Unable to install therubyracer on centos (errors with V8 and GCC)

Question

I am trying to install therubyracer on my centos server and I have problems with hella.

$ gem install therubyracer Building native extensions. This could take a while... ERROR: Error installing therubyracer: ERROR: Failed to build gem native extension. /usr/local/rvm/rubies/ruby-1.9.3-p125/bin/ruby extconf.rb checking for main() in -lpthread... yes checking for v8.h... no *** extconf.rb failed *** Could not create Makefile due to some reason, probably lack of necessary libraries and/or headers. Check the mkmf.log file for more details. You may need configuration options. Provided configuration options: --with-opt-dir --with-opt-include --without-opt-include=${opt-dir}/include --with-opt-lib --without-opt-lib=${opt-dir}/lib --with-make-prog --without-make-prog --srcdir=. --curdir --ruby=/usr/local/rvm/rubies/ruby-1.9.3-p125/bin/ruby --with-pthreadlib --without-pthreadlib --enable-debug --disable-debug --with-v8-dir --without-v8-dir --with-v8-include --without-v8-include=${v8-dir}/include --with-v8-lib --without-v8-lib=${v8-dir}/lib /usr/local/rvm/gems/ ruby-1.9.3-p125@famnfo /gems/therubyracer-0.11.0/ext/v8/build.rb:42:in `build_with_system_libv8': unable to locate libv8. Please see output for details (RuntimeError) from extconf.rb:22:in `<main>' The Ruby Racer requires libv8 ~> 3.11.8 to be present on your system in order to compile and link, but it could not be found. In order to resolve this, you will either need to manually install an appropriate libv8 and make sure that this build process can find it. If you install it into the standard system path, then it should just be picked up automatically. Otherwise, you'll have to pass some extra flags to the build process as a hint. If you don't want to bother with all that, there is a rubygem that will do all this for you. You can add following line to your Gemfile: gem 'libv8', '~> 3.11.8' We hope that helps, and we apologize, but now we have to push the eject button on this install. thanks, The Mgmt. Gem files will remain installed in /usr/local/rvm/gems/ ruby-1.9.3-p125@famnfo /gems/therubyracer-0.11.0 for inspection. Results logged to /usr/local/rvm/gems/ ruby-1.9.3-p125@famnfo /gems/therubyracer-0.11.0/ext/v8/gem_make.out 

So, I tried to install this:

 [ root@allthingswebdesign current]# gem install libv8 Building native extensions. This could take a while... ERROR: Error installing libv8: ERROR: Failed to build gem native extension. /usr/local/rvm/rubies/ruby-1.9.3-p125/bin/ruby extconf.rb creating Makefile which: no g++44 in (/usr/local/rvm/gems/ruby-1.9.3-p125/bin:/usr/local/rvm/gems/ ruby-1.9.3-p125@global /bin:/usr/local/rvm/rubies/ruby-1.9.3-p125/bin:/usr/local/rvm/gems/ ruby-1.9.3-p125@famnfo /bin:/usr/local/rvm/gems/ ruby-1.9.3-p125@global /bin:/usr/local/rvm/rubies/ruby-1.9.3-p125/bin:/usr/local/rvm/bin:/usr/kerberos/sbin:/usr/kerberos/bin:/usr/local/bin:/bin:/usr/bin) which: no g++46 in (/usr/local/rvm/gems/ruby-1.9.3-p125/bin:/usr/local/rvm/gems/ ruby-1.9.3-p125@global /bin:/usr/local/rvm/rubies/ruby-1.9.3-p125/bin:/usr/local/rvm/gems/ ruby-1.9.3-p125@famnfo /bin:/usr/local/rvm/gems/ ruby-1.9.3-p125@global /bin:/usr/local/rvm/rubies/ruby-1.9.3-p125/bin:/usr/local/rvm/bin:/usr/kerberos/sbin:/usr/kerberos/bin:/usr/local/bin:/bin:/usr/bin) which: no g++48 in (/usr/local/rvm/gems/ruby-1.9.3-p125/bin:/usr/local/rvm/gems/ ruby-1.9.3-p125@global /bin:/usr/local/rvm/rubies/ruby-1.9.3-p125/bin:/usr/local/rvm/gems/ ruby-1.9.3-p125@famnfo /bin:/usr/local/rvm/gems/ ruby-1.9.3-p125@global /bin:/usr/local/rvm/rubies/ruby-1.9.3-p125/bin:/usr/local/rvm/bin:/usr/kerberos/sbin:/usr/kerberos/bin:/usr/local/bin:/bin:/usr/bin) Unable to find a compiler officially supported by v8. It is recommended to use GCC v4.4 or higher Using compiler: g++ Traceback (most recent call last): File "build/gyp/gyp", line 15, in ? import gyp File "build/gyp/pylib/gyp/__init__.py", line 8, in ? import gyp.input File "build/gyp/pylib/gyp/input.py", line 14, in ? import gyp.common File "build/gyp/pylib/gyp/common.py", line 375 with open(source_path) as source_file: ^ SyntaxError: invalid syntax gmake: *** [out/Makefile.x64] Error 1 GYP_GENERATORS=make \ build/gyp/gyp --generator-output="out" build/all.gyp \ -Ibuild/standalone.gypi --depth=. \ -Dv8_target_arch=x64 \ -S.x64 -Dhost_arch=x64 Gem files will remain installed in /usr/local/rvm/gems/ ruby-1.9.3-p125@famnfo /gems/libv8-3.11.8.4 for inspection. Results logged to /usr/local/rvm/gems/ ruby-1.9.3-p125@famnfo /gems/libv8-3.11.8.4/ext/libv8/gem_make.out [ root@allthingswebdesign current]# 

Output from which g ++

 $ which g++ /usr/bin/g++ $ /usr/bin/g++ --version g++ (GCC) 4.1.2 20080704 (Red Hat 4.1.2-52) Copyright (C) 2006 Free Software Foundation, Inc. This is free software; see the source for copying conditions. There is NO warranty; not even for MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. [ root@allthingswebdesign current]# which g++ /usr/bin/g++ [ root@allthingswebdesign current]# which g++44 /usr/bin/g++44 [ root@allthingswebdesign current]# [ root@allthingswebdesign current]# cd /usr/bin/ [ root@allthingswebdesign bin]# ls -al g++* -rwxr-xr-x 4 root root 218432 May 10 2012 g++ -rwxr-xr-x 2 root root 263704 Feb 21 2012 g++44 lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 12 Dec 9 17:21 g++-4.4 -> /usr/bin/g++ 

Information you requested:

 [ root@allthingswebdesign node-v0.8.15]# which gcc /usr/bin/gcc [ root@allthingswebdesign node-v0.8.15]# which g++ /usr/bin/g++ [ root@allthingswebdesign node-v0.8.15]# which g++44 /usr/bin/g++44 [ root@allthingswebdesign node-v0.8.15]# ls -la /usr/bin/g++ -rwxr-xr-x 4 root root 218432 May 10 2012 /usr/bin/g++ [ root@allthingswebdesign node-v0.8.15]# 

EDIT After using the @Chris solution, I now installed libv8 for installation, but therubyracer still does not install and gives me this:

 [ root@allthingswebdesign famnfo.com]# gem install therubyracer Fetching: therubyracer-0.11.0.gem (100%) Building native extensions. This could take a while... ERROR: Error installing therubyracer: ERROR: Failed to build gem native extension. /usr/local/rvm/rubies/ruby-1.9.3-p125/bin/ruby extconf.rb checking for main() in -lpthread... yes creating Makefile make compiling accessor.cc accessor.cc:181:2: warning: no newline at end of file compiling array.cc array.cc:26:2: warning: no newline at end of file compiling backref.cc backref.cc:45:2: warning: no newline at end of file compiling constants.cc constants.cc:34:2: warning: no newline at end of file compiling constraints.cc constraints.cc:52:2: warning: no newline at end of file compiling context.cc compiling date.cc date.cc:18:2: warning: no newline at end of file compiling exception.cc exception.cc:38:2: warning: no newline at end of file compiling external.cc external.cc:43:2: warning: no newline at end of file compiling function.cc function.cc:58:2: warning: no newline at end of file compiling gc.cc gc.cc:43:2: warning: no newline at end of file compiling handles.cc handles.cc:34:2: warning: no newline at end of file compiling heap.cc heap.cc:31:2: warning: no newline at end of file compiling init.cc init.cc:39:2: warning: no newline at end of file compiling invocation.cc invocation.cc:86:2: warning: no newline at end of file compiling locker.cc locker.cc:77:2: warning: no newline at end of file compiling message.cc message.cc:51:2: warning: no newline at end of file compiling object.cc object.cc:334:2: warning: no newline at end of file compiling primitive.cc primitive.cc:8:2: warning: no newline at end of file compiling rr.cc rr.cc:83:2: warning: no newline at end of file compiling script.cc script.cc:80:17: warning: no newline at end of file compiling signature.cc signature.cc:18:2: warning: no newline at end of file compiling stack.cc stack.cc:76:2: warning: no newline at end of file compiling string.cc string.cc:47:17: warning: no newline at end of file compiling template.cc template.cc:175:2: warning: no newline at end of file compiling trycatch.cc trycatch.cc:87:2: warning: no newline at end of file compiling v8.cc v8.cc:87:2: warning: no newline at end of file compiling value.cc value.cc:239:2: warning: no newline at end of file linking shared-object v8/init.so /usr/bin/ld:/usr/local/rvm/gems/ruby-1.9.3-p125/gems/libv8-3.11.8.3-x86_64-linux/vendor/v8/out/x64.release/obj.target/tools/gyp/libv8_base.a: file format not recognized; treating as linker script /usr/bin/ld:/usr/local/rvm/gems/ruby-1.9.3-p125/gems/libv8-3.11.8.3-x86_64-linux/vendor/v8/out/x64.release/obj.target/tools/gyp/libv8_base.a:1: syntax error collect2: ld returned 1 exit status make: *** [init.so] Error 1 Gem files will remain installed in /usr/local/rvm/gems/ruby-1.9.3-p125/gems/therubyracer-0.11.0 for inspection. Results logged to /usr/local/rvm/gems/ruby-1.9.3-p125/gems/therubyracer-0.11.0/ext/v8/gem_make.out 

Answer 1

libv8 cannot be installed because Centos ships with Python 2.4. You need at least Python 2.6 to compile it. You can do this with:

 yum install python26 ln -s /usr/bin/python26 /usr/local/bin/python 

More simply, you can install libv8 from your binary package:

 gem install libv8 --version=3.11.8.3 

However, despite this, therubyracer may or may not be installed even with libv8 installed; I had sporadic problems with him, but only on some machines I still could not figure out the common cause. I resorted to compiling node.js on these machines.