Simple usage of the telemetry (https://github.com/Overdrivr/Telemetry) library on an embedded device

main.c

#include "telemetry.h"

// Your UART library should match those signatures, otherwise quickly wrap them in a function that does 
//int32_t read(void * buf, uint32_t sizeToRead)
//int32_t write(void * buf, uint32_t sizeToWrite)
//int32_t readable()
//int32_t writeable()

void main()
{
  TM_transport transport;
  // Give to each function pointer the function from your UART or wrapper library
  transport.read = read;
  transport.write = write;
  transport.readable = readable;
  transport.writeable = writeable;
  
  // init the library
  init_telemetry(&transport);

  int8_t i = 0;
  
  for( ; ; )
  {
    // publish some data on topic foo
    publish_i8("foo",1i);
    // Let the index overflow naturally and observe the result on the command line (https://github.com/Overdrivr/pytelemetrycli)
    i++;
  }
}

Why the "1i" in the second publish_i8 parameter : publish_i8("foo", 1i); ?
Why not just "i" ?
Best Regards