Bridging C# and C++ on Unix

Unlike Microsoft's .NET, Mono lacks a C++ compiler that can generate CIL code or mixed CIL/native code. This makes it harder for C++ codebases to integrate with C# code.

One solution to the problem is to write C wrappers for every C++ method and then use P/Invoke to call into each wrapper. Dealing with virtual methods then becomes challenging.

Andreia Gaita explains on Binding C++ APIs a technique that can be used to bridge the C++ and C# worlds using Mono's built-in support for COM objects.