Multilib
From Gentoo Wiki
Multilib is one of the solutions allowing users to run applications built for various application binary interfaces (ABIs) of the same architecture. The most common use of multilib is to run 32-bit applications on amd64.
The multilib systems use separate library directories for non-native ABIs. This allows having the same library installed in variants for each ABI, as necessary to satisfy the dependencies of programs built for the ABI in question.
Multilib library providers in Gentoo
There are currently three ways of providing multilib libraries in Gentoo:
- Using emul-linux-x86 packages (32-bit libraries for amd64 only). (obsolete and removed)
- Using the eclasses provided by the gx86-multilib project. (Current implementation)
- Using the multilib-portage fork.
Comparison of multilib approaches
Note
The table explains the current state as of 2013-11-16. It does not imply any limitations on further developments.
The table explains the current state as of 2013-11-16. It does not imply any limitations on further developments.
| emul-linux | gx86-multilib | multilib-portage | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Supported ABIs | x86 only | any | any |
| Provision method | binary packages | source build | source build |
| Method of introducing | dedicated ebuilds | eclasses + changes in library ebuilds | changes in package manager |
| Inter-package dependencies | explicit emul-linux package deps | explicit USE dependencies | implicit |
| Cost of introduction | low (committing ebuilds) | medium (eclasses + changing a number of existing ebuilds | high (changing package managers and specification) |
| Cost of adding libraries | low (building a new package) | medium (changing the native library ebuild) | none (implicit) |
| Cost of maintenance | medium (rebuilding the emul- set for new versions of libs) | low (bumping the ebuilds) | none (implicit) |
| Cost of changing (fixing) implementation | low (rebuild the set) | medium (fixing eclasses and/or ebuilds) | very high (needs new EAPI) |
| Security implications | security issues need to be handled separately | handled along with the native version | handled implicitly by the native version |
| Supported libraries | limited set with a single version of each | limited set with free version choice | any |
| Support USE flags (choices) | very limited due to intra-library dependencies | USE flags common to native and multilib build | USE flags common to native and multilib build |
| Extra fetching | binary packages | no | no |
| Extra build time | no | depending on build system limitations, some things may be built multiple times unnecessarily | the complete build process is run multiple times |
| Extra dependencies | no | no | every build-time tool need to become multilib as well |