godot-cpp template

This repository serves as a quickstart template for GDExtension development with Godot 4.0+.

An empty Godot project (demo/)
godot-cpp as a submodule (godot-cpp/)
GitHub Issues template (.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE.yml)
GitHub CI/CD workflows to publish your library packages when creating a release (.github/workflows/builds.yml)
GitHub CI/CD actions to build (.github/actions/build/action.yml) and to sign Mac frameworks (.github/actions/build/sign.yml).
preconfigured source files for C++ development of the GDExtension (src/)
setup to automatically generate .xml files in a doc_classes/ directory to be parsed by Godot as GDExtension built-in documentation

Usage - Template

To use this template, log in to GitHub and click the green "Use this template" button at the top of the repository page. This will let you create a copy of this repository with a clean git history. Make sure you clone the correct branch as these are configured for development of their respective Godot development branches and differ from each other. Refer to the docs to see what changed between the versions.

For getting started after cloning your own copy to your local machine, you should:

initialize the godot-cpp git submodule via git submodule update --init
change the name of your library
- change the name of the compiled library file inside the SConstruct file by modifying the libname string.
- change the pathnames of the to be loaded library name inside the demo/bin/example.gdextension file. By replacing libgdexample to the name specified in your SConstruct file.
- change the name of the demo/bin/example.gdextension file
change the entry_symbol string inside your demo/bin/your-extension.gdextension file to be configured for your GDExtension name. This should be the same as the GDExtensionBool GDE_EXPORT external C function. As the name suggests, this sets the entry function for your GDExtension to be loaded by the Godot editors C API.
register the classes you want Godot to interact with inside the register_types.cpp file in the initialization method (here initialize_gdextension_types) in the syntax GDREGISTER_CLASS(CLASS-NAME);.

Usage - Actions

The actions builds godot-cpp at a specified location, and then builds the gdextension at a configurable location. It builds for desktop, mobile and web and allows for configuration on what platforms you need. It also supports configuration for debug and release builds, and for double builds.

The action uses SConstruct for both godot-cpp and the GDExtension that is built.

To reuse the build actions, in a github actions yml file, do the following:

name: Build GDExtension
on:
  workflow_call:
  push:

jobs:
  build:
    strategy:
      fail-fast: false
      matrix:
        include:
          - platform: linux
            arch: x86_64
            os: ubuntu-20.04
          - platform: windows
            arch: x86_32
            os: windows-latest
          - platform: windows
            arch: x86_64
            os: windows-latest
          - platform: macos
            arch: universal
            os: macos-latest
          - platform: android
            arch: arm64
            os: ubuntu-20.04
          - platform: android
            arch: arm32
            os: ubuntu-20.04
          - platform: android
            arch: x86_64
            os: ubuntu-20.04
          - platform: android
            arch: x86_32
            os: ubuntu-20.04
          - platform: ios
            arch: arm64
            os: macos-latest
          - platform: web
            arch: wasm32
            os: ubuntu-20.04

    runs-on: ${{ matrix.os }}
    steps:
      - name: Checkout
        uses: actions/checkout@v4
        with:
          submodules: true
      - name: 🔗 GDExtension Build
        uses: godotengine/godot-cpp-template/.github/actions/build@main
        with:
          platform: ${{ matrix.platform }}
          arch: ${{ matrix.arch }}
          float-precision: single
          build-target-type: template_release
      - name: 🔗 GDExtension Build
        uses: ./.github/actions/build
        with:
          platform: ${{ matrix.platform }}
          arch: ${{ matrix.arch }}
          float-precision: ${{ matrix.float-precision }}
          build-target-type: template_debug
      - name: Mac Sign
        if: ${{ matrix.platform == 'macos' && env.APPLE_CERT_BASE64 }}
        env:
          APPLE_CERT_BASE64: ${{ secrets.APPLE_CERT_BASE64 }}
        uses: godotengine/godot-cpp-template/.github/actions/sign@main
        with:
          FRAMEWORK_PATH: bin/macos/macos.framework
          APPLE_CERT_BASE64: ${{ secrets.APPLE_CERT_BASE64 }}
          APPLE_CERT_PASSWORD: ${{ secrets.APPLE_CERT_PASSWORD }}
          APPLE_DEV_PASSWORD: ${{ secrets.APPLE_DEV_PASSWORD }}
          APPLE_DEV_ID: ${{ secrets.APPLE_DEV_ID }}
          APPLE_DEV_TEAM_ID: ${{ secrets.APPLE_DEV_TEAM_ID }}
          APPLE_DEV_APP_ID: ${{ secrets.APPLE_DEV_APP_ID }}
      - name: Upload Artifact
        uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
        with:
          name: GDExtension-${{ matrix.platform }}-${{ matrix.arch }}
          path: |
            ${{ github.workspace }}/bin/**
  merge:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    needs: build
    steps:
      - name: Merge Artifacts
        uses: actions/upload-artifact/merge@v4
        with:
          name: GDExtension-all
          pattern: GDExtension-*
          delete-merged: true

