Let me share one anecdote: Minerva, one of the predecessor of MxNet uses cython to wrap C++ API, then we decided to switch to C API in MxNet, partly due to some pains expressed by the MXNet members in Minerva team.
Tianqi On Wed, Mar 14, 2018 at 8:40 AM, Tianqi Chen <tqc...@cs.washington.edu> wrote: > My last email was send in the middle of typing so I am resending this > > Is the complexity of adding the Cython code generation and compilation > step considered? Will it work in all platforms? > > The complexity in terms of compiler support for pybind11 is same as > cython. If the users can build pybind, then likely cython works(because > cython compiles to c that have same dependency as pybind11 does). What > works for cython may not work for pybind, if there is a prebuild dll(say > in windows via MSVC) and we want to use a different compiler (MinGW) to > build > > > What are the pitfalls and tradeoffs. Isn't it simpler to just hook up in > the C++ API without going through an additional compiler? > > Note that both cython and pybind can wrap c++ API directly, whether using > C or C++ API might worth another thread. But my general opinion is that > wrapping a C API gives you clear thought on what you need and what is > being exposed, while wrap C++ is kinda of the equivalent of wrapping a C > version except that you don't know what is going on. > > The main reason why cython is preferred is that it allows easy mix with > python ctypes code, which means we don't have to implement all the > component in cython, but still can use ctypes to implement most things, and > even support cases when cython is not available. > > Tianqi > > > On Wed, Mar 14, 2018 at 8:38 AM, Tianqi Chen <tqc...@cs.washington.edu> > wrote: > >> Is the complexity of adding the Cython code generation and compilation >> step considered? Will it work in all platforms? >> >> The complexity in terms of compiler support for pybind11 is same as >> cython. If the users can build pybind, then likely cython works(because >> cython compiles to c that have same dependency as pybind11 does). What >> works for cython may not work for pybind, if there is a prebuild dll(say >> in windows via MSVC) and we want to use a different compiler (MinGW) to >> build >> >> >> What are the pitfalls and tradeoffs. Isn't it simpler to just hook up in >> the C++ API without going through an additional compiler? >> >> Note that both cython and pybind can wrap c++ API directly, whether using >> C or C++ API might worth another thread. But my general opinion is that >> wrapping a C API gives you clear thought on what you need and what is being >> exposed, while C++ API >> >> >> Tiqni >> >> >> On Wed, Mar 14, 2018 at 5:05 AM, Pedro Larroy < >> pedro.larroy.li...@gmail.com> wrote: >> >>> Nice document! I think it would be good to have a comparison to pybind11 >>> without going through the C API. >>> >>> Is the complexity of adding the Cython code generation and compilation >>> step >>> considered? Will it work in all platforms? what are the pitfalls and >>> tradeofs. Isn't it simpler to just hook up in the C++ API without going >>> through an additional compiler? >>> >>> Pedro. >>> >>> On Fri, Mar 9, 2018 at 7:44 PM, Chris Olivier <cjolivie...@gmail.com> >>> wrote: >>> >>> > Eric told me the current cython files "didn't work", so I have not >>> reused >>> > any of the previous cython attempt at this time. >>> > >>> > >>> > >>> > >>> > >>> > On Fri, Mar 9, 2018 at 10:31 AM, Xingjian SHI <xsh...@connect.ust.hk> >>> > wrote: >>> > >>> > > Great! Also, what’s the current status of Cython support in MXNet? I >>> > think >>> > > we have the option to use Cython, which is added by Tianqi. >>> > > >>> > > Best, >>> > > Xingjian >>> > > >>> > > Get Outlook for iOS<https://aka.ms/o0ukef> >>> > > _____________________________ >>> > > From: Chris Olivier <cjolivie...@gmail.com> >>> > > Sent: Friday, March 9, 2018 10:21 AM >>> > > Subject: Cython Document iteration >>> > > To: <dev@mxnet.incubator.apache.org> >>> > > >>> > > >>> > > I have generated some cython documentation based upon work so far >>> > regarding >>> > > build system, profiling, development, debugging, etc. >>> > > >>> > > https://docs.google.com/document/d/1pvW5nYbf3pbiak95xZdqgLbrjQdvV >>> > > rVGoYdiU3hNsqc >>> > > >>> > > -Chris >>> > > >>> > > >>> > > >>> > >>> >> >> >
