[Rd] Is ALTREP "non-API"?

[Hiroaki Yutani]

Thanks, Hernando,

Sorry, "API" is a bit confusing term in this context, but what I want to
discuss is the "API" that Writing R Extension defines as quoted in my
previous email. It's probably different from an ordinary sense when we
casually say "R C API".

You might wonder why I care about such a difference. This is because
calling a "non-API" is considered a violation of CRAN repository policy,
which means CRAN will kick out the R package. I know many CRAN packages use
ALTREP, but just being accepted by CRAN at the moment doesn't mean CRAN
will keep accepting it. So, I want to clarify the current status of ALTREP.

Best,
Yutani

2024年4月22日(月) 10:17 <hcortina71 using gmail.com>:

> Hello, I don't believe it is illegal, as ALTREP "implements an abstraction
> underneath the C API". And is "compatible with all code which uses the
> API".
>
> Please see slide deck by Gabriel Becker,  with L Tierney, M Lawrence and T
> Kalibera.
>
>
> https://bioconductor.org/help/course-materials/2020/BiocDevelForum/16-ALTREP
> .pdf
> <https://bioconductor.org/help/course-materials/2020/BiocDevelForum/16-ALTREP.pdf>
>
> ALTREP framework implements an abstraction underneath traditional R C API
> - Generalizes whats underneath the API
> - Without changing how data are accessed
> - Compatible with all C code which uses the API
> - Compatible with R internals
>
>
> I hope this helps,
> Hernando
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: R-devel <r-devel-bounces using r-project.org> On Behalf Of Hiroaki Yutani
> Sent: Sunday, April 21, 2024 8:48 PM
> To: r-devel <r-devel using r-project.org>
> Subject: [Rd] Is ALTREP "non-API"?
>
> Writing R Extension[1] defines "API" as:
>
>     Entry points which are documented in this manual and declared in an
> installed header file. These can be used in distributed packages and will
> only be changed after deprecation.
>
> But, the document (WRE) doesn't have even a single mention of ALTREP, the
> term "ALTREP" itself or any entry points related to ALTREP. Does this mean,
> despite the widespread use of it on R packages including CRAN ones, ALTREP
> is not the API and accordingly using it in distributed packages is
> considered illegal?
>
> Best,
> Yutani
>
> [1]:
> https://cran.r-project.org/doc/manuals/r-release/R-exts.html#The-R-API
>
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