The above example is a lengthy one, so we will go through it action by action to see what is going on.

In the Checkout step, we checkout the code. In the 🔗 GDExtension Build step, we are using the reusable action:

uses: godotengine/godot-cpp-template/.github/actions/build@main
with:
  platform: ${{ matrix.platform }}
  arch: ${{ matrix.arch }}
  float-precision: single
  build-target-type: template_release

with the parameters from the matrix.

As a result of this step, the binaries will be built in the bin folder (as specified in the SConstruct file). After all builds are completed, all individual builds will be merged into one common GDExtension-all zip that you can download.

Note: for macos, you will have to build the binary as a .dylib in a EXTENSION-NAME.framework folder. The framework folder should also have a Resources folder with a file called Info.plist. Without this file, signing will fail.

Note: for iOS, the same should be as for MacOS, however the Info.plist file needs to be close to the .dylib, instead of in a Resources folder (If this is not done, the build will fail to upload to the App Store).

So, in our case, the builds should be:

bin/EXTENSION-NAME.macos.template_debug.framework/EXTENSION-NAME.macos.template_release
bin/EXTENSION-NAME.ios.template_debug.framework/EXTENSION-NAME.ios.template_release.arm64.dylib

Afterwards, you want to set in the `.gdextension` file the paths to the `.framework` folder, instead of the `.dylib` file (Note that for the `.dylib` binary, the extension is not needed, you could have a file without any extension and it would still work).

