GNUstep SVN Installation Guide

This page is a step-by-step "How-to compile the latest svn version of GNUstep". It's mainly a short summary of different documents available. Wiki based, I hope this document will be the up-to-date installation guide.

Introduction

Three step are needed to build and install GNUstep:

Build the Makefile package: sets up an environment for GNUstep;
Build core libraries;
Minimal configuration.

Makefile Package

svn co http://svn.gna.org/svn/gnustep/tools/make/trunk/ gnustep-make
./configure --prefix=/usr/GNUstep
make
make install

Extra configuration needed every time you use "GNUstep" from a command-line:

. /usr/GNUstep/System/Library/Makefiles/GNUstep.sh

For Bourne compatible shells, or

. /usr/GNUstep/System/Library/Makefiles/GNUstep.csh

For csh or tcsh.

Core Libraries

You will need at least the core libraries in order to run most GNUstep tools and/or applications.

Base/Foundation Library

svn co http://svn.gna.org/svn/gnustep/libs/base/trunk/ gnustep-base
./configure
make
make install

GUI/AppKit Library

svn co http://svn.gna.org/svn/gnustep/libs/gui/trunk/ gnustep-gui
./configure
make
make install

Backend Library

The most stable GNUstep backend currently is the one dependent on libart, but is no longer actively developed. The libcairo has become the official backend but is still unstable.

svn co http://svn.gna.org/svn/gnustep/libs/back/trunk/ gnustep-back
./configure --enable-graphics=cairo --disable-glitz
make
make install

Minimal configuration

You may also need to install package to use default font used by GNUstep. On Debian Etch, install ttf-bitstream-vera package.