Frequently Asked Questions

Below are a number of frequently asked questions about Silver and how it works. If you have a question not listed here, do not hesitate to let us know at info@remobjects.com.

Q: So, what exactly is Silver?

A: Silver is a Swift language front-end for our Elements compiler.

Q: What IDEs will Silver work in?

A: Silver works Fire (on Mac) and Water and in Visual Studio 2015, 2017 and 2019 (on Windows)

Q: What platforms can I write code for with Silver?

A: Silver will allow you to compile Swift code for four platforms (or platform groups):

1. .NET (including WinRT, Windows Phone, Mono/Xamarin and ASP.NET)
2. Java (including the Dalvik and ART versions used by Android)
3. Cocoa (for Mac and iOS)
4. Native Windows, Linux, Android NDK and WebAssembly (our new Island platform)

Q: Why Cocoa? Doesn't Apple have that covered with their Swift compiler?

A: Pretty much, yes. But our compiler back-end supports Cocoa already, so support for the Swift language comes kind of "for free" once the language front-end is there. Also, for users of our Oxygene or C# languages, Cocoa support in Silver comes in handy because it means they can mix all three languages in the same project. So that's pretty cool.

Q: What are the limitations of using Swift on .NET and Java, opposed to C# or the Java Language?

A: There really aren't any. Silver is a fully native language implementation for the Java and .NET platforms. Anything you can do in the Java language, you can do with Silver. Anything you can do in C#, VB or any other .NET language, you can do with Silver. Except, of course, you'll be doing it in Swift. You will have access to the full platform APIs and capabilities.

Q: But there's no Cocoa on .NET and Java, is there?

A: Correct. Silver does not try to port Cocoa or any of the frameworks that make up Cocoa and the Mac or iOS platforms. That'd be an impossible undertaking, and it would also be the wrong approach.

Silver takes the Swift language and lets you use it natively with the frameworks that already come with the platforms, on .NET and Java. So for example, if you're building an Android app, you'll be working directly with Activities and Intents and native Android "Buttons", and anything else the Android APIs have to offer.

This is very similar in concept to how we took the C# language, which previously was pretty much linked to .NET, and brought that to Cocoa and Java earlier this year with RemObjects C#.

Q: So I really can build true, native Android apps in Swift? No need to learn Java?

A: Exactly.

Q: So I can use Swift to build .NET apps, for Windows or UWP?

A: Most definitely.

Q: And I can even use Swift to build websites using ASP.NET or JSP?

A: You absolutely can.

Q: Where do I sign up?

A: Glad you asked. Silver is free, and you can download your copy, below: