System-level API

[ambrosejcarr]

@nlhepler requests a system-level language:

I would recommend a "system-level" language here as well, if possible, for high-performance applications. Perhaps as a longer-term goal. We use Rust at 10x, but C++ might be easier to support given TileDB's existing API.

[evanbiederstedt]

FWIW, I'd recommend writing out the specifications for this given the current TileDB C++ API, similar to how this was done in Python here:
https://github.com/single-cell-data/matrix-api/blob/main/specification.md#proposed-single-cell-python-api

RE:

We use Rust at 10x, but C++ might be easier to support given TileDB's existing API.

I'd agree. I don't think we need to worry too much about C++ or Rust yet e.g. assuming the current TileDB C++ API is used, a Rust wrapper could be written. If someone in the meantime completely translates the C++ API into Rust, that would be a different discussion.

CC @stavrospapadopoulos

[stavrospapadopoulos]

Agreed. We've always contemplated about writing a TileDB Rust API. We can accelerate it if needed in the near future, but for now the C++ API should suffice.

[pablo-gar]

tiledbsoma has c++ libraries upon which python and R APIs are built. There are no current plans to create a public c++ SOMA API in the foreseeable future.

However SOMA objects created throught tiledbsoma can be accessed via tiledb's c++ API.

Leaving this issue open for now for reference and in case we would want to revisit at later point.