Clear Build Instructions

[pkpfr]

Please either release compiled binaries, or provide clear and easily accessible build instructions.

[glbrntt]

@pkpfr these steps are documented in the Generating Stubs article. Is there anything missing here that we could improve in terms of documentation?

[youny626]

@pkpfr these steps are documented in the Generating Stubs article. Is there anything missing here that we could improve in terms of documentation?

I think the instructions on how to build the protoc plugin and use it to generate stubs are not very clear. For example I didn't realize I have to run separate commands to build the protoc-gen-swift plugin and generate the .pb file using protoc --plugin=/path/to/protoc-gen-swift ... (and right now the stubs are still not working...)

[glbrntt]

Thanks, that's helpful. protoc-gen-swift is provided by a different project but I can see how not including reference to it is confusing, we'll add some docs to make that clearer.

Were there docs on how to generate the gRPC stubs clear enough?

[youny626]

Thanks, that's helpful. protoc-gen-swift is provided by a different project but I can see how not including reference to it is confusing, we'll add some docs to make that clearer.

Were there docs on how to generate the gRPC stubs clear enough?

@glbrntt It'd be great if there are instructions on which version of grpc-swift-protobuf (like the git tag I should checkout to) I should use to build the protoc-gen-grpc-swift plugin and generate the stubs, for the specific grpc-swift version I am using. I remember before I can build the plugin in the main grpc-swift repo so this is a non-issue. Right now the GRPC stub I generated is not compiling (I am using grpc-swift version 2.1.2 and grpc-swift-protobuf version 1.1.0, both are the latest versions and I am not sure they are compatible or not).

[glbrntt]

The specific version of grpc-swift doesn't matter (as long as it's 2.x); grpc-swift-protobuf depends on grpc-swift so you'll always get an appropriate version.

The important note is to build protoc-gen-grpc-swift from your swift package, not a checkout of grpc-swift-protobuf: https://swiftpackageindex.com/grpc/grpc-swift-protobuf/1.1.0/documentation/grpcprotobuf/generating-stubs#Building-the-protoc-plugin

[glbrntt]

To be more concrete: don't checkout a separate copy of this package. Add it as a dependency to your project and then build protoc-gen-grpc-swift.

[youny626]

To be more concrete: don't checkout a separate copy of this package. Add it as a dependency to your project and then build protoc-gen-grpc-swift.

@glbrntt Wait what I did is I cloned this git repo, check out tag 1.1.0, and run the swift build --product protoc-gen-grpc-swift command, then I generated the stub using protoc --plugin=/path/to/protoc-gen-grpc-swift --grpc-swift_out=. my-service.proto. So I am not supposed to do this? I already added grpc-swift-protobuf to my package dependency (I am using Xcode), but how do I build protoc-gen-grpc-swift then?

Also the compilation error is Type 'Result' does not conform to protocol 'Message' (Result is a message type I defined in my proto), I think it might also be due to the grpc-swift-protobuf version is not compatible with swift-protobuf version I am using (I installed version 1.29.0 from homebrew)?

[glbrntt]

Are you using a Swift package or .xcodeproj?

[glbrntt]

Also the compilation error is Type 'Result' does not conform to protocol 'Message' (Result is a message type I defined in my proto), I think it might also be due to the grpc-swift-protobuf version is not compatible with swift-protobuf version I am using (I installed version 1.29.0 from homebrew)?

Are you also generating the message code? It sounds like you're not and Result is being inferred to be Swift.Result.

[youny626]

Are you using a Swift package or .xcodeproj?

.xcodeproj, I think. I added all my package dependencies using xcode.

[youny626]

Also the compilation error is Type 'Result' does not conform to protocol 'Message' (Result is a message type I defined in my proto), I think it might also be due to the grpc-swift-protobuf version is not compatible with swift-protobuf version I am using (I installed version 1.29.0 from homebrew)?

Are you also generating the message code? It sounds like you're not and Result is being inferred to be Swift.Result.

Yes I separately generated xx.pb.swift file using protoc --swift_out=. xx.proto. I've put both xx.grpc.swift and xx.pb.swift files in my project folders.

[glbrntt]

Are you using a Swift package or .xcodeproj?

.xcodeproj, I think. I added all my package dependencies using xcode.

Okay, if you're using an .xcodeproj I think you will need a separate checkout (sorry for the confusion). I'm

Are you developing an iOS/macOS app?

[youny626]

Are you using a Swift package or .xcodeproj?

.xcodeproj, I think. I added all my package dependencies using xcode.

Okay, if you're using an .xcodeproj I think you will need a separate checkout (sorry for the confusion). I'm

Are you developing an iOS/macOS app?

Yes. And I already set the minimum deployment version to ios 18 and macos 15. swift version is 6.1.

[glbrntt]

Also the compilation error is Type 'Result' does not conform to protocol 'Message' (Result is a message type I defined in my proto), I think it might also be due to the grpc-swift-protobuf version is not compatible with swift-protobuf version I am using (I installed version 1.29.0 from homebrew)?

Are you also generating the message code? It sounds like you're not and Result is being inferred to be Swift.Result.

Yes I separately generated xx.pb.swift file using protoc --swift_out=. xx.proto. I've put both xx.grpc.swift and xx.pb.swift files in my project folders.

Okay, I think the problem is still the same though, the Result you define in your .proto is ambiguous with Swift's Result type. Can you try adding a package to your .proto file (or renaming your type.)? e.g.:

syntax = "proto3";

package foo;

[glbrntt]

Are you using a Swift package or .xcodeproj?

.xcodeproj, I think. I added all my package dependencies using xcode.

Okay, if you're using an .xcodeproj I think you will need a separate checkout (sorry for the confusion). I'm
Are you developing an iOS/macOS app?

Yes. And I already set the minimum deployment version to ios 18 and macos 15. swift version is 6.1.

Great, thanks for confirming. I just wanted to check you weren't unnecessarily using an xcodeproj.

This is all useful info by the way; we primarily develop Swift Packages so have a bit of a blind spot when it comes to working with .xcodeprojs and I think our docs reflect that.