From: William Djaja Tjokroaminata <billtj@...>
Date: 2002-09-24T05:19:11+09:00
Subject: Re: Using Ruby with other languages

Hi,

Tapio Kelloniemi <spam07@thack.org> wrote:
> I would like to know, whether it is possible to compile Ruby code to
> executables so I could run Ruby code without the interpreter.

If you mean to a stand-alone executable, not currently.  Python generates
some object code (byte code?), but I think it still needs the Python
interpreter.  To me this is an interesting question, whether even some
small, limited Ruby to C translator can be written.  Based on my initial
experience writing Ruby in C, my feeling says yes, but probably it is
wrong.

> I also
> would like to do this, when I noticed that a simple Ruby program runs
> more than 100 times slower than identically implemented C program.

Currently there is some initial release of Ruby "inline" that can be used
to insert C code in the middle of Ruby code to speed up the critical
parts.  Creating a Ruby/C code that is as fast as a (comparable
algorithmically) C code is impossible, I think, because Ruby is
garbage-collected language and there is some overhead required by the
Ruby object model.

> I
> also would like to know, wheter it is possible to compile RUby code to
> object format and then link with code written in different languages,
> EG. C++ and C.

As Ruby itself is written in C, linking to other code or library in C or
C++ has been done all the time; however, currently you need to learn some
Ruby C API to do that, or browse the SWIG web site (www.swig.org).

Regards,

Bill