is it possible to write system level code in vala

Question

Is it possible to write system level source code in Vala. like for a small Micro kernel OS? or for use it in the Linux kernel for modules or device drivers?

Answer 1

Technically, yes, but in reality it's probably not very practical.

People have written kernel modules in Vala before, but AFAIK nothing really serious. Actually, someone wrote a Multiboot kernel using Vala a few years ago.

You can get around the dependency on GLib by using the posix profile (pass --profile posix), but it tends to be a bit buggy and lots of features aren't supported, including a lot of the stuff that makes programming in Vala a pleasant experience.

Answer 2

I don't think so. Vala is tied to the GObject and Glib gtype type system (inside GTK) - including its reference count based memory management. The Linux kernel uses a different (even if conceptually similar) memory management. And inside your microkernel OS, you need to provide one.