In the `name: Mac Sign` step, we are signing the generated mac binaries.
We are reusing the following action:
```yml
uses: godotengine/godot-cpp-template/.github/actions/sign@main
with:
  FRAMEWORK_PATH: bin/macos/macos.framework
  APPLE_CERT_BASE64: ${{ secrets.APPLE_CERT_BASE64 }}
  APPLE_CERT_PASSWORD: ${{ secrets.APPLE_CERT_PASSWORD }}
  APPLE_DEV_PASSWORD: ${{ secrets.APPLE_DEV_PASSWORD }}
  APPLE_DEV_ID: ${{ secrets.APPLE_DEV_ID }}
  APPLE_DEV_TEAM_ID: ${{ secrets.APPLE_DEV_TEAM_ID }}
  APPLE_DEV_APP_ID: ${{ secrets.APPLE_DEV_APP_ID }}

As you can see, this action requires some secrets to be configured in order to run. Also, you need to tell it the path to the .framework folder, where you have both the binary (.dylib file) and the Resources folder with the Info.plist file.

Configuration - Mac Signing Secrets

In order to sign the Mac binary, you need to configure the following secrets: APPLE_CERT_BASE64, APPLE_CERT_PASSWORD, APPLE_DEV_PASSWORD, APPLE_DEV_ID, APPLE_DEV_TEAM_ID, APPLE_DEV_APP_ID. These secrets are stored in the example above in the Github secrets for repositories. The names of the secrets have to match the names of the secrets you use for your action. For more on this, read the Creating secrets for a repository article from Github.

These secrets are then passed down to the godotengine/godot-cpp-template/.github/actions/sign@main action that signs the binary.

In order to configure these secrets, you will need:

A Mac
An Apple ID enrolled in Apple Developer Program (99 USD per year)
A Resources/Info.plist in the framework folder. Take the one in this project as an example. Be careful to set CFBundleExecutable to the EXACT lib name, otherwise it won't work. Also, don't put strange names in the CFBundleName and other such places. Try to only use letters and spaces. Errors will be extremly vague if not impossible to debug.

For the actions you will need to set the following inputs. Store them as secrets in GitHub:

APPLE_CERT_BASE64
APPLE_CERT_PASSWORD
APPLE_DEV_ID
APPLE_DEV_TEAM_ID
APPLE_DEV_PASSWORD
APPLE_DEV_APP_ID

You will find here a guide on how to create all of them. Go to developer.apple.com:

Create an Apple ID if you don’t have one already.
Use your Apple ID to register in the Apple Developer Program.
Accept all agreements from the Apple Developer Page.

APPLE_DEV_ID - Apple ID

Your email used for your Apple ID.
APPLE_DEV_ID = email@provider.com

APPLE_DEV_TEAM_ID - Apple Team ID

Go to developer.apple.com. Go to account.
Go to membership details. Copy Team ID.
APPLE_DEV_TEAM_ID = 1ABCD23EFG

APPLE_DEV_PASSWORD - Apple App-Specific Password

Create Apple App-Specific Password. Copy the password.
APPLE_DEV_PASSWORD = abcd-abcd-abcd-abcd

APPLE_CERT_BASE64 and APPLE_CERT_PASSWORD and APPLE_DEV_APP_ID

Go to developer.apple.com. Go to account.
Go to certificates.
Click on + at Certificates tab. Create Developer ID Application. Click Continue.
Leave profile type as is. Create a certificate signing request from a mac. You can use your own name and email address. Save the file to disk. You will get a file called CertificateSigningRequest.certSigningRequest. Upload it to the Developer ID Application request. Click Continue.
Download the certificate. You will get a file developerID_application.cer.
On a Mac, right click and select open. Add it to the login keychain. In the Keychain Access app that opened, login Keychain tab, go to Keys, sort by date modified, expand your key (the key should have name you entered at common name Common Name), right click the expanded certificate, get info, and copy the text at Details -> Subject Name -> Common Name. Eg.
APPLE_DEV_APP_ID = Developer ID Application: Common Name (1ABCD23EFG)
Then, select the certificate, right click and click export. At file format select p12. When exporting, set a password for the certificate. This will be APPLE_CERT_PASSWORD. You will get a Certificates.p12 file.

Eg.

APPLE_CERT_PASSWORD = <password_set_when_exporting_p12>
Then you need to make a base64 file out of it, by running:
```
base64 -i Certificates.p12 -o Certificates.base64
```
Copy the contents of the generated file: Eg.
APPLE_CERT_BASE64 = ...(A long text file)

After these secrets are obtained, all that remains is to set them in Github secrets and then use them in the Github action, eg. in the above Github action usage example, this part:

- name: Mac Sign
  if: ${{ matrix.platform == 'macos' && env.APPLE_CERT_BASE64 }}
  env:
    APPLE_CERT_BASE64: ${{ secrets.APPLE_CERT_BASE64 }}
  uses: godotengine/godot-cpp-template/.github/actions/sign@main
  with:
    FRAMEWORK_PATH: bin/macos/macos.framework
    APPLE_CERT_BASE64: ${{ secrets.APPLE_CERT_BASE64 }}
    APPLE_CERT_PASSWORD: ${{ secrets.APPLE_CERT_PASSWORD }}
    APPLE_DEV_PASSWORD: ${{ secrets.APPLE_DEV_PASSWORD }}
    APPLE_DEV_ID: ${{ secrets.APPLE_DEV_ID }}
    APPLE_DEV_TEAM_ID: ${{ secrets.APPLE_DEV_TEAM_ID }}

godotengine / godot-cpp-template

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