README updates (closes #80)

feature/tap-sh pkgconf-1
William Pitcock 2016-07-10 15:34:49 -05:00
parent 45d422c484
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# pkgconf [![Build Status](https://travis-ci.org/pkgconf/pkgconf.svg?branch=master)](https://travis-ci.org/pkgconf/pkgconf)
pkgconf is a tool and framework (`libpkgconf`) which provides compiler and linker configuration for
development frameworks.
`pkgconf` is a program which helps to configure compiler and linker flags for
development frameworks. It is similar to pkg-config from freedesktop.org.
## general summary
`libpkgconf` is a library which provides access to most of `pkgconf`'s functionality, to allow
other tooling such as compilers and IDEs to discover and use frameworks configured by
pkgconf.
pkgconf is a program which helps to configure compiler and linker flags for
development frameworks.
It is similar to pkg-config, but was written from scratch in the summer of 2011
to replace pkg-config, which for a while needed itself to build itself (they have
since included a 'stripped down copy of glib 2.0') Since then we have worked on
improving pkg-config for embedded use.
If you're wondering what pkg-config is useful for, you might find the tutorial/guide
docs for [legacy pkg-config][pcdocs] useful.
[pcdocs]: http://people.freedesktop.org/~dbn/pkg-config-guide.html
`libpkgconf` is a library which allows other tools, such as compilers and IDEs, to
discover and use frameworks configured by pkgconf.
## usage
## using `pkgconf` with autotools
Implementations of pkg-config, such as pkgconf, are typically used with the
PKG_CHECK_MODULES autoconf macro. As far as we know, pkgconf is
@ -39,7 +25,7 @@ can run:
$ export PKG_CONFIG=/usr/bin/pkgconf
## technical design (why pkgconf is better for distros)
## comparison of `pkgconf` and `pkg-config` dependency resolvers
pkgconf builds an acyclic directed dependency graph. This allows for the user
to more conservatively link their binaries -- which may be helpful in some
@ -50,11 +36,7 @@ other hand builds a database of all known pkg-config files on the system before
attempting to resolve dependencies, which is a considerably slower and less
efficient design.
pkgconf also does not bundle any third-party libraries or depend on any third-party
libraries, making it a great tool for embedded systems and distributions with
security concerns.
## other differences versus pkg-config
## linker flags optimization
As previously mentioned, pkgconf makes optimizations to the linker flags in both the
case of static and shared linking in order to avoid overlinking binaries and also
@ -68,13 +50,16 @@ Doing so is discouraged by the [freedesktop tutorial][fd-tut] anyway.
[fd-tut]: http://people.freedesktop.org/~dbn/pkg-config-guide.html
Beyond that, we do not provide bug-level compatibility with pkg-config. What that means
is, if you feel that there is a legitimate regression verses pkg-config, do let us know,
but also make sure that the .pc files are valid and follow the rules of the
[pkg-config tutortial][fd-tut], as most likely fixing them to follow the specified
## compatibility with pkg-config
We do not provide bug-level compatibility with pkg-config.
What that means is, if you feel that there is a legitimate regression versus pkg-config,
do let us know, but also make sure that the .pc files are valid and follow the rules of
the [pkg-config tutortial][fd-tut], as most likely fixing them to follow the specified
rules will solve the problem.
## compiling
## compiling `pkgconf` and `libpkgconf`
pkgconf is basically compiled the same way any other autotools-based project is
compiled:
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Release tarballs are available at <http://rabbit.dereferenced.org/~nenolod/distfiles/>.
Please do not use the github tarballs as they are not pristine (instead generated by github everytime
a download occurs).
## reporting bugs
See <https://github.com/pkgconf/pkgconf/issues>.