_data = 0,
.free_func = 0
};
godot_instance_destroy_func destroy_func = {
.destroy_func = &test_destructor,
.method_data = 0,
.free_func = 0
};
godot_nativescript_register_class(desc, "SimpleClass", "Node", create_func, destroy_func);
{
godot_instance_method method = {
.method = &test_ready,
.method_data = 0,
.free_func = 0
};
godot_method_attributes attr = {
.rpc_type = GODOT_METHOD_RPC_MODE_DISABLED
};
godot_nativescript_register_method(desc, "SimpleClass", "_ready", attr, method);
}
}
godot_variant GDN_EXPORT some_test_procedure(void *data, godot_array *args) {
godot_variant ret;
godot_variant_new_int(&ret, 42);
godot_string s;
godot_string_new_unicode_data(&s, L"Hello World", 11);
godot_print(&s);
godot_string_destroy(&s);
return ret;
}
```
`Expand details for example code.`
### Compile Library
On Linux:
```bash
clang -g -fPIC -std=c99 -c src/test.c -I/path/to/godot/headers/ -o src/test.os
clang -g -shared src/test.os -o lib/test.so
```
On MacOS:
```bash
clang -g -fPIC -std=c99 -c src/test.c -I/path/to/godot/headers/ -o src/test.os
clang -g -shared -framework Cocoa -Wl,-undefined,dynamic_lookup src/test.os -o lib/test.dylib
```
- `-g` is for debugging information.
- Use `godot_nativescript_*` methods only in the `nativescript_init()` function.
### Create GDNativeLibrary Resource
The GDNativeLibrary resource contains links to the libraries for each platform.
1. Create a new resource in memory and edit it.
1. Select `Resource > GDNativeLibrary`.
1. Set the library file for your platform inside the inspector.
1. Save the edited resource as a `.tres`
![](images/faq/dllibrary_create_new_resource.png?raw=true)
![](images/faq/dllibrary_create_new_dllibrary.png?raw=true)
![](images/faq/dllibrary_save_as_resource.png?raw=true)
`Expand details for screenshots.`
### Using GDNativeLibrary in GDScript
```gdscript
extends Node
func _ready():
var gdn = GDNative.new()
gdn.library = load("res://lib/libtest.tres")
gdn.initialize()
var res = gdn.call_native("standard_varcall", "some_test_procedure", [])
print("result: ", res)
gdn.terminate()
```
### Attaching GDNativeLibrary to a Node
1. Attach a new script to a node.
1. In the pop-up dialog, choose NativeScript in the `Language` menu.
1. Enable built-in script, or create a `.gdn` file, which only contains a name.
1. Specify the `Class Name`.
1. Press `Create`.
The GDNativeLibrary field in a NativeScript is empty by default.
![](images/faq/create_dlscript.png?raw=true)
![](images/faq/set_script_dllibrary.png?raw=true)
`Expand details for screenshots.`
## FAQ
**What is the difference between `GDNative` and `NativeScript`?**
`GDNative` is a new class that can call native functions in libraries.
GDScript / VisualScript / C#, etc, are able to use this class.
Godot treats `NativeScript` as a scripting language, enabling the
use of GDNative to implement scripts backed by native code.
**Which languages are binding as a NativeScript?**
[**C++**](https://github.com/GodotNativeTools/cpp_bindings),
[**D**](https://github.com/GodotNativeTools/d_bindings)
**Can you debug NativeScripts?**
You must compile the library with debug
symbols, and then you can use your debugger as usual.
**Are NativeScripts in Godot 3.0?**
They are! 🎉
**Can you use one GDNativeLibrary for all NativeScripts?**
You can! ✨
**What is the reason behind the name "GDNative"?**
GDNative was originally named "cscript" because it exposes a C API, but people
mistook a relation to C#, which is sometimes abbreviated as "cs". Then named "DLScript", but that brought up some confusion, so we settled with
GDNative. 📖