WWDC24: Go small with Embedded Swift | Apple
Apple DeveloperCited 4× on HN, 2024–2025
talk · intermediate · 2024–2025 on HN
An Apple WWDC24 session introducing Embedded Swift, a subset of Swift with no runtime that targets tiny microcontrollers. It demonstrates the idea on an off-the-shelf Matter smart home device.
HN cites it as Apple's own explanation of why Embedded Swift exists and what it targets.
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4 comments from Hacker News
Not for much longer, replacing it with Swift is one of the reasons why Swift Embedded subset came to be. "Why Embedded Swift" ▶ this video
Of course! Tons of examples here: link At WWDC24, we shared a session on embedded Swift, which is available on YouTube: ▶ this video More documentation on embedded Swift tooling here: link (Disclosure: I work at Apple.)
Although opinions inside Apple about Swift vary, they seem to be investing in low level Swift for embedded, kernel use, and programming the “Secure Enclave” subsystem. They certainly have many opportunities to use it for headphones, AirTag, flash driver, etc, beyond the very believable but less embedded use in kernel/Secure Enclave. See also the wwdc session where they propose swift for building smart home thingies ▶ this video
I don't see any benefit of using this over Rust, C or C++. I guess if you have been coding in swift your entire career, it's just one less language to learn if you decide to get into IoT note: even apple engineers hate Xcode, +1 for neovim ( ▶ this video )