pkg-config

Query library compiler and linker flags

TLDR

Get compiler flags

$ pkg-config --cflags [library]

Get linker flags

$ pkg-config --libs [library]

Get all flags

$ pkg-config --cflags --libs [library]

Check if library exists

$ pkg-config --exists [library] && echo "Found"

Get library version

$ pkg-config --modversion [library]

List all packages

$ pkg-config --list-all

pkg-config retrieves compiler and linker flags needed to build software against installed libraries. It reads metadata from .pc files that libraries install, providing the correct include paths, library paths, and link flags.Build systems like autotools, CMake, and Meson use pkg-config to locate libraries portably. The --cflags flag returns compiler flags (include paths), --libs returns linker flags, and --modversion shows the installed version. Version constraints can be checked with --atleast-version.

PARAMETERS

PACKAGES

Package names.

--cflags

Compiler flags.

--libs

Linker flags.

--exists

Check existence.

--modversion

Show version.

--list-all

List packages.

--atleast-version VERSION

Exit successfully if version is at least VERSION.

--exact-version VERSION

Exit successfully if version matches exactly.

--max-version VERSION

Exit successfully if version is at most VERSION.

--variable NAME

Print the value of a variable defined in the .pc file.

--libs-only-L

Print only -L/-R library search path flags.

--libs-only-l

Print only -l library name flags.

--cflags-only-I

Print only -I include path flags.

--static

Output for static linking (include private dependencies).

--print-errors

Show errors when package not found.

--silence-errors

Suppress error output.

CONFIGURATION

PKG_CONFIG_PATH

Colon-separated list of additional directories to search for .pc files.

PKG_CONFIG_LIBDIR

Override the default .pc file search path entirely.

INSTALL

sudo apt install pkgconf

sudo dnf install pkgconf

sudo pacman -S pkgconf

sudo apk add pkgconf

sudo zypper install pkgconf

brew install pkgconf

nix profile install nixpkgs#pkgconf

CAVEATS

Requires .pc files. PKGCONFIGPATH for custom locations.

HISTORY

pkg-config was created by James Henstridge around 2001 as part of the freedesktop.org project to simplify library compilation and linking. It is widely used in autotools, CMake, and Meson build systems.