Autotooling WebKit GTK+

2008-02-10T04:38:17Z

In the GTK+ port of WebKit, we use QMake, QT’s make alternative, to build the project. This has become a bit unwieldy to a few contributors and developers as they have to install QT libraries, even the whole QT stack, just to build the GTK+ port. Sounds ironic, yeah. But there are also times when developers had enough with qmake DEPENDPATH issues that changes to the dependencies can sometimes yield unpredictable builds - compile-time and runtime errors.

So, to fix this problem I started to autotool the GTK+ port of WebKit. I am no autotool maestro but I feel it’s something that needs to be done and Autotools is something that I want to learn anyway. Doing the project I’ve realized that autotools is actually a good solution for automatic dependency and host feature resolution. And one thing i’ve also learned when reading Peter Miller’s Non-Recursive Make paper is that (1) Make is GIGO. So if you put crappy rules there then you get what you deserve; and (2) The beauty of Make is that it doesn’t require the user to install additional packages and dependencies - most unices will have Make. And this is very important as WebKit, and the Gtk+ port, is used and embedded environment as well as in the desktop space.

So as of today you should be able to build WebKit/GTK+ using autotools. This should also make it easier for people used to autotools as well as newcomers coming from Gtk+/GNOME expecting an autotool build system for WebKit Gtk+.

Update: Alp posted a brief summary as well plans with regards to the Gtk+ port and autotools build system. It’s also nice to know that other (younger) ports are interested in adopting the build system for their own use.

.liferc » webkit

Autotooling WebKit GTK+