Request for C API Support in openvino.genai

[sdcb]

Hello,

First of all, thank you for the fantastic work on the openvino.genai project. It's impressive how you've enabled inference for large language models and Stable Diffusion using the OpenVINO engine.

I am writing to request the addition of a C API to the openvino.genai project. Currently, there are C++ and Python APIs available, but a C API would significantly enhance the flexibility and integration capabilities with other programming languages.

For example, the main OpenVINO project (https://github.com/openvinotoolkit/openvino) supports a C API, which has allowed me to create a .NET wrapper library for it: OpenVINO.NET. If openvino.genai could offer a similar C API, I would eagerly develop and maintain a .NET wrapper for it as well.

Adding a C API would not only broaden the usability of openvino.genai but also foster a wider adoption by allowing developers from different ecosystems to leverage its capabilities.

Thank you for considering this request. I look forward to potential updates on this matter.

Best regards,
sdcb

[andrei-kochin]

Hello @sdcb,

Thank you for reaching the OpenVINO team!
Let me put this to our features backlog.

[Hmm466]

Hello @sdcb,

Thank you for reaching the OpenVINO team! Let me put this to our features backlog.

@andrei-kochin

Hello andrei-kochin, is there a specific version build schedule now? I also found the same problem when building openvino.genai api using Java, it does not have C language API

[ilya-lavrenov]

Hi,
Adding C API is not in plans for OpenVINO GenAI team.
Replicating each method is very time consuming, but has small effect on practice as a customer requires C API for some reason, she / he can write function like:

// genai.hpp

void generate_text(char* input, char * output);

with C++ implementation underneath

[ilya-lavrenov]

Hi @sdcb
It's turned out that for other reasons we need C API and initial C API for LLMs only was contributed by another Intel team.
Please, have a look #1778

I think it unblocks you to generate C# bindings for this initial API.