A light version of mkmf designed for use within programs.

gem install mkmf-lite

gem cert --add <(curl -Ls https://raw.githubusercontent.com/djberg96/mkmf-lite/main/certs/djberg96_pub.pem)

A C compiler somewhere on your system.

require 'mkmf/lite'

class System
  extend Mkmf::Lite

  HAVE_PW_NAME = have_struct_member('struct passwd', 'pw_name', 'pwd.h')

  def some_method
    if HAVE_PW_NAME
      # Do something
    end
  end
end

The mkmf library that ships as part of the Ruby standard library is not meant for use as an internal library. It's strictly designed for building C extensions. It's huge, its methods sit in a global namespace, it contains many methods you don't care about, and it emits stuff to $stdout that cannot easily be disabled. Also, the source code is monstrous.

The mkmf-lite library is a module, it's small, and it's designed to be mixed into classes. It contains a handful of methods that, most likely, will be used in conjunction with FFI. Also, the source code is quite readable.

It does not package C extensions, nor generate a log file or a Makefile. It does, however, require that you have a C compiler somewhere on your system.

As of version 0.6.0 it memoizes the results of any checks that you make since they wouldn't ever change without requiring a reboot/restart of your server, container, etc, anyway.

Very old versions of JRuby will emit a warning. You should upgrade.

Apache-2.0

(C) 2010-2023 Daniel J. Berger All Rights Reserved

This library is provided "as is" and without any express or implied warranties, including, without limitation, the implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose.

Daniel J. Berger