From 397928b0662eb549b2aae37f4416547097104b7d Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Nikolay Igotti <olonho@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Tue, 14 Mar 2017 18:56:41 +0300
Subject: [PATCH] Release notes. (#316)

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+# Early Access Preview of Kotlin Native #
+
+## Introduction ##
+
+ Kotlin Native backend, codenamed _Kotlin N_, is a LLVM backend for the Kotlin
+compiler, runtime implementation and native code generation facility
+using LLVM toolchain.
+
+ _Kotlin N_ is primarily designed to allow compilation for platforms where
+virtual machines are not desirable or possible (such as iOS, embedded targets),
+or where developer is willing to produce reasonably-sized self-contained program
+without need to ship an additional execution runtime.
+
+## Supported platforms ##
+
+ _Kotlin N_ compiler produces mostly portable (modulo pointer size and target
+triplet) LLVM bitcode, and as such is easily portable, as long as there's LLVM
+codegenerator for the platform.
+ However, as actual producing of the native code requires platform linker and some
+basic runtime shipped with the translator, we only support a subset of all possible
+target platforms. Currently _Kotlin N_ is being shipped and tested with support for
+the following platforms:
+
+ * Mac OS X 10.10 and later (x86-64)
+ * x86-64 Ubuntu Linux (14.04, 16.04 and later), other Linux flavours may work as well
+ * Apple iOS (arm64 and simulator on x86-64)
+
+ Adding support for other target platforms shalln't be too hard, if LLVM support
+ is available.
+
+ ## Compatibility and features ##
+
+ Language and library version supported by this EAP release mostly match Kotlin 1.1.
+However, there are certain limitations, see section [Known Limitations](#limitations).
+
+ Currently _Kotlin N_ uses reference counting based memory management scheme with cycles
+garbage collection algorithm. Multiple threads could be used, but no shared objects
+between threads are allowed.
+
+ _Kotlin N_ provides efficient interoperability with libraries written in C, including
+ automated bindings generation. See samples coming with distributable.
+
+  ## Getting Started ##
+
+ Download Kotlin N redistributable and unpack it. You can run command line compiler with
+
+	./dist/bin/kotlinnc <some_file>.kt <dir_with_kt_files> -o <executable>.kexe
+
+  One may use `'-h'` flag to `kotlinnc` to see available flags.
+
+  For documentation on C interoperability stubs see INTEROP.md.
+
+  ## <a name="limitations"></a>Known limitations ##
+
+  ### Performance ###
+
+  *** DO NOT USE THIS PREVIEW RELEASE FOR ANY PERFORMANCE ANALYSIS ***
+
+ This is purely technology preview of Kotlin N technology, and is not yet tuned
+for benchmarking and competitive analysis of any kind.
+
+  ### Standard Library ###
+
+  Standard library in Kotlin N is known to be incomplete and doesn't include
+certain methods available in standard library of Kotlin.
+
+  ### Coroutines ###
+
+  Coroutines are not yet supported with this release.
+
+  ### Reflection ###
+
+   Full reflection and class object references are not implemented.
+Notice that property delegation (including lazy properties) *does* work.
+
+   ### Microsoft Windows support ###
+
+   Due to significant difference in exception handling model on MS Windows and
+ other LLVM targets, current _Kotlin N_ may not produce executables working on
+ MS Windows. This situation could be improved in upcoming releases.
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