Pybind wrapper for s2

[deustis]

The repo README indicates future support for pybind is planned but I wasn't able to find an issue tracking this --

https://github.com/google/s2geometry/tree/master?tab=readme-ov-file#apiabi-stability

The Python API is particularly unstable, and it is planned that the SWIGged API will be replaced by a pybind11 version with more Pythonic names and more complete functionality.

Any indication on when this might become available?

[jmr]

Hello!

When I wrote that three years ago, we had moved from swig to clif internally at Google. I assumed we would eventually release the clif bindings, or maybe the generated pybind11 bindings.

Now clif is unmaintained, and nanobind seems to be the new pybind11, so I'm not sure what to do.

Do you have a suggestion? Or maybe @rwgk?

[rwgk]

Roughly:

• nanobind has more runtime optimizations but fewer features than pybind11.
• If the nanobind feature set works for you, use it, but nanobind is explicitly not meant to be a full replacement for pybind11.

[jmr]

Thanks. Is there a good way to avoid maintaining both clif bindings and pybind11/nanobind ones? Is the clif output close to usable as a starting point for pybind11 bindings?

[rwgk]

Thanks. Is there a good way to avoid maintaining both clif bindings and pybind11/nanobind ones? Is the clif output close to usable as a starting point for pybind11 bindings?

I don't think so, but I don't know what the current state is of clif inside Google (I switched companies).

These days, I'd probably just ask my favorite LLM to convert the clif bindings to pybind11 or nanobind. I expect it'll probably do a reasonable job that can be finished with a small amount of manual fix-ups.

Maybe you can help it by giving the LLM the output of help(yourmodule), so that it can "see" the built bindings.

[deustis]

We happen to use pybind11 at my current company (Aurora Innovation) and it works well for us! I'd be happy with any of those options though. I was mainly curious to understand if I should be avoiding the current Python SWIG wrappers because some new/better Python API is forthcoming.

[deustis]

BTW, I'd be open to contributing a PR for the pybind option if that helps. I'm less familiar with the other Python binding libraries but could give any of those a shot if they are preferred.

BTW, former Googler here. I worked on Google Maps from 2005 to 2013! Jesse you're name looks really familiar although I don't recall if we crossed paths!

[jmr]

I'd be open to contributing a PR for the pybind option if that helps.

Yes, that would be great.

BTW, former Googler here. I worked on Google Maps from 2005 to 2013!

I recognize your name from maps and speech.

[deustis]

Hi there, I'm working with my open source team to get the contributor agreement signed. But in the meantime, hoping to get some feedback to see if I'm on the right track here:
#524