The Toit language is now open source

[Celine@toit.io]

The Toit programming language and implementation are now free, open source, and available through GitHub, so you can write robust software for the ESP32.

https://blog.toit.io/the-toit-language- ... bdcb1604d9

https://github.com/toitlang/toit

[WiFive]

Looks very interesting, but lgpl and no commercial license option, platform lock-in?

[kasperl]

Hi there!

I'm a co-founder of the Toit language project. Thank you for your licensing question!

We do offer a commercial license option; please see https://toit.io/pricing. If you use this then you will not be bound by the LGPL. If you choose to use the open source version you will be bound by the LGPL of the Toit virtual machine.

The standard libraries are under an MIT-style license, so they do not fall under the LGPL requirements.

Let me know if you have any further questions!

Regards,
Kasper

[WiFive]

Right but that is a recurring bundled license for the platform. If I want to use the VM and the sdk in a closed source firmware and use my own cloud server I would expect to pay a one time license, something like moddable. If you plan on supporting Matter you will need this type of license because node devices won't need their own cloud backend.

[kasperl]

You can use the open source Toit VM in your own closed source firmware under the outlined LGPL/MIT conditions - with no license fees. Devices running your firmware based on said Toit VM can connect to any (or no) cloud servers; they are not in any way associated with Toit's cloud platform.

If you decide to have your devices connect to the Toit cloud and be serviced through the Toit cloud platform, then yes: You do pay a monthly recurring subscription fee for that serviceability. However, the Toit cloud platform is an opt-in extension that builds on the free and open source Toit language.

Are there conditions in the LGPL that do not work for the closed source firmware you had in mind?

[WiFive]

With lgpl and a statically linked app/firmware I believe you are required to provide at least object code for the whole app/firmware.

[kasperl]

I am not a lawyer, but others share your interpretation of the LGPL on that front. It is possible to package up your Toit-based firmware as a collection of object files (stripped of debug information if necessary), where the LGPL'ed Toit VM parts can be replaced.

https://softwareengineering.stackexchan ... ink-clause

You are always welcome to use the Toit platform under the (proprietary) commercial license and still not have your devices connect to the Toit cloud. The Toit platform is 100% free for devices that are not serviced through the Toit cloud.

[WiFive]

Where is the version of the code with the (free) commercial license available? If that is your policy why not just release it under a more permissive license like MPL?

[YigalB]

Toit looks very interesting.
Any idea about sensors support?
Like ultrasonic sensors? TOF? any